Group uses extra clothing, turbans to rescue stranded hiker
'I've never seen or heard of that before,' says search and rescue manager
A group of hikers in a B.C. park are being touted as "ingenious" for their quick thinking after they used extra clothes and turbans to help another stranded wayfarer.
Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue was called in by RCMP to help find and rescue a stranded hiker near Lower Falls in Golden Ears Provincial Park, north of Maple Ridge, B.C., on Monday at about 6 p.m. PT. Search manager Rick Laing says the man, who appeared to be in his 20s, had slipped on some slick rock and fell into a pool above Lower Falls.
As the team hiked up a trail, they approached a group of seven people on their way down — five of whom had been involved in helping the stranded hiker out of the pool, where water raced toward him.
The group had happened upon the hiker and his friend who had been trying to help him, and used extra clothes and turbans to fashion a makeshift rope — about 10 metres long — for the man to grab onto so they could pull him out.
"We all thought that was very ingenious to do that," Laing said.
"I've never seen or heard of that before."
Laing said the man was "extremely lucky" the group passed by when they did, because he says at least one person a year slips and drowns after going over the falls in that area.
He advises anyone hiking in the area to be careful, regardless of the season.
With files from Dan Burritt