Lions Bay Search and Rescue

10/29/2026

The Snow is Flying - Time to Gear Up and Skill Up
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It's still early season, but snow is beginning to stick around at higher elevations across the North Shore and Sea to Sky corridor. Cypress Mountain has received 10–15 cm of snow, and the first ski touring reports are already appearing on Avalanche Canada's Mountain Information Network.
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A recent report from the Upper Brandywine Glacier near Whistler describes 15–20 cm of snow over frozen summer snow and glacier ice, with another 5–10 cm in the meadows.
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SWITCH INTO WINTER MODE
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Trails that were manageable in runners just a week ago are now covered in snow, ice, and slippery frozen ground. Early-season conditions can be particularly deceptive and slippery.
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The 10 Essentials need a winter upgrade. That means proper waterproof layers, warm insulating layers (including a puffy jacket), gloves, a toque, traction such as microspikes, and a reliable headlamp with spare batteries. Depending on your destination, winter travel may also require snowshoes, avalanche rescue equipment, and the training to use it.
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FREE AVY EDUCATION – November 4!
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Avalanche Canada is offering a FREE webinar, Companion Rescue Bootcamp: Transforming Training, on Wednesday, November 4 at 7:00 PM Pacific.
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Led by avalanche forecaster Colin Garrity, the session focuses on making companion rescue practice more realistic, effective, and engaging. It's a great opportunity to refresh your knowledge before the winter season gets underway.
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Take advantage of the free education, check current conditions before heading out, and adjust your plans and equipment for the season.

https://avalanche.ca/events/webinarseries2026-27

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Stay safe out there! ❄️

10/28/2026

⛔ The backcountry at Lynn Headwaters Regional Park is now closed for the season.

The closure is for all routes beyond Norvan Falls (including Hanes Valley, Coliseum Mountain, and Lynn Lake), as well as Grouse Alpine Area routes past Dam Mountain (including Crown Mountain, Goat Mountain, Little Goat Mountain, and Goat Ridge).

Dam Mountain and Thunderbird Ridge will also be temporarily closed until the Snowshoe Park reopens.

For your safety, that of park staff and first responders, please respect the closures.

ℹ️ More information: https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-parks/park/lynn-headwaters-regional-park

10/26/2026

WINTER HAS ARRIVED IN THE MOUNTAINS
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What a difference a weekend can make!
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Winter has made a sudden appearance in BC's mountains, with fresh snowfall across the higher elevations of the North Shore and Sea to Sky corridor.
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These we**am images, taken roughly 24 hours apart at 1,550 metres, show just how quickly conditions can change. From bare rock and green trees to a landscape covered in snow. These photos are from the Squamish Gondola Exit Gulley camera at 1550m.
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Whistler Blackcomb has also reported approximately 6–7 cm of fresh snow in the past 24 hours.
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Trails that were snow-free just days ago may now be covered in snow, ice, and slippery sections. Fresh snow can conceal rocks, roots, and holes, while fluctuating temperatures can turn melting snow into hard, slippery ice. All week unstable weather is going to be dropping more snow at alpine.
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Pack the spikes
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If you're shopping for traction devices, it's important to understand the differences.
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We recommend proper mountain hiking microspikes with chains and substantial metal spikes, such as Kahtoola MICROspikes or Hillsound Trail Crampons. Both provide good traction on typical packed-snow and icy hiking trails.
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The smaller studded or dimpled traction devices, such as Kahtoola NANOspikes and similar products, are generally intended for icy sidewalks, running in the city, or relatively flat surfaces. They don't provide the same grip on steep, snowy mountain trails.
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As you're out there, one thing to watch for is snow buildup. In certain conditions, particularly with wet, sticky snow, snow can accumulate underneath your microspikes, forming uncomfortable and unstable lumps. Stop periodically to shake or knock the snow off your spikes.
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A note for Mount Brunswick
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The upper sections of Mount Brunswick feature steep, exposed terrain, where a slip can have serious consequences. There will be at least 10-15cm on the summit with some areas having more due to wind loading.
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Microspikes improve traction, but they do not make exposed terrain safe.
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On steep, slippery slopes, with dangerous runouts, microspikes alone are inadequate. Proper mountaineering crampons, an ice axe, and the ability to self-arrest are required.
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If you don't have the appropriate equipment, training, and experience, turn around before reaching snowy or exposed terrain. There is no shame in leaving the summit for another day.
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A few reminders for early-season hiking
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• Bring microspikes and trekking poles. Traction and stability become increasingly important as trails freeze.
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• Dress for winter conditions. Carry insulating layers, waterproof clothing, gloves and a warm hat.
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• Carry a headlamp. Days are getting shorter, and darkness arrives earlier. Bring spare batteries or a backup light.
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• Check conditions at elevation. A snow-free trailhead doesn't mean a snow-free summit.
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• Watch for changing conditions. Snow can melt during the day and refreeze overnight, creating treacherous ice.
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• Know when to turn around. Conditions can change dramatically over a relatively short distance or elevation gain.
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• Helicopters and Cloud ceilings. Helicopters cannot fly in whiteout conditions or through low cloud ceilings. If you need rescue, teams may have to hike in, significantly delaying your evacuation.
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Plan accordingly, carry the right equipment, and adjust your expectations. Stay safe out there!

10/25/2026

This is a sad loss for a program especially with the ever increasing pressure in outdoor areas like Banff.

🐾 A bittersweet goodbye to a remarkable search and rescue program

Parks Canada has ended its search and rescue dog program in Banff National Park after 55 years.

These highly trained dogs and their handlers helped locate people lost in the wilderness, find avalanche victims, and bring answers and a measure of closure to families. One of those dogs was Leroy, who served for seven years with handler Logan Bennett before retiring in August.

The article also shares the work of former Banff dog handler Mike Henderson, whose teams tracked 156 people and found 57 people lost in the wilderness. Behind every number is a person who needed help—and a family waiting for news.

The program’s end is being linked to federal budget cuts. It’s hard to see a proven search and rescue resource disappear, especially in a place where wilderness conditions can turn dangerous so quickly.

A heartfelt thank you to every handler and dog who served. Their work mattered, and the people they helped will not be forgotten. 🐾

Based on reporting by Rocky Mountain Outlook.

10/25/2026

This special episode shares the firsthand story of a hiker who spen...

10/19/2026

Join this awesome session if you can

SAR Volunteer Tyler Duncan from Squamish Search and Rescue.

10/18/2026

So Close, Yet So Far: 100 Metres Above Highway 99
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A challenging rescue above Highway 99
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Yesterday, Lions Bay Search and Rescue responded to a stranded hiker above Highway 99 who had attempted an unconventional route to Bowen Lookout.
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Rather than taking an established hiking trail, the hiker parked along Highway 99 and began making his way uphill through Montizambert Creek. There is no hiking trail in this area.
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After traversing toward Strip Creek, he realized he wasn't going to reach his destination and decided to turn around. While descending, he slipped and fell into the drainage. He sustained some cuts but was otherwise uninjured. Unfortunately, he was now stranded in extremely challenging terrain.
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The hiker had a headlamp but was wearing Vans shoes, which were poorly suited to the steep, slippery terrain. After falling into the water, he was also getting cold.
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A COMPLICATED RESCUE
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Although the subject was only about 100 metres above Highway 99, reaching him was anything but straightforward.
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The highway corridor is bordered by steep cliff walls extending for approximately a kilometre. Sections of the rock face have been stabilized with sprayed concrete, rebar and fencing. Multiple power lines run above and below the area, further complicating the possibility of a helicopter rescue.
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We deployed two teams to investigate different access routes.
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The first team attempted a traverse from the north side of Montizambert Creek toward Strip Creek. Progress was agonizingly slow through dense brambles, clearcuts, and extensive blowdown.
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Meanwhile, a second mountain rescue team searched for a route directly up from the highway. They encountered steep Class 4 terrain, thick vegetation, and trees that could serve as anchors.
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After finding a viable route through the cliffs, the mountain rescue team traversed approximately 100 metres to reach and secure the subject.
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A fixed rope was established, allowing additional rescuers to ascend with equipment and supplies for the subject.
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The team then constructed a rope rescue system and lowered the subject down the cliff with an accompanying rescuer. The remaining rescuers rappelled to the bottom.
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Once safely down, the hiker was provided with warm clothing and received a medical assessment. He declined ambulance transport.
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The lesson: research your route
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Unconventional routes don't always go. What looks like a manageable approach on a map can quickly become impassable when confronted with steep rock, dense vegetation, unstable terrain, and cliffs.
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This is particularly important in our coastal mountains, where descending into drainages can lead to increasingly steep terrain, waterfalls, and cliffs with no safe way forward.
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In this case, the hiker was only 100 metres from the highway, but those 100 metres required a technical mountain rescue operation.
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Distance alone tells you very little about how difficult terrain will be to navigate.

10/11/2026

🍁 HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM OUR SAR FAMILY TO YOURS! 🍁
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This Thanksgiving, we have so much to be grateful for.
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We're thankful for our incredible volunteers who give their time, energy, and dedication to helping others. For the families behind the scenes who support them, often putting their own plans on hold when the call comes in. For our rescue partners who work alongside us, and for our wonderful community that continues to support our team.
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We're also grateful for all of you who follow our adventures, read our stories, share our safety messages, and help us spread the word about mountain safety.
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As you head outdoors this holiday weekend, remember that the days are getting shorter, the temperatures are dropping, and winter conditions are already arriving in the alpine. Plan accordingly, pack those extra layers, and give yourself plenty of daylight.
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From our SAR family to yours, we wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with warmth, gratitude, and time with the people you love. 🧡
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Stay safe out there!
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🍁 Lions Bay Search and Rescue

10/10/2026

Slippery trail? Traction means action. 🥾❄️In this NEW Pack Like a...

10/09/2026

THE RISE OF AI IN MOUNTAIN TRIP PLANNING
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We're seeing an emerging pattern of hikers using AI and digital tools to plan mountain adventures, particularly among younger people. It's happening here in the Sea to Sky corridor and around the world.
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In April 2025, we rescued two hikers on Unnecessary Mountain who had used ChatGPT and Google Maps to plan their trip. This summer, three teenagers underestimated the Howe Sound Crest Trail after relying on Google Maps. More recently, North Shore Rescue rescued a 16-year-old from technical terrain on Crown Mountain after he used Claude alongside other planning tools. Similar AI-assisted planning incidents have resulted in rescues in Poland, Germany and California.
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Young people are often called digital natives, but growing up with technology doesn't necessarily mean knowing how to evaluate it. Research shows that teenagers use AI frequently and many recognize that it makes mistakes. The problem is knowing when a particular answer needs to be questioned. Researchers call one aspect of this automation bias: our tendency to trust automated recommendations without independently verifying them.
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AI isn't going away. Neither are Google Maps, AllTrails or social media. These tools are convenient, accessible, and often genuinely useful. Rather than telling people not to use them, perhaps it's time we teach people how to ask better questions, recognize the limitations, and verify the answers.
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THE QUESTIONS MATTER
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People trust AI because it's readily available and it generally works. Imagine asking AI ten questions and receiving eight correct answers. You quickly learn to trust the technology. The problem is that the two incorrect answers may be delivered with exactly the same confidence as the correct ones.
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If AI gets the closing time of a coffee shop wrong, you're inconvenienced. If it gets an alpine route wrong, the consequences can be serious. The greater the consequence, the greater the need to verify.
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So how do we learn to ask better questions? There's a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem.
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The quality of an AI answer depends partly on the quality of the question. The quality of the question depends partly on the user's expertise.
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Consider someone asking ChatGPT:
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"Is Tunnel Bluffs a good hike for beginners?"
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AI might provide the distance, elevation gain, estimated time and a difficulty rating of moderate. All useful information, but moderate for whom? A fit trail runner? Someone who hikes every weekend? Someone attempting their first mountain hike?
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An experienced mountain traveller knows these numbers and labels don't tell the whole story. They understand how elevation affects travel time, how terrain and weather change difficulty, and why a published hiking time may not reflect their own pace. They know what information is missing, which sources to consult and when something doesn't add up.
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Novices don't just lack some of the answers. They may not know which questions to ask in the first place.
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That's why prompt framing itself is becoming a safety skill.
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FACTS, NOT ADJECTIVES
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We recently tested this using Tunnel Bluffs.
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AllTrails reviews posted within days of one another described the same trail as both moderate and hard. One hiker said it wasn't particularly difficult. Another described the first two kilometres as brutal.
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We don't know whether the person writing "easy" is a professional athlete or whether "hard" came from someone completing their first hike.
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Recent trail reports are valuable for understanding conditions such as mud, snow, washouts and creek crossings. They're less reliable as a measure of whether a particular hike is appropriate for you.
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Instead of asking AI whether a hike is “difficult” or “easy”, ask it to describe the terrain: distance, elevation, steepness, exposure, scrambling and current conditions.
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Then ask AI to compare those demands with your actual experience. Better yet, have it interview you before making a recommendation.
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TEACH AI TO ASK YOU QUESTIONS
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Rather than asking AI to immediately recommend a hike, give it a different job.
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Try this prompt:
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"I'm a novice hiker considering [name of hike]. Before deciding whether this hike is appropriate for me, ask me about my actual hiking experience, fitness, terrain experience, navigation skills and equipment. Don't rely on labels like beginner or intermediate. Ask about hikes I've actually completed.
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Then help me assess the route using AdventureSmart's Three Ts and Trip Plan. Check the distance, elevation, terrain, exposure, current conditions, weather at elevation, daylight and realistic return time. Identify anything I haven't considered, explain what might be uncertain or outdated, provide original sources and tell me what I need to independently verify before leaving. If you don't have enough information to assess whether the hike is appropriate for me, ask follow-up questions rather than making assumptions."
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Instead of simply supplying an answer, AI can help inexperienced hikers identify questions they didn't know to ask.
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During our Tunnel Bluffs experiment, AI couldn't retrieve the latest trail reviews. Yet when we opened AllTrails ourselves, we found reports from the previous day and shared them with the chatbot.
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Just because AI couldn't find the information doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
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Furthermore, asking AI, "Are you sure?" or "Double-check that" isn't independent verification.
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Open the sources. Check their dates. Compare route information against reliable hiking or topographic maps. Use mountain weather forecasts, recent trip reports in hiking forums, and local knowledge.
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Remember that even a well-researched route can become inappropriate when conditions change. If the terrain in front of you doesn't match your plan, recognize that discrepancy early enough to turn around safely.
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CONCLUSION
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AI can help you discover adventures, explore routes and identify things you haven't considered. It can be a great starting point, but the questions you ask and your ability to evaluate the answers make a difference.
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The greater the consequence, the greater the need to verify.
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Stop using unverified AI information to make decisions in the mountains.