Rescued skier had to be carried from cabin
Four people are recovering at home after being rescued by an RCMP helicopter Monday following a weekend in Whitehorse's chilly winter weather.
Four people are recovering at home after being rescued by an RCMP helicopter Monday following a weekend in Whitehorse's chilly winter weather.
The group was skiing and snowshoeing in the Fish Lake area, west of the city centre.
After leaving their car on Saturday morning, they travelled seven kilometres to a cabin, where they spent Saturday night as planned, said Whitehorse RCMP Sgt. Don Rogers.
The next day, the group attempted to return to their car but were stopped by overflow at a creek and had to turn around.
With temperatures nearing -40 C, it was a slow and cold trip. The group arrived back at the cabin at around 5 a.m. Monday.
They were exhausted and in need of help.
When the group did not return, a friend called the RCMP.
A helicopter was dispatched and arrived at the cabin just before noon Monday.
"When the officers arrived, one of the people came out of the cabin and said they needed help,” Rogers said.
The friends "were all in very poor physical condition, suffering from various levels of frostbite,” he said.
One of the group members had to be carried from the cabin by an officer.
Police are not releasing the people's names. The group members were taken to Whitehorse General Hospital, where they were treated and released.
Temperatures in Whitehorse are expected to remain in the -30s for the rest of the week.
Comments (6)
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25 year yukoner on Jan 20, 2012 at 5:39 am
Im glad to see the system works, that these people were saved. That being said. These people did not (1) check the weather forecast (2) dress for possible changing weather conditions (3) prepare for the unexpected (which in the Yukon should be the EXPECTED).
When I was in scouts as a boy the one thing they always told us "be prepared". I literally live by that being a Yukoner.
With all the lack of actual thinking involved on the behalf of the four people rescued, I truly believe we should be recouping our costs, they could volunteer the money but if taking them to court is necessary so be it.
You can not expect to stumble through life so foolishly without having to (literally) pay for your mistakes when they happen, in this case the rescue costs. I am sorry it happened to them though!
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Dan Nickason on Jan 19, 2012 at 2:35 am
I am glad that all in the party got home OK after the rescue. It appears to me that they depended on a cabin for shelter and may not have had proper equipment. Personally a group of friends and I were a day late coming back from a weekend snowmobile trip and spent the night in the bush with the temp. hovering in the low 40's. The snowmobiles were started every once in a while during the night. We had the proper gear and did not have to depend on a rescue operation. We had no injuries or frost bite. BE PREPARED
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north of 60 on Jan 18, 2012 at 1:44 pm
Environment Canada predicted these extreme cold temperatures more than a week ago. Inexperience isn't a valid excuse for the disregard they showed for the lives of rescue personnel they endangered and the rescue resources they wasted. Did they somehow believe they were entitled to be rescued at someone else's expense if they were not adequately prepared for their ‘adventure'? Sue them for the cost of the rescue, and let this be an example to others.
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Roy James on Jan 18, 2012 at 6:42 am
I was glad to hear of the rescue that was successfully carried out and the group let somebody know where they were going and when they were supposed to return, but I can't help but question the group's planning. Wasn't the weather forecast already out when the group departed indicating it would drop to the minus 30's through the weekend?
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Patrick M on Jan 17, 2012 at 1:05 pm
This sounds like a wilderness trip which turned a little ugly. I hope they all recover quickly.
Its so easy for people to make judgmental comments and I personally respect these people for getting out into the wilderness and hope they have many positive experiences during future excursions.
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Michael on Jan 17, 2012 at 11:13 am
Good for them for leaving a trip plan with a responsible friend.