BURSTA climber was airlifted to safety after being stung more than 100 times by wasps in the backcountry north of Vancouver, as search-and-rescue volunteers warn the insects have been unusually aggressive this year.
Lions Bay Search and Rescue said Tuesday that the woman was climbing at Redoubt Wall (home to the eight-pitch Throne of Kings 5.10b) near Loggers Creek when she encountered the wasps. A ground team was sent in with emergency medical supplies in case of a “serious systemic reaction,” but rescuers determined she would not be able to hike out and requested a helicopter extraction from North Shore Rescue.
The rescue comes after Lions Bay SAR warned earlier this summer that wasps are “fierce this year,” with weather conditions contributing to larger and more defensive colonies. The group said a mild winter and early warm spring allowed more queen yellowjackets to survive and establish nests, while a longer growing season gave those colonies more time to expand. Wasps in the Sea to Sky region often nest on the ground, hidden under roots, rocks, logs or vegetation beside trails, and yellowjackets can sting repeatedly.
Rescuers were flown to the climbing site and helped airlift the woman through heavy tree canopy before she was transferred to B.C. Emergency Health Services for care. Redoubt Wall is about 40 kilometres north of Vancouver along the Sea to Sky Highway. Lions Bay SAR is asking hikers to report active nests they encounter and says, “This is another reminder that wasp encounters can become a serious backcountry medical emergency very quickly, particularly when someone receives a large number of stings.”
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