These 10 B.C. hikes required the most rescues last year
While British Columbia is full of scenic hiking trails, several in particular attract the most attention from search and rescue (SAR) crews in the province.
Out of the 504 hiking-related search and rescue calls that crews respond to last year, these 10 generate the most by volume.
The list, released by the BC Search and Rescue Association (BCSARA) on Thursday, can be found below, with the number one spot representing the highest call volume:
- Rubble Creek trail (heading to Black Tusk trail)
- Howe Sound Crest trail
- Juan de Fuca marine trail
- Stawamus Chief trail
- Sea to Summit trail
- Grouse Grind trail
- Wedgemount Lake trail
- Mount Seymour trail
- Rainbow Mountain trail
- Cape Scott trail
BCSARA has created safety videos for six of the trails included on the list.
The videos are intended to inform hikers about what to expect on the following trails: Black Tusk trail, Howe Sound Crest trail, Juan de Fuca marine trail, Stawamus Chief trail, Grouse Grind trail, and Mount Seymour trail.
All six videos can be found on the BCSARA website. Search crews recommend that people watch the videos if they intend on hiking any of those trails.
(BCSARA)
COMMON HIKING EMERGENCIES
BCSARA says the top three most common hiking emergencies are people being lost or not having a navigation device – poor footwear, sometimes leading to a slip or fall – and hikers being unaware of how hard a trail is or being stuck on a trail that exceeds their ability.
Those three reasons accounted for 271 search and rescue calls in B.C. in 2022.
(BCSARA) Search crews are asking hikers to be prepared before embarking on any trail, noting that most emergency calls are preventable.
Tips from BCSARA on how to prepare for a hike include:
- Wearing appropriate footwear
- Bringing and knowing how use a navigational tool, such as a paper map or a mapping app – excluding Google Maps.
- Researching the difficulty of a trail before you begin
- Using sound judgement and turning around if you're tired or if a trail is too difficult for you to complete.
More tips on outdoor trail safety can be found on the BCSARA website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Thieves use stolen forklift to rip cash machine out of U.K. bank
Police in the U.K. are searching for a group of suspects seen on video using a forklift to steal a cash machine from a bank.
'There was a lot of black smoke': Crane operator sounds alarm while trapped during highrise fire in Halifax
A tower crane operator alerted emergency crews after noticing a fire on a construction site in Halifax Tuesday morning.