Hiker with broken leg rescued off Cypress Mountain

Search and rescue volunteers treat an injured hiker on Cypress Mountain on Monday, Jan. 13. (Courtesy: North Shore Rescue/Facebook)

Search and rescue volunteers evacuated an injured hiker off West Vancouver’s Cypress Mountain Monday in what they say can serve as a cautionary tale.

The individual who got hurt on the Hollyburn trail was wearing the right footwear and crampons, but rescuers believe he either intentionally “bum slid” or slipped.

“In the process of sliding, (the hiker) either hit a terrain irregularly, or his trail crampons dug into the ground,” reads a Tuesday social media post from North Shore Rescue.

“Either way, his leg stuck in place while his momentum carried him forward, resulting in a suspected leg fracture.”

A team, including an emergency room physician, reached the hiker, treated him, loaded him into a stretcher and brought him to a waiting snowcat. Crews drove him down to Nordic base where mountain first aid crews and paramedics took over.

“Big thanks on this rescue goes to Cypress patrol and the BCEHS paramedics for their excellent care of our injured subject,” wrote NSR, who also commended the “many” bystanders who gave the hiker extra clothing and blankets to keep him warm while waiting for first responders.

“It just goes to show everyone should always carry the 10 Essentials—it may not just be you who needs them,” NSR said.

The team says Monday’s rescue was practically identical in location and circumstances to one that took place over the weekend, when a well-equipped hiker broke her ankle “bum sliding” down a hill.

The snowpack on the North Shore mountains is currently compacted and icy, NSR said, and there’s less snow than average so terrain bumps and holes are not covered up.

The team cautions against opting to slide down a slope if one finds it difficult to descend on foot.

“Bum sliding, while appearing fun and a quick way down, is fraught with risk. It is very easy to pick up speed and get out of control, especially when bouncing over uneven terrain,” the rescue crew wrote.

NSR recommends traction devices like crampons on slippery trails, but warns during sliding they can also dig into the ground while momentum keeps one moving, resulting in injury.

“All of this is to say that recreationalists must take much care when hiking on slippery ground. It is typically much harder going ‘down’ than ‘up,’” NSR wrote. “Careful foot placement, choosing your path wisely, extra balance/traction assistance (poles, ice axe, etc.) all go a long way to ensuring safe travels.”