Warning issued after BC hiker dies in 'slip and slide' fall

The BC Coronors Service has confirmed a man who was transported to hospital after falling a significant distance down Mount Brunswick in Lions Bay Saturday has died.

Lions Bay Search and Rescue received a call 1:40 p.m. Saturday about two injured hikers near the summit of Mount Brunswick. Given the terrain, Lions Bay SAR called North Shore Rescue for help.

While a group of 14 hikers were descending down the mountain, one woman in the group slipped and fell 20 metres down steep terrain before she was stopped by a tree, said Maria Masiar, search manager for Lions Bay SAR.

Another hiker tried to climb down to her, but he lost his footing and slid over 100 metres, landing in a snow moat above a waterfall.

Two helicopters were called in to hoist down North Shore Rescue and Lions Bay volunteers to them.

North Shore Rescue members set up a rope system to secure the man and provide advanced medical care with an ER doctor before hoisting him back up to the helicopter. Lions Bay SAR assisted the injured woman.

The remaining hikers in the group had split up, requiring volunteers to round them up and safely escort them back down the mountain, Masiar said.

The two injured hikers were sent to hospital. On Saturday, the man was in critical condition and the woman was stable, according to Facebook posts from both search and rescue crews.

The Coronors Service said the man died on March 22, a day after the hiking trip. His next of kin have been notified.

Tricky conditions up in upper Alpine, search manager says

Masiar said the hiking group had microspikes and poles, but they're not sufficient for icy, spring conditions.

"Without having having mountaineering crampons and an ice axe, even minor slips and falls can have high consequences in that terrain because you just can't stop," she said.

Spring is a dangerous time in the mountains, Masiar added.

"Often people get excited about the nice weather, the longer daylight, the warm conditions in the city and they don't realize that it's still full winter conditions up higher in the Alpine," she said. "So this time of the year, we see what we call these 'slip and slide' incidents very frequently."

Masiar said it's vital to bring the right equipment when out hiking, especially during spring as weather conditions can change quickly.

"Bring more than you think you need, because the conditions are variable. You might be hitting slush, you might be hitting solid ice, and you'll get everything in-between in these transition periods," she said.

Both North Shore Rescue and Lions Bay SAR gave thanks to Talon Helicopters, BC Emergency Health Services, Lions Bay Fire Rescue and Squamish RCMP in assisting with Saturday’s call.

"Calls like this are always complex, multi-agency events," Masiar said.