BURSTTwo drones played key roles in the nighttime rescue of a climber stranded 77 metres (250 feet) above the ground on the Stawamus Chief in Squamish, B.C. Squamish Search and Rescue says its drone team was called Wednesday night after the climber became stranded on Alaska Highway, a five-pitch 5.11d. The unidentified climber was secured to an anchor but didn’t have a rope.
With darkness, the scale of the terrain and “significant rockfall exposure,” the search-and-rescue team says a traditional rope rescue would have presented considerable challenges. Instead, rescuers deployed two drones. One aircraft illuminated the rock face with a floodlight, allowing a second drone to navigate to the climber and deliver a lightweight messenger line.
The messenger line was then used to bring a climbing rope up to the climber. He was able to secure himself to the rope and rappel safely to the ground. A jacket was also sent up by drone to help keep the climber warm during the rescue.
“This was a great example of the value of an established drone program — and how the right tools, used in the right circumstances, can help reduce risk for both rescuers and those we’re called to help,” Squamish Search and Rescue said. This is the first time that we’ve heard of search and rescuers using two drones to rescue a rock climber but bringing them a rope.
The rescue is another example of how drones are increasingly being used in mountain emergencies, including to locate stranded or injured climbers and skiers. In 2018, a drone helped locate Scottish mountaineer Rick Allen after he became stranded on Pakistan’s Broad Peak at an altitude of about 7,600 metres. Allen had survived a fall and spent roughly 36 hours alone on the mountain. A drone located him and provided coordinates that helped rescuers reach him.
Drones have also been used in ski rescues in Canada, like in December 2024 when three skiers became lost in the backcountry near Sun Peaks, B.C., were located during an overnight search involving Kamloops Search and Rescue and a drone. The skiers were found around 4:30 a.m., cold and tired but otherwise in good condition.
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