Nanaimo Search and Rescue is reminding hikers to share their trip plans with family and friends before going out to enjoy the backcountry.
Nanaimo SAR members responded to a call for an overdue mountain biker in the Doumont Road area of Nanaimo Tuesday morning. The man’s truck was found by family Monday evening and they called the police.
It turns out, the man wasn’t missing at all, nor was he mountain biking.
He ended up hiking to Cinderella Lake to go fishing and decided to spend the night once it started getting dark.
He’s an avid outdoorsman and was well prepared to spend the night.
“Unfortunately, he hadn’t let anybody else know his plans,” says Allen Tonn, search manager for Nanaimo SAR.
“It’s a key reminder that it's great to go out and spend time in the outdoors but please make sure you file a trip plan.”
The hiker’s footprints in the snow were spotted from a SAR aircraft and police dog services were then used to locate him.
“He was more embarrassed that we found him more than anything else,” added Tonn.
