FILE PHOTO
Image Credit: ADOBE STOCK
January 25, 2024 - 8:42 AM
A snowmobiler was killed in the backcountry near Frigate Mountain in Donald on Sunday, one of two rescues this week in the region.
Golden-Field RCMP received an emergency SOS activation from a Zoleo device near Frigate Mountain in Donald at around 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21, according to an RCMP news release.
Six snowmobilers were heading back after a day of sledding, but one of them left the trail and went down a steep embankment and hit trees on his way down.
The accident left the 24-year-old rider dead on impact.
RCMP was called which activated the Golden Area District Search and Rescue team. Having to access such a remote area took several hours by land and the team finally arrived to transfer the deceased to the BC Coroners Service about eight hours after the initial call.
"The group was very well prepared for their backcountry adventure; they had all the right gear, they were experienced riders, and even with all these measures in place, sometimes things still go wrong,"
Const. Kat Robinson, Media Relations Officer for the Golden-Field RCMP, said in the release.
The second rescue mission took place on Jan. 22 when RCMP were called to Emerald Peak in Yoho National Park after receiving an emergency activation on a Spot device.
Banff Parks Dispatch was called and a team of Parks Canada Mountain Safety Specialists was deployed to rescue two stranded skiers.
The team attempted to go by helicopter but was quickly fogged in. They then sent a search party by land and found the two 25-year-old men who had been stranded on a cliff.
One skier was extracted that night, and search and rescue members staid overnight with the second as they set up camp on the mountain. They were then evacuated the next morning by helicopter and no one was injured.
"Always expect the best but be prepared for the worst when you plan backcountry adventures or participate in extreme sports," says Const. Robinson. "Know the terrain, tell a friend where you are going, pack emergency gear just in case, and carry a GPS device with emergency capabilities."
Both these cases serve as examples of adequately prepared young men that emergency teams were quickly able to locate to respond to their emergency calls.
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