Two missing snowmobilers from Kelowna tell the story of their rescue

The two Kelowna men who went missing on Boulder Mountain near Revelstoke and were found on Sunday afternoon are "recouped, warm and just happy to be alive."

Roommates Taylor (TJ) Dumonceaux and Andrew Macleod, both 24, had gone up to Boulder Mountain to snowmobile on Saturday, planning to spend only a day there. But they ended up being in the backcountry a lot longer than expected — and were unprepared for their extended stay.

At 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, the pair went up the mountain, and around 1 p.m. they decided it was time to turn back, as one of the snowmobiles was low on fuel.

The descent down the mountain didn’t go smoothly. The two snowmobiles got stuck in the deep snow several times. After becoming fatigued from digging themselves out, the two men ended up making a wrong turn down the mountain and quickly became lost in the unfamiliar terrain.

They found themselves stuck in a valley along a creek bed. By 4:30 p.m., the sun was starting to go down and the two friends accepted they would be spending the night there. They built what Dumonceaux describes as an igloo-like structure, where they laid down some branches and twigs to try to keep out of the snow.

“We were soaked in sweat so we were super cold,” he says. “So we just tried to cuddle together and stay warm with body heat.”

Taylor describes setting an alarm on his phone for every 15 minutes to prevent hypothermia and having them fall asleep.

After what was a restless and cold night, they got up early to try to dig out their snowmobiles, but they just continued to get stuck in the snow. They made the decision to continue on foot and began what turned out to be a six-hour hike — soaking wet and freezing — down the mountain in the waist-deep powder.

Their situation was quickly going from bad to worse, as they had enough vital supplies for only one day.

“We had no food, no water, no nothing really,” Dumonceaux recalls. “We were just really tired, so we found an open area we figured would be a good spot to rest up. Our hands were frozen and all of our gear was soaking wet and frozen solid.

“We pulled our avalanche bag and we deployed the air sack in it just to have something to sit on because everything was freezing.”

Without knowing what they had with them for supplies, they searched the contents of the backpacks they had rented and found eight to 10 flares.

Things really started to turn around for the better when they heard a helicopter in the distance. They began yelling as loud and as much as possible, but without success.

“The sound of the helicopter disappeared and we were pretty bummed,” he says.

They missed one rescue opportunity, but not long afterward, their hope was renewed at the sound of snowmobiles in the distance. They once again began to call out, setting off a flare to get their attention.

“We heard the machines turn off and someone yelled back at us saying ‘where are you guys,’” says Dumonceaux. “Then, thank God, we see about 10 snowmobiles coming down the hill.”

He remembers the relief they both felt as they were being rescued, saying it felt like they were given a second chance.

“We were on our last legs, honestly, so it was perfect timing. We were freezing up and didn't have supplies and it was a scary time for sure," he says. “We were talking, and we honestly didn’t think we were going to make it through another night."

Their rescuers had extra socks and mittens, and they were even taking their coats off for the rescued men before taking them back to the snowmobile club’s shack, where they were able to warm up and eat.

After having their vital signs and health checked, the pair were able to go home for some much-needed rest after a trip into the wilderness for which they weren't prepared.

“It was scary how fast everything happened. We were so thankful for the Revelstoke Search and Rescue team. When they found us they were almost as happy to see us as we were to see them.”

Dumonceaux says their families were relieved, but they had faith they would make it back.

“They knew we weren't quitters, and there was a lot of times where we could have just sat back to freeze and die,” he says. “We didn’t want to give up and we weren’t about to die on that mountain, that’s for sure.”

Dumonceux says he can't thank the Revelstoke Search and Rescue enough.

"Those guys did an amazing job,” he adds. “The reason we’re here today is 100% because of them. We didn’t know where we were and we were under-supplied for what we were doing.”

He says the next time they will be planning their trip a bit differently, having learned their lesson about being prepared.

“Even if you're just going for a quick ride, prepare for the worst, because out there you don’t really have any other option.”