*** Hiker Fatality near Bella Coola, British Columbia ***


The tragic death of 21-yea-old Corey Duncan shook this tiny community last
week. The young  hiker, who loved the forest, headed out for a hike in the
Patsquam Creek area on the afternoon of Nov. 18th 1995.

"His intentions were to hike for several hours and return later in the
evening" said RCMP Constable Mark Groulz. "He was wearing light clothing for
a day hike and brought a small pack with some food and a flashlight. He did
not return the following day and an extensive search was initiated".

Six crews with a total of about 25 people went out on the first day of the
search, said Chris Winkler, area coordinator of the Provincial Emergency
Program for the past 10 years. Search & Rescue brought in a four-person
tracking crew from Williams Lake; a six-member rope-rescue crew arrived from
the North Shore Rescue, and a local police and friends, as well as many
Nuxalk (Nations), alll worked tirelessly to locate the hiker. Randy Sylsdahl
donated his time and equipment to build a heli-pad in the search area, and
Ken Dunsworth was the Search Master who set up the operations centre to
coordinate the search.

Duncan, was a member of the Forest Action Network and had arrived in the
valley a few moinths ago to support and work with the Nuxalk traditionalists
to protect their forest. He was originally from Ottawa but had spent the past
two years in Vancouver, B.C.. "Corey really loved this community and the
people here" said friend Karen Laine. "He enjoyed hiking and spent a lot of
time in the  woods. He felt he was here to protect all that beauty".
Duncan had talked about the possibility of doing an overnight hike, so his
friends did not worry until the next morning. "We called police before
beginning our search and then we sent ou rpeople out to begin looking",
said Laine.

Last Thursday, some searchers found some of Duncan's clothing downstream in
Tatsquan Creek. The high water of the prevoius two days had dropped, leaving
the water clearer and enabling searchers to find some clues as to his 
wereabouts, said Winkler. Shortly after, the young hiker was discovered about
a quarter mile past the smoker plant in Tatsquan Creek. "It was steep,
unstable terrain, where he was hiking", Winkler said. "With the rain, it was
very slippery."

Police said it was impossible to determine whether a fall or hypothermia was
responsible for the young man's death, pending final autopsy results.

"All the searchers, particularly the Nuxalk volunteers, never once failed to
give their best efforts in the search," said Winkler. Friends rallied, put up
posters, and prayed Duncan would be found alive.

Jennifer Feinberg, Coast Mountain News

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