Hikers rescued after getting stranded on challenging B.C. trail in the dark

An exhausted couple was rescued from the B.C. Howe Sound Crest Trail on Sunday after they were unable to complete the day hike. Photo by Lions Bay Search and Rescue/Face

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A couple was rescued from the B.C. Howe Sound Crest Trail on Sunday after they became exhausted and unable to complete their hike.

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Lions Bay Search and Rescue said the husband and wife were out on a day hike Son unday, starting at about 9 a.m. from Cypress Mountain.

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By the time they reached James Peak, about a quarter of the way through the 30-kilometre route, they had been hiking for nearly 12 hours and were exhausted, so the couple called for help.

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“They significantly underestimated the distance, difficulty, and fitness required for this trail,” said search manager Maria Masiar. “They also had no overnight equipment, no backup plan, no turnaround time set.”

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Lions Bay Search and Rescue, with the assistance of Talon Helicopters, conducted a night hover rescue, a first for that search and rescue team. North Shore Rescue was alerted and placed on standby in case the operation required a longline rescue.

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Around nightfall, three search and rescue team members were dropped off on the mountain near the hikers. The crew and the couple were lifted to safety at around 10:30 p.m.

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Lions Bay Search and Rescue conducted its first night-time hover rescue on Sunday, rescuing two exhausted hikers from James Peak. Photo by Lions Bay Search and Rescue/Face

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“The hikers on the Howe Sound Crest Trail were poorly equipped for the demands of the trip,” said Lions Bay Search and Rescue in a Facebook post. “The Howe Sound Crest Trail is a long, strenuous, and committing backcountry route that requires careful planning, appropriate equipment, sufficient food and water, and a realistic understanding of the time and fitness required to complete it.”

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Most hikers camp overnight on the Howe Sound Crest Trail, but the challenging route, which has a cumulative elevation gain of 2,200 metres, can be done in 10 to 12 hours by extremely fit and experienced hikers.

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