Overnight in Mountains Above Vernon

Winter Exercise Marks Completion of GSAR Training Course

Members-in-Training with Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) completed their final course exercise this past weekend, facing challenging winter conditions in the mountains above Vernon.

Vernon Search and Rescue Created a Fun Video of the Exercise, Click Image to View

The exercise concluded a 100-hour GSAR training program and required participants to rely solely on equipment carried in their 24-hour packs.

Skills tested included compass navigation without electronic aids, radio communications, rope and knot work, shelter construction, and fire starting. The weekend culminated with the construction of a signal fire.

Overnight temperatures dropped to approximately –8°C, with deep snow and wet conditions adding to the difficulty. Participants were tasked with building a shelter and maintaining a fire throughout the night using wet wood, while managing fatigue and limited sleep.

The exercise tested participants’ physical and mental skills while reinforcing teamwork and resilience.

By the end of the weekend, Members-in-Training had successfully completed the course and demonstrated readiness to move forward in the organization.

A congratulations post was shared on the VSAR Facebook page, including images and video from the exercise.