Fourth Monashee Rescue Call in a Month - VSAR
Update September 9 2026 - Vernon Search and Rescue shared details on weekend Monashee search
VSAR says Sunday’s call was its fourth into the Monashee Mountains in the past month, two for injuries and two for overdue hikers.
A pair of hikers had told family they were heading for the Pinnacles and would check in. When they didn’t, family called 911.
There was early confusion over whether they meant Pinnacles Lake or Pinnacles Peak, which use different trailheads. The hikers had also given parking coordinates, and VSAR found their vehicle exactly where they said it would be.
That confirmed they were on the harder Monashee Lake Trail toward Pinnacle Peak. Teams headed out after midnight in the rain and launched a thermal drone to look for heat sources in case the pair had left the trail.
Searchers found them near Monashee Lake. The hikers had planned to spend the night; the callout came from a family communication mix-up. They were wet, cold, and not fully prepared for rain and cooler temperatures at elevation, so they agreed to come out with the team.
Because of conditions and fatigue, VSAR waited for daylight and used Graham Helicopters to fly out the two hikers and six team members. Thirteen VSAR volunteers worked through the night.
VSAR thanked the family for calling and the hikers for sharing their parking location.
Original Story
September 7 2026 - Better Safe Than Sorry. Vernon Search and Rescue was called around 11 p.m. Sunday September 6 to help find two people reported lost near Cherryville.
VSAR quickly found the pair’s vehicle and began a search with drones and ground teams.
A ground team is believed to have spotted them after noticing flashlights near the shore of Monashee Lake.
Contact was made and both were reported in good health, and surprised they were the subject of a search.
The search location is east of Cherryville on the Highway 6 corridor, about 27 kilometres (17 miles) from town toward the Monashees.
Retracing the ground route over the steep wet terrain in the dark was judged too dangerous by the search team, so a helicopter was requested for extraction at first light. Weather permitting.
Graham Helicopters, a company often tasked by VSAR, flew the job.
At dawn the rain that fell overnight stopped and visibility was good enough for the helicopter to reach the search team.
Eight people were airlifted out, the two hikers who decided to end their adventure and six VSAR members.
The night leaves a simple lesson: make your intentions known, and be sure they are understood.
Ultimately, all's well that ends well.
VSAR Spends the night on Mountain East of Cherryville
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