Lost Vernon Snowmobilers Did Right Thing

Vernon Search and Rescue Responds to Season’s First Snowmobile Rescue

Hunters Range, BC – Vernon Search and Rescue (VSAR) answered their first snowmobile-related call of the season yesterday evening when two riders became lost in the Hunters Range area.

Lost Vernon Snowmobilers Did Right Thing by Staying Put

The pair had entered the backcountry on an unmarked and unmaintained trail.

Unfamiliar with the terrain and with darkness falling, they quickly became disoriented.

Fortunately, they located a Hunters Range Snowmobile Association cabin, made the critical decision to shelter inside, and lit a fire to warm themselves and revive their frozen cell phones.

Once service returned, they contacted family members, who immediately called 9-1-1.

Five VSAR members responded via the Ashton Creek access and found the snowmobilers safe and waiting at the cabin—a move that rescuers say dramatically sped up the operation.

“Staying put was the best thing they could have done,” VSAR said in a statement. “It turned what could have been a long night into a quick and safe recovery.”

With snowpack still very low across the region, VSAR is reminding all backcountry users to ride with caution. Exposed creeks, bogs, stumps, and holes pose serious hazards off groomed trails.

Riders are urged to carry essential safety gear, including a portable battery pack, satellite communicator or inReach device, and a GPS, and to always let someone know their planned route and expected return time.