COSAR members rescued a group of people stuck on the KVR.
Image Credit: COSAR
February 21, 2020 - 9:25 AM
Central Okanagan Search and Rescue crews were busy over the last week and a half.
Last night at 9 p.m., Feb. 20, RCMP reported that a group of four-wheel-drive enthusiasts were stuck on the Kettle Valley Railway near Lebanon Lake.
The group was trying to make it to Chute Lake before they became stuck and called friends in a recovery vehicle, which also got stuck, according to a Central Okanagan Search and Rescue news release.
Around 10:30 p.m. COSAR dispatched a team on their tracked UTV and brought four people and their dog back to safety.
“The problem with the KVR this time of year is it’s a very rutted ice road,” says search manager Brian Stainsby, in the news release. “Unless you have chains, it kicks your vehicle around and if you get into the snow, it’s hard to get out. We’ve seen this scenario many times over the years.”
“People need to be prepared for winter conditions. It’s still winter in the mountains and it gets very cold at night. It’s a 10-minute drive up Gillard Forest Service Road, but it’s a three-hour walk down.”
The KVR rescue was COSAR’s third in a week and a half, according to the release.
On Tuesday, Feb. 18, crews rescued a 14-year-old snowmobiler in Greystokes Provincial Park after he became separated from his family and spent the night outside, according to the release.
A week earlier, COSAR found a missing 60-year-old sledder who spent the night in the same area.
COSAR would like to remind outdoor enthusiasts to head over to adventuresmart.ca to prepare if you’re planning an adventure.
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