It was a snowy yet successful start to the Easter long weekend for Comox Valley Search & Rescue as their members, along with the assistance of 442 Squadron, helped rescue an injured snowshoer.
Paul Berry, president with CVSR said their crew was tasked Friday evening with assisting three snowshoers who got lost on Mount Brooks, with one person who sustained a lower leg injury.
Berry added the individual who sustained the injury was unable to walk, and search and rescue members on skis and snowshoes used snowmobiles to ferry in towards the snowshoers from Raven Lodge on Mount Washington.
Despite only being about five kilometres away, the terrain was difficult and steep, Berry explained, and would have been difficult and time-consuming to bring the injured snowshoer back on a sled.
442 Transport and Rescue Squadron at 19 Wing Comox was called in to help and flew directly to the subject and hosted the individual for medical attention.
“The rest of their group snowshoed back with our crew and got back around 3 a.m.,” said Berry and added 16 members attended the call.
Fortunately, due to their proximity, the snowshoeing group did have cell service which they were able to use to call for help.
Despite Mount Washington Alpine Resort closing on April 5, Berry noted many people are still snowshoeing and advised to always be prepared with proper clothes, food, snow equipment and communication devices such as an inReach which relies on GPS if help or assistance is needed.
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