A group of snowshoers helped rescue an injured cross country skier in the Strawberry Pass last week.
Rossland Search and Rescue (RSAR) received a call at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 31. Nine members and snow mobiles responded, and found the skier at Sunspot cabin. The woman had been out skiing on her own when she fell and twisted her knee. Luckily, a group that was out snowshoeing happened to come across her.
The snowshoers went to Sunspot cabin and got a ladder that they used as a stretcher, which then allowed them to move the injured skier to the cabin to wait for help.
“A rescue team got there, they strapped her up, bandaged her up, assessed her and got her back down to the waiting ambulance,” said Dave Braithwaite, search manager for RSAR.
Skiers, snowshoers, fat bikers and other users venturing out into the Rossland Range Recreation Site in the Strawberry Pass are reminded that though the area has a number of day-use cabins where people can warm up and have lunch, the area is still considered backcountry. Users should be properly prepared before they go out.
“There are dangerous slopes all around that area and you should have proper rescue gear and be able to self-evacuate,” said Braithwaite. “I think people are beginning to believe that it’s all good and gentle and nothing, but there are avalanche slopes, there are tree wells, there’s hidden hazards, stumps and rocks, and all sorts of things out there.”
Those headed out into the backcountry should also not go alone. Braithwaite said it was lucky that the snowshoers happened to come across the skier.
