The Oliver/Osoyoos and North Shore rescue teams teamed up late Friday afternoon (Jan. 20) to successfully save a lost skier who had gone out of bounds at Mount Baldy.
Four members of the OOSAR with two snowmobiles and a tracked quad responded to the area after receiving a call for a lost skier from the Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC).
With cold temperatures and a number of fallen trees down its access route, the team requested help from the ECC to see if the night vision and winch-equipped helicopter from Vancouver were available.
Members of the North Shore Rescue, along with Talon Helicopters, were available and deployed to the scene.
As weather between the Lower Mainland and B.C.’s Interior could affect the helicopter response, members prepared for a possible snowmobile ride into the subject. The weather, though, did cooperate Friday night and the helicopter was able to attend.
“The aircrew located the subject in the area of the coordinates we had received, and inserted a member by winch to extract the missing skier,” OOSAR shared in a Saturday morning update (Jan. 21).
After OOSAR members secured the Mount Baldy parking lot for a landing zone, the helicopter dropped off the “very cold but thankful” skier to reunite with his friends, the rescue team added.
“This skier did the right thing, as soon as he realized he was lost he called 911. He also stayed in his location until he was rescued.”
Although a number of resources were used in the rescue, OOSAR is reminding people that there is no charge for such assistance.
Along with North Shore Rescue and Talon Helicopters, OOSAR is thanking the Mount Baldy locals on Saturday morning for offering assistance when needed during the task.
READ MORE: Skier rescued after spending 5 hours on ‘dark and cold night’ near Apex