Volunteers spend Christmas night rescuing stranded hiker on North Shore

North Shore Rescue volunteers save a stranded hiker on the night of Christmas. (Facebook/North Shore Rescue)

Search and rescue volunteers spent hours in the cold on Christmas night helping a lost hiker on the North Shore Mountains.

North Shore Rescue said the hiker became stranded off-trail in a gully northwest of St. Marks Summit on Thursday night in freezing conditions made worse by clouds, winds and sleet.

“The hiker reported she is hypothermic and not prepared to spend the night out,” the team said in a social media post.

The weather meant volunteers couldn’t use a helicopter in their rescue effort, but ground crews headed up the mountain with snowshoes, ropes, avalanche beacons and overnight equipment.

“(The team) located the hiker, warmed her up and hiked out,” North Shore Rescue said, adding that they made it off the mountain around 6:30 a.m. on Boxing Day.