North Shore Rescue
63 Bewicke Ave V7M 3B6 North Vancouver, BC, Canada

Great article about Camden and his efforts to support NSR. https://bc.ctvnews.ca/teen-inspired-by-personal-story-to-fu

Camden strikes again! This local high school student sold NSR branded masks and raised over $5,000 for NSR. Camden had previously created a fundraiser by selling NSR branded toques and in total has raised over $15,000 for the team! Thank you Camden!

BCMC closure update

NSR and Talon Helicopters have been tasked to assist Chilliwack SAR. A NVG crew is responding with a team doctor, and rope rescue members.

NSR’s NVG-equipped helicopter team and an Advanced Medical provider (physician) is responding for Mutual Aid to Chilliwack SAR on a medical rescue.

NSR and Talon Helicopters were tasked last night to assist @ridge meadows SAR. Talon’s night capable Dauphin AS365 and NVG trained NSR members responded. A hand held FLIR was also used to assist in searching.

The last 36 hours have seen some -very- significant incidents and rescues in the Sea to Sky backcountry. It appears to have been 3 skier triggered avalanches, 7 caught, 4 injured, 1 fatality and 1 missing skier found between Whistler and Squamish. If you are recreating this long weekend, please exercise a heightened degree of caution. http://squamish.bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action

A skier has died in Whistler - https://www.squamishreporter.com//skier-dead-in-avalanche/ And another missing skier has been located in Squamish - https://www.squamishreporter.com//skier-rescued-from-elfi/

North Shore Rescue is sending its helicopter-mounted FLIR (w/ Talon helicopter) and ground members on both snowmobiles and skis on a Mutual Aid request to Squamish.

This week, we learn how a scary guy with a steel pipe sitting in a bar can help us understand avalanche danger and make better terrain decisions in the backcountry.

Use caution around creeks and water ways today. This is Lynn Creek today. Leash your dog and stay back from the edge.

Nice work to the RCAF Comox 442 crew on rescuing two backcountry skiers today in difficult flying conditions. http://globalnews.ca//76/bc-avalanche-backcountry-rescue/

Christmas tree chip up tomorrow (Saturday, Jan 2nd) at Rona by Park and Tilford!

Happy New Year everyone. After Wednesday's storm slab cycle, today's rain is delivering another blow to that weak layer. With another vigorous system lined up for tomorrow, it might be a very dynamic few days ahead with rapidly changing conditions.

Sadly another death in the Sea to Sky region.

Over the last few weeks, we at North Shore Rescue have been receiving an increasing number of messages on our social media channels along the lines of "Is it safe to snowshoe/ski/hike 'X' trail"? While it's great that people are thinking safety before embarking on an outdoor adventure, we unfortunately cannot answer questions like that. What we can do though is explain in a bit of detail what we think someone's thought process should be when researching and considering an ou...Continue reading

On the next Search and Rescue: North Shore....

A widespread avalanche cycle is happening throughout the North Shore Mountains right now. The new snow is settling rapidly into a very reactive slab.Human triggered avalanche are almost certain and natural avalanches up to size 2 with crowns ranging between 30 and 50 cm have been witnessed this morning. With more precipitation on the way this afternoon and overnight, the hazard will likely increase even further. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended. Please visit www.avalanche.ca for hazard ratings.

The subjects have been brought out safely. This call is a good reminder to have the ten essentials with you for all outdoor adventures, and always to wear appropriate footwear. Appropriate footwear for this time of year in the mountains means proper hiking boots. Here you can see a team member kicking steps into the trail for one of the subjects. Though our subjects were in many ways ill-prepared, they made some key decisions correctly. First, they left a trip plan with an ex...ternal party. Second, once they made contact with emergency services they stayed put, which allowed us to find them efficiently. Travel safely out there!

NSR has been called out for 3 lost hikers near Mt Fromme. 1 hiker has separated from the group and one hiker has an ankle injury. Update: Subjects have been brought out safely.

A heads up from the good folks at Av Can -

Episode two is available tomorrow!!

Conditions on the local hills is deep snow, and more snow happening now. Travel is very challenging in deep snow even with snowshoes or skis. Foot penetration is waist deep in most places. There has been lots of wind creating the potential for wind slabs on certain aspects. What do I think about before heading out in these conditions? Weather is number 1 - check the alpine weather forecast. Is it above zero, below zero, snowing, raining, low visibility, windy? Where is the s...now line? When is sunset? How long do I have today or tomorrow to recreate before dark or a change of weather? What is the avalanche danger today, and where exactly are the avalanche problems? What aspect, elevation, and area have avalanche problems? What is the best objective today based on this research? Do I have enough time, the right equipment and the right training for my objective? What equipment do I need? Skis, snowshoes, beacon, probe, shovel, jacket, puffy, GPS, emergency satellite beacon, gloves, toque, airbag backpack, map, compass, headlamp (and spare batteries), food, water, tarp, first aid kit, fire starter? Probably all of the above. Have I told someone my plan in writing? I usually text this information so it’s recorded. Those are just a few of things running through my head before I leave the house. Hope everyone has fun and stays safe! - JB, RW

When I joined the team almost 20 years ago, Bridget Milsom was the only woman on the team, and also served as our Team Leader. Now we have many more women on the team. This video demonstrates the many contributions of our female members, and hopefully seeing this will encourage even more women to volunteer for SAR. - JB

Lots of snow fell in the last storm cycle! Avalanche Canada has put out a warning notice - To put it mildly - the stoke is back. To put it bluntly - it’s time to get our heads back in the avalanche safety game. The more new snow your local area received, the greater the consequences of a storm slab or loose snow avalanche in the coming days. https://www.avalanche.ca/blogs/nov13-heads-up

Extreme winds today and wet weather! Calling for 80kmh winds and it is currently 11 degrees on the mountains. Maybe a good day to catch up on some shows, Netflix, perhaps Knowledge Network’s Search and Rescue: North Shore. https://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Mount-Seymour/6day/mid

NSR has successfully extracted the hiker on St Marks with an ankle injury. Ground crews hiked in with our stretcher and wheel and transported her out. Thank you to the hikers who assisted in carrying her quite a ways down the trail to meet rescue crews. Thank you to Talon Helicopters for responding despite being unable to assist due to the low cloud ceiling. Picture is from the debrief in Cypress Parking after the rescue.

If you watched the first Knowledge Network episode you may remember the rescue of a senior in a creek bed who had been stuck out overnight. This short is a follow up of that as the senior visits the site of his rescue with rescuer Stan, who was the first one who found him. Fun Fact: Stan is a Vancouver Fire Fighter, and his nickname is Stanimal.

Trailer for tomorrow’s episode! (Sound on!)

NSR has been called out to St Marks for a hiker with an ankle injury. Due to low cloud cover a ground response is likely the only option to provide assistance. Talon Helicopters

The folks who put together our documentary series are doing a giveaway - check out the trailer and win some awesome prizes!

Be aware that NSR will be flying low and slow over the Capilano River again this morning.

NSR was called out earlier today to assist District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue with a search for at least two people who were swept into the Capilano River. Our air team and Talon Helicopters was close by on another assignment at the time and was able to respond within minutes. NSR kayak team also responded. https://www.nsnews.com//rope-rescue-underway-on-capilano-r

Vancouver Police are requesting the public’s help in locating a 49-year-old man missing since September 24. Darcy Wild left his home near East 33rd Avenue and Victoria Drive last Thursday. Mr. Wild was driving a 2015 black Lexus RX350 with a BC license plate JS3 50P. Mr. Wild is white, 5’10 and has a slim build. He has greyish, blonde, short hair and was last seen wearing a black zip-up rain jacket with a grey shirt underneath, blue jeans, black boots, and a red face mask.... Mr. Wild may be in or near Squamish, Whistler, or Pemberton. He is familiar with trails and roads in those areas. His last known location is believed to be near Alice Lake in Squamish. https://mediareleases.vpd.ca//vpd-looking-for-missing-man/

NSR was called out this afternoon for a hiker with a leg injury on Mt Fromme. An initial response ground team responded and located the subject. It was determined that she likely had a broken leg and knee injury. A stretcher and wheel was brought in and she was carried down to Mountain Highway where she was transferred to BCEHS.

UPDATE: Field team is with the hiker and she is unable to walk due to a suspected broken leg and injured knee. NSR is responding to Mt. Fromme for a hiker with an ankle injury.

UPDATE: Hiker with ankle injury has been successfully assisted out of the field by a NSR ground team. NSR is responding to First Pump on Seymour for a hiker with an injured ankle.

Congrats to team doctor, Alec, on the birth of his grandson, Max! He’s already getting him ready to join the team. - JB

THE NORTH SHORE RESCUE TEAM held its first meeting in the basement of the North Vancouver RCMP station on Sept 8, 1965. SERVING SINCE 1965. HAPPY 55th!... Photo is of Karl Winter, Roger Bean, and Gerry Brewer in Suicide Gully. All of these fine gentlemen are still involved to this day. In fact a few days ago I spotted Roger building a new roof on our Seymour SAR station with Don (also a long time member). - JB

There is a high stream flow advisory for the North Shore. - JB

CTV News story with a look behind the scenes on how our new docuseries was filmed. - JB

We are VERY excited to announce a new docuseries featuring NSR! For over a year we had a film crew embedded with North Shore Rescue, going on calls, training with us, and following a few members’ home lives. Grant, Jenny, Ian, Josephine and others from Peg Leg Films did an amazing job thrashing through the bush with us, editing thousands of hours of footage, and almost becoming team members themselves. It airs Nov 10th on Knowledge Network, or you can also stream it on the Knowledge Network website. - John B