Labour Day Long Weekend

Date: September 3 – 6, 2021

Contact: Sandra Riches, Executive Director, BC AdventureSmart 604-671-2241

Media inquiries welcome.

This Labour Day long weekend . . .

If you could prevent an injury, would you?

If you could prevent getting lost, would you?

If you could prevent exceeding your limits, would you?

Prevention is the key.

Prevention is attainable.

Prevention makes a difference.

The top three reasons for search and rescue in British Columbia are injury, getting lost or disoriented and exceeding abilities. This Labour Day long weekend, “let’s prevent them!”

PREVENT injuries by;

wearing proper footwear/gear, being fit (mentally and physically) and having situational awareness.

PREVENT getting lost or disoriented by;

pre-planning, route finding and knowing how to successfully use a map. (topographical map & compass ideally)

PREVENT exceeding abilities by;

making informed-calculated decisions, setting limits and assessing your, and your groups, risk.

All adventures start with a plan. Start with the AdventureSmart TRIP PLAN APP.

Search and Rescue Volunteer Support

“Be suspicious of the Instagram objective. Increasingly, the access route to these image locations have proven to contain terrain and obstacles that the hiking party had not considered in their decision making. It is very easy to be seduced into steep loose rock features on the ascent only to discover that the descent is extremely perilous. We are seeing a significant increase in injuries due to falls in steep loose terrain. Do your homework before going and understand the terrain you are entering.”
Brad Sills, Whistler Search and Rescue

“Folks need to research their route thoroughly before heading out. Make sure they’ve trained in terms of fitness – start small and work their way up – many people have picked objectives that are a bit too aggressive. That said – many injuries this summer have just been accidents, so everyone needs to be prepared to spend 24 hours out, have a satellite device as cell phones don’t work everywhere, and extra clothing and headlamps. Leave a trip plan with someone, and if something goes wrong, don’t panic and try and stay in one spot; don’t head downhill as you’re likely not heading back to the parking lot of where you parked. It’s starting to get dark earlier and it is snowing again at higher elevations, so be prepared for cold weather.
John Blown, North Shore Rescue

“It’s been a busy summer for Squamish SAR volunteers and heading into this long weekend, we’d like to remind everyone that they NEED to bring extra layers, they NEED to have a headlamp and they NEED to understand their abilities. Take the time to ask yourself…’what if I need to spend the night?’, ‘what if I get hurt?’, ‘what if I get lost?’, ‘what if I push my limits too far?’. Check in with yourself before your hike, during your hike and remember your destination isn’t the peak or summit, it’s home.”
BJ Chute, Squamish SAR