*** Injured, Hypothermic Hiker Lucky to be Rescued ***

From: sarinfo@istar.ca
Date: 12th November 1997
Subject: Injured, Hypothermic Hiker Lucky to be Rescued

Lions Bay Search & Rescue received a call from the RCM Police of a
hiker shouting for help in the gully system above Lions Bay, British
Columbia. A group of hikers who were benighted near the Lions peaks
above Lions Bay over Tuesday night happened to hear calls for help as
they descended the Lions Trail early Wednesday morning ,12th November
'97. These hikers alerted the RCMP who then called out Lions Bay
Search & Rescue. Lions Bay SAR Team members who were also hiking
in the area that morning had not heard these shouts, probably due to
the steepness of the terrain, the noise of running water and the
prevailing wind direction.

The Harvey Creek gully system above Lions Bay is very steep, becomes a
series of wateralls and waterchutes and is broken up into numerous
tributary forks. The only reasonable access is from above as the steep
almost canyon-like walls make access from the sides very dangerous.

A search helicopter was requested from Vancouver but low cloud forced a
change of plan and a 'copter' was hired from the town of Squamish to the
North of Lions Bay instead.

When the Bell 306 'copter flew the drainages the male hiker was spotted
above a steep canyon system, which has been the site of fatalities on
previous occasions. The gully system was very narrow and the searchers
were forced to hover-exit a few feet above the ground.

The subject, 31 year-old Anthony Lux, of Delta, B.C., was dressed in
running shorts, a light shirt, running shoes and had only a water bottle
for provisions. The overnight temperature had dropped below freezing and
the subject complained of numb feet and had blue lips. His head and body
had suffered numerous cuts and abrasions and he had a long, deep gash on
one leg.

Ground evacuation was determined to be long and arduous and the
commercial helicopter could not get into the depths of the gully to
facilitate a quick evacuation. It was decided to call in the Labrador
helicopter of 442 Squadron and winch the subject out of the gully. The
squadron responded in very good time, less than 30 minutes, and the
subject and rescuers were all winched out of the Harvey Gully system.

By midday the evacuation was complete and the subject sent to Lions Gate
Hospital for treatment.

Considering that the subject was not reported missing and it was only
by luck that benighted hikers happened to hear his call on a quiet early
winter midweek day, the subject was very fortunate to be found and
rescued so quickly.

Martin Colwell
Lions Bay Search & Rescue

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