Two women rescued near Penticton thanks to good cell phone coverage

In two separate instances on Saturday, Penticton Search and Rescue were able to rescue two women using cell phone to locate them.

The first call came at 2:45 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, about a woman in medical distress while snowshoeing on the Nickel Plate Nordic trails near Apex Ski Resort, according to a Penticton Search and Rescue media release.

A snowshoer was able to use his iPhone compass app to provide the exact location of the woman. Because of the urgency of the call, she was picked up by helicopter and flown to Penticton Airport where she was met by an ambulance.

Penticton Search and Rescue provided not details about her condition.

Just as crews were heading back to Penticton, the RCMP called for help at 4:45 p.m. to find a lost female hiker in the Mahoney Lake area southwest of Okanagan Falls. She was able to remain in cell phone contact with searchers who used her cell signal to find her at 6 p.m.

Before heading out on wilderness adventures, people should be prepared by having a trip plan, food, water, extra clothing, signalling device, compass and extra phone batteries, the search and rescue organization suggests. Outdoor guides such as Trailforks are also helpful.

For more tips go to the Adventure Smart website here.

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