Hiker in his 70s lost for four days on Great Divide Trail rescued with help from NPSAR

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A man in his 70s was found after being lost for four days while hiking on a trail which passes near Tumbler Ridge.

North Peace Search and Rescue (NPSAR) supported a recent multi-agency effort to locate the lost hiker on the Great Divide Trail.

The man in his late 70s was on a two-week backcountry trip between Tumbler Ridge and McBride when he became separated from his hiking partner. 

After a full day of searching, his partner contacted the RCMP, triggering a coordinated search effort.

Robson Valley Search and Rescue initiated the operation, bringing in assistance from the Prince George Search and Rescue (PGSAR) and NPSAR teams, along with volunteers from Crescent Spur heliskiing.

According to NPSAR president Brian Lamond, the Fort St. John–based team contributed to the operation by providing a search manager to help with planning and task coordination.

“We provided mutual aid support in the form of a search manager to assist with the task management and planning,” Lamond told Energeticcity.ca. “We didn’t [end up deploying members into the field], but we were preparing to respond when the subject was located.”

The hiker was found within 48 hours of the search’s start and had been alone for about four days.

PGSAR announced that the man had been found in a Facebook post on July 30th.

Dave Merritt, a manager with PGSAR, told CBC he was well-prepared with his own food, tent and survival supplies, and was in good condition and “good spirits” when located.

The Great Divide Trail spans over 1,100 kilometres through the Canadian Rockies, traversing some of the most remote terrain in British Columbia and Alberta.