North Shore Rescue to renew search for missing party on Tuesday morning
"It's very frightening," say officials, as two snowshoers face a second night in the backcountry
North Shore Rescue will reassess search efforts for two missing people on Tuesday morning, after a day of steadily worsening conditions on the local mountains.
"We don't want to throw a lot of people at this. We want to expose the least amount of people to this risk. We need to watch the conditions. Our plan A is to get in the area, and spot these guys by air and extract them by air," said Mike Danks, North Shore Rescue search coordinator.
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Over 20 volunteers from NSR and Lions Bay searched all day for Chun Sek Lam and Roy Tin Hou Lee, after Lee's abandoned vehicle was found in the parking lot at Cypress Mountain on Sunday evening.
However, there's still no idea where the two might be — and with the avalanche risk increasing, Danks is worried
"They left no trip plan whatsoever. We're not sure if they're on Hollyburn, Black or Strachan mountain," he said.
"It' very frightening, because they are not well-equipped for these conditions at all. By now, we're looking at 36 hours they've been out. It's not a good situation."
Third person also stuck
Later on Monday, North Shore Rescue received word of a missing snowboarder off the Howe Sound Crest Trail. He was able to phone 911, and crews are planning to rescue him Tuesday morning.
"Where he is located is a very hazardous terrain trap ... he's above a waterfall where we've had a lot of fatalities," said Danks.
Danks said he wasn't sure the experience level of the snowboarder.
"I don't know, but to be honest, if he is, he should know better than to be in there."