4 hikers rescued from Golden Ears peaks after 4 days

Four hikers are alive after spending several days trapped in the alpine on Golden Ears, north of Maple Ridge.

Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue (RMSAR) says the hikers summited Golden Ears on Saturday, but a surprise storm trapped them in “whiteout conditions.”

The service says the four made it to an emergency shelter on Panorama Ridge, where they called for help using Apple SOS.

RMSAR President Brent Boulet says they got the call Saturday evening, but couldn’t reach the group due to limited visibility and the risk of avalanche.

“Obviously, we were feeling the pressure to get them out of the bush safely, but we also couldn’t put our rescue crews at risk either,” Boulet explained.

He says the hikers were experienced, had some food, and were prepared to spend the night in the shelter.

The emergency shelter, Boulet says, houses a small cache of supplies which sustained the hikers until Monday night, when RMSAR learned they had run out of food.

“Looking at the forecast, if we couldn’t fly in on Tuesday, the avalanche conditions were stabilizing, and we were at that point, then considering a Plan B of sending in rescuers on foot to get into the shelter.”

But, Boulet says, the weather relented, and volunteers had the chance to reach the hikers by helicopter.

In a post to social media, the RMSAR says they found the group tired and hungry, but otherwise in “good shape.”

“They were flown out to Pitt Meadows Airport where they were met by family,” it says.

Boulet says the story is a reminder to always check the weather forecast and conditions, and pack essentials before setting off into avalanche terrain.