An American tourist had to be airlifted off of a popular hiking trail in West Vancouver Thursday evening, after a snow bridge collapsed and buried the 26-year-old.
The man was hiking with his brother on the Howe Sound Crest Trail on Cypress Mountain when they took a break just off the trail under a packed chunk of overhanging snow. Without warning, the snow bridge collapsed, burying one of them.
It took the injured man’s brother several minutes to dig him out. When he saw how injured his brother was, he called 911 and hiked to a lodge in the Cypress Mountain ski area to meet firefighters.
Crews from the West Vancouver Fire Department drove as close to the site as possible, but found the best way to get the man was by helicopter.
Asst. Chief Martin Leduc with the District of West Vancouver said the injured man was in a lot of pain and was having difficulty breathing.
North Shore Rescue was able to airlift the injured man out of the woods to a waiting ambulance that transported him to hospital where he is being treated for injuries to his lower body.
Jeff Yarnold with North Shore Rescue says the man is lucky that rescuers were able to get to him so quickly.
He adds that, even late into the summer, snow can still be found in the mountains near Vancouver, even when the city below is experiencing heat waves.
He says it’s important to stay away from snow bridges because when they collapse, they can weigh as much as cement.
"They look appealing but honestly, they're really dangerous… it's an accident waiting to happen,” Yarnold said.
With a report from CTV Vancouver's Allison Tanner
