Heading into another summer weekend, Squamish Search and Rescue is warning locals and visitors to be prepared for “self-rescues” and longer wait times as helicopter focus is turned towards the B.C. wildfires.
“Helicopters are not as readily available for Squamish SAR tasks due to the B.C. wildfire,” Squamish Search and Rescue spokesperson Christy Allan told The Squamish Chief.
“Be prepared for self-rescue or potentially longer response times by our team,” Allan said.
This past long-weekend saw the rescue numbers rise again with hiking related rescues undertaken by the Squamish SAR.
“The long week-end was busy with three hiking-related calls from Goat Ridge, The Chief and Lake Lovely Water,” Allan said.
“To date, we have responded to approximately 75 calls this year which is on par with the call volumes from last year.”
SAR was also called to the Slhanay bluffs on Aug. 7 to assist an injured base jumper.
Rare point-of-view footage from the helicopter, showcasing the technical nature of a long line rescue can be seen on the Squamish Search and Rescue social media.
But it’s not just hikers, climbers and base jumpers that have required the help of SAR this past year, with the mountain biking task volume “increasing steadily” over the past six years.
“Back in 2018, we had 11 mountain biking related tasks. Last year we had more than double that at 27,” Allan said.
“From 2018 until now, we have responded to 127 mountain biking tasks.
“Hiking is still the most common activity but over the years mountain biking has surpassed climbing as the second most tasked activity,” she said.
For tips and tricks when planning your outdoor adventures, Allan recommends checking out the AdventureSmart Canada website.
