Stuck snowmobilers spend the night on Mount Baldy in South Okanagan

A couple of snowmobilers are chilly but safe after an unexpected overnight stay on Mount Baldy last night.

Osoyoos RCMP called in the Oliver/Osoyoos Search and Rescue team after receiving a report of two snowmobilers stuck on the mountain yesterday afternoon, April 5, around 3 p.m.

Two men, 47 and 39 years old, called a friend to say one of their snowmobiles had become stuck while sledding in the Mount Baldy area, police spokesperson Sgt. Jason Bayda said in a press release issued this morning.

They told the friend they would be hiking approximately one kilometre to the other sled prior to making their way off the mountain, but by 9 p.m. yesterday they had still not returned to their vehicle.

Further contact with the men could not be made, resulting in the Oliver/Osoyoos rescue team being activated.

Low light and fog hampered rescue efforts last night, but this morning the rescue team was back on the mountain.

With assistance from Eclipse Helicopters and a snow avalanche expert from the Ministry of Transportation, the two men were located.

They had lit a fire to keep themselves warm through the night and were healthy, albeit a bit cold.

“The Osoyoos RCMP would like to thank all those involved for their great work in this search. Their coordinated efforts made for a quick rescue of these men,” Sgt. Bayda said.

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