North Shore Rescue plans larger search for hiker missing since Halloween
Search for Carl Couture now focused on area where odour has been reported
After a tip from the public, North Shore Rescue (NSR) is planning another search for missing hiker Carl Couture.
NSR team leader Mike Danks says crews received information that an odour had been noticed in an area south of the Norvan Creek crossing, off the Lynn Headwaters main trail.
"We're really reaching out to the public for any information, any sign of Carl whatsoever, so this was something we definitely wanted to follow up on," Danks said.
- Final attempt to find missing North Shore hiker called off
- North Shore Rescue scales back search for Carl Couture
Danks said a 12-member team conducted a grid search on Tuesday and while they did notice a smell in the area, he said they were not able to locate anything related to it.
NSR is planning a larger effort when the weather is better.
"We're going to engage neighbouring teams and hopefully get some search dogs as well," Danks said.
"It's just going to take a little bit more organization and if we're bringing in a significant amount of people we want to make sure we have some good weather for that," he added.
Danks said this Sunday is a possibility.
'Want to make sure this doesn't happen again'
Couture, 24, has been missing since Oct. 31, 2017 when he was last seen in the West End of Vancouver.
Footage from Grouse Mountain showed him heading for the back country that same day, but he wasn't reported missing until days later.
"What happened with Carl was really unfortunate because he wasn't reported missing for three days after he went for a hike," said Danks.
"During that time there was a significant weather front that came in that actually deposited a lot of snow in the area that he was."
Danks says NSR is committed to finding Couture to bring closure to his family.
"We just want to make sure that this doesn't happen again," he said.
"I really comes down to doing the research on the hike that you're going to be doing and letting somebody know where you're going, what time you're expected back and when someone should call for help."