A man caught in an avalanche in the backcountry of Vancouver Island is lucky to be alive after two witnesses spotted him.
At approximately 4 p.m. on Sunday, Campbell River Search and Rescue was alerted about a man in his late 40s who had been found partially buried near Mount Cain Ski Resort, nearly two hours from Campbell River. It’s unclear whether he had been skiing or snowboarding at the time.
A group of volunteers familiar with Mount Cain headed to the west bowl area on snowmobiles.
Upon reaching the scene, they discovered the man was in distress, suffering from a leg fracture and showing signs of hypothermia, said search manager Richard Finch. With daylight fading and his condition deteriorating, the situation became critical.
Rescue efforts were complicated by ongoing avalanche conditions, prompting Finch and his team to request assistance from North Shore Rescue.
The Mount Cain volunteers managed to extract the man and bring him to the lodge, where North Shore Rescue arrived with a Talon Helicopter.
Despite challenging cloud cover, the helicopter’s pilot successfully landed at Mount Cain’s base using night vision goggles, according to North Shore Rescue search manager Dave Barnett.
“While we can fly at night, we can’t operate in heavy cloud cover,” Barnett explained, noting that clearer skies allowed the helicopter to land and take off safely.
At the lodge, an ER physician equipped with advanced medical gear, along with an off-duty paramedic, provided immediate care.
“There were many people involved in ensuring this man’s leg was saved,” said North Shore Rescue air operations coordinator John Blown.
The helicopter departed around 8 p.m. and made the hour-long journey to Vancouver General Hospital’s rooftop helipad—marking a first for North Shore Rescue. Typically, rescues involve transferring patients at a nearby helipad or airport.
North Shore Rescue only conducts such flights for “life or limb” emergencies, Barnett explained.
“It was a major milestone for us,” he said, emphasizing that the achievement was the result of over a year of preparation with BC Ambulance Service, Talon Helicopters, the search and rescue team, and medical professionals.
Campbell River Search and Rescue urges anyone heading into the backcountry to be aware of avalanche risks, remain prepared, and share their plans with others.
Finch also emphasized the importance of carrying the right equipment and being able to send a distress signal if necessary.
Over the weekend, avalanche conditions were rated “high hazard” in many areas of the province, but by Monday, the danger level had dropped to “considerable.”
