Sixth rescue since last Sunday for Penticton search and rescue

Penticton Search and Rescue crews answered their sixth call of the week yesterday with a request to search for two overdue Penticton hikers.

The search and rescue group was deployed around 8:45 p.m. yesterday, June 3, to look for the hikers presumed lost in the Greyback Lake area east of Naramata.

One aircraft from Kelowna Civil air search, two RCMP officers and 14 Penticton search and rescue personnel were engaged in the search.

Just before 2 a.m, a search and rescue team located the two men, who are in their 20s, at the north end of Greyback Lake.

Neither was worse for wear.

"I guess I will be sounding like a broken record – however I cannot stress enough the importance of trip planning, being prepared with the right clothing – footwear and if you are heading into the backcountry – prepare, prepare and prepare. Don't just rely on your cell phones. They don't work everywhere. Get a GPS or if you're a regular to the back-country, look at getting a personal locator beacon like a SPOT or INreach device,” rescue manager Randy Brown said in a press release issued this afternoon, June 4.

"If you need information, British Columbia has a fantastic outdoor adventure site: AdventureSmart.ca that the public can access with all the info one may needs to plan accordingly and enjoy themselves safely,” he said.


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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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