Incident command centre with RCMP and Vernon Search and Rescue on Noble Canyon Road in Coldstream on Feb. 7. (submitted photo/VSAR)

By Pete McIntyre

Search and Rescue

Search team rescues stranded teens on mountain road

Feb 10, 2021 | 11:17 AM

An outing by a group of teenagers ended with a number of vehicles stranded on a mountain road and search and rescue coming to their assistance.

Vernon Search and Rescue (VSAR) was called to assist RCMP on Sunday evening (Feb. 7) for a report of an unknown number of people stuck near Becker Lake in Coldstream.

That night, temperatures starting to drop creating more urgency to the situation.

RCMP and VSAR set up an incident command post at the Noble Canyon turnoff and the VSAR team deployed snowmobiles and UTV vehicles to travel up the mountain.

“As the scene began to unfold, it was discovered that a number of teens in different vehicles had drove up the icy road earlier in the day and had become hopelessly stuck at several locations. They called friends to help get them, who then became stuck themselves on their way to assist. Then a number of parents were called to assist as well, only to become stuck too,” a posting on the society’s Facebook page stated.

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VSAR said as the temperature dropped, the icy road conditions worsened.

“One by one, search and rescue members came across immobile vehicles strung along the mountain road. A relay system was created to shuttle the subjects down the mountain, as there was only a single lane available,” VSAR explained.

The search group said by 1 a.m. on Feb. 8, 15 people were transported down the mountain to warmth and safety.

VSAR would like to thank everyone involved in making the rescue a success and the patience of people who were held back for safety reasons, the Facebook post said.

“It was necessary that a number of concerned individuals were held back from going up the mountain road to help. These friends and family of the subjects were asked to wait at the bottom of the mountain so as to not complicate the search and rescue operation, and their patience was appreciated,” the posting stated.

VSAR is emphasizing that people should never hesitate to call 911 when in a situation like this.

“Search and rescue teams are free to use, and can be mobilized quickly simply by calling 911. In many cases such as this, if the call had been made sooner in the day the search and rescue mission may have been accomplished much easier, and finished much sooner as well.”

VSAR also advises anyone using back roads and wilderness areas to be prepared to stay overnight in case of accidents.

“Cellphones and other communication devices don’t always work when they are needed. By thinking ahead and being prepared for emergencies, incidents like these can be downgraded from a potentially dangerous situation to an uncomfortable inconvenience,” the post said.

Before heading out, visit www.AdventureSmart.ca for more information and planning tips.

by Pete McIntyre

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