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Kelowna man rescued from Blue Lake snowmobile area

Shuswap Search and Rescue team locate missing sledder early Saturday morning
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Shuswap Search and Rescue volunteers were called out Friday afternoon, Feb. 2, to find a sledder missing in the Blue Lake snowmobiling area. John Schut photo

A 33-year-old Kelowna is safe after being rescued from the Blue Lake snowmobiling area.

At 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 2, Sicamous RCMP received a report the missing sledder, who had separated from the group he was riding with earlier that afternoon. Sicamous RCMP Sgt. Murray McNeil said he had a cell phone but was unable to call for help.

At 6:30 p.m., Shuswap Search and Rescue were notified of the missing man, and a team of 10 searchers was assembled and set off to Blue Lake. Search manager John Schut said the team made it to the ridge and then set off on foot, following GPS co-ordinates obtained by police to the missing man’s last known location. He was found near that location at approximately 2 a.m., semi-conscious and lying on his sled. Schut said alcohol had been a factor.

“They were able to get him some food and some dry clothing and kind of got him going again,” said Schut. “They put snowshoes on him and walked him back to a side-by-side we had waiting.”

The team brought the missing man back down the mountain and he was transported to hospital.

“The man was exhibiting signs of hypothermia, however, he was reported to be in good condition,” said McNeil.

The search effort concluded around 7 a.m.