6 rescued from Sumas Mountain after night stranded in snow

Five men and one woman — all from the Lower Mainland and all in their 20s — have been rescued after spending a chilly night stranded on Sumas Mountain near Chilliwack, B.C. after their four-by-four vehicles became stuck in snow.

Lee Holeczek of Central Fraser Valley Search and Rescue says the first two people got stuck in driving deep snow on a logging road near the top of the mountain around 4 p.m. Monday afternoon.

The couple called their friends to come pull them out but the second vehicle also got stuck.

"Our team was called out at around 2 a.m.," said Holeczek. "They were tired and a little dehydrated from shovelling and trying to get their vehicle unstuck. They didn't have adequate water."

Sixteen Central Fraser Valley SAR members were called to the rescue. Two Mission Search and Rescue volunteers also attended, bringing with them a specialized all-terrain vehicle known as an Argo, able to travel in deep snow. 

The six people were brought down the mountain at around 4 a.m. None were injured, save for a couple of cases of mild hypothermia. The two stuck vehicles were left behind. 

Holeczek says the incident should serve as a cautionary tale for those driving on logging roads and in the backcountry.

"Even if you're travelling by vehicle in the mountains and on forest service roads, it's always a good idea to be prepared to spend the night," he said.