Snowboarder recounts tale of survival after spending 3 days stranded on Cypress Mountain Resort

Four years ago, Sebastien Boucher spent three nights alone at Cypress Mountain Resort after he got lost while snowboarding.

"I had just lost my best friend so I was really distracted," he recalled, saying he accidentally went out of bounds in his confusion.

"I fell 90 feet [27 metres] off of a cliff ... I was lost for three days with no food, no water, and no sleep."

North Shore Rescue (NSR) members have referenced Boucher's story this week as they search for a pair of hikers that went missing at the same resort on Christmas Day. 

• Search for missing hikers remains on hold due to bad weather

• Snowboarder rescued after spending night at Cypress Mountain Resort

Chun Sek Lam, 64, and Roy Tin Hou Lee, 43, went snowshoeing together and never returned. Rescuers were called when their abandoned car was found in the parking lot.

NSR has spent more than three days looking for the hikers, but heavy snowfall and high winds have forced crews to suspend search efforts more than once.

The weather is reminiscent of the freezing conditions Boucher endured in 2012.

An experienced mountain camper, he said he ran in place to keep warm and built a makeshift shelter to protect himself from falling snow. Boucher said he tried his best to start a fire, but without luck. 

"I had nothing for survival," he said. "I kind of just worked with everything I had with nature. I didn't have a lot of options."

Boucher said he chose to stay put due to poor visibility, waiting for rescue in "excruciating physical and mental pain."

To 'hell and back'

By the third day, the snowboarder said he was ready to give up.

"For the first 24 hours, I wasn't thinking about myself. I was thinking about my best friend who passed away, so that didn't help me," Boucher said. "At one point I had to say, 'OK, Sebastian, stop thinking about him because then you're going to join him.'"

Boucher said he feels like he went to "hell and back," telling CBC's On The Coast that he lost consciousness about two dozen times in three days.

The snowboarder was rescued after NSR crews spotted his tracks from a helicopter. Boucher was taken to hospital with cuts and bruises. 

He attributes his survival to physical fitness and a strong will to live. 

"I always tell this to people: you really don't know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have," he said.

As for the missing snowshoers, Boucher said things don't look good.

"The chance of them to be alive at this moment is unlikely," the snowboarder said. "I hate saying that, but that's the reality and people need to understand how dangerous it is out there."

With files from the CBC's On The Coast.

To hear the full interview listen to audio labelled Snowboarder recounts tale of survival after three days stranded on Cypress Mountain