BURST
Several search-and-rescue groups worked together Tuesday to complete a dramatic and dangerous rescue of two climbers stuck on the rock face of Yak Peak, a 500-metre granite massif that towers over the Coquihalla Highway north of Hope.
North Shore Rescue was alerted late Tuesday night and asked to assist with a helicopter rescue of two climbers who were stuck, dangling from their harnesses mid-face on the near-vertical climb, after one had fallen and suffered a head injury. Complicating the rescue was rapidly deteriorating weather, clouds, wildfire smoke, and nightfall.
A hoist crew that flew to the area with one of the team’s Talon Helicopter Ltd.’s aircraft used night vision goggles to find the climbers. Several attempts were made to get overtop of the climbers, but the conditions forced the crew to retreat and land in Hope. A second attempt was made early Wednesday morning, but conditions again thwarted their efforts, and the crew was forced to fly back to Vancouver around 4 a.m.
Hope Search and Rescue sent rope-rescue and mountain-rescue certified volunteers in by ground, supported by rescuers from the Chilliwack, Lions Bay and the North Shore rescue teams.
Ninety minutes after the first helicopter had to leave, the Hope ground team reported the weather was improving, and a second North Shore Rescue helicopter crew — pilot, hoist operator, and rescue techs — was organized.
The fresh flight crew was get to the two trapped climbers and use the Petzl Lezard — a specially designed rope lanyard used for helicopter evacuations at altitude — to lift them off the rock face.
The injured climber was hoisted out first, then his partner. They were flown to the Zopkios parking/brake check area on the Coquihalla and handed off to paramedics.
The injured climber’s condition is not known.
The Yak Peak is a popular climb, with nearly 500 metres of technically demanding vertical climbing with sections of solid granite as well as loose, crumbly rock.