Lost Hiker Rescued at 1% Battery on Mount Seymour

A hiker lost on Mount Seymour made it home alive Friday night, saved by a single phone call with just one percent battery remaining.

The woman started her trek to Brockton Point around 2:30 p.m., planning a simple afternoon hike. After sunset, she couldn't find the trail down and began wandering through the snow, growing colder by the minute.

She called friends first, who urged her to phone 911 immediately. By the time North Shore Rescue search managers reached her, her phone was nearly dead.

"She was lucky that she was able to get contact with a cell tower so that she could make a 911 call and get her location," said search manager Allan McMordie. "She would have died of hypothermia up there."

Rescue crews sprang into action. Mount Seymour Ski Patrol transported volunteers via snowmobile while others hiked and skied to reach her position.

When they arrived, they wrapped her in a heated vest and gave her food and fluids to restore her body temperature. Once she felt stronger, crews equipped her with a headlamp and snowshoes, walking alongside her back to the parking lot by 11 p.m.

The hiker hadn't packed a headlamp, proper footwear, extra clothing, or food. In winter conditions, these aren't luxuries but lifesaving essentials.

The Bright Side

This close call became a teaching moment that could save countless lives. McMordie emphasized that the most important safety tool isn't gear but communication.

"The trip plan is the most important thing," he said. "Tell somebody where you're going, when you'll be back, and tell them to not be afraid to phone 911. We would much rather go and investigate than have to do some major rescue later on at night."

North Shore Rescue volunteers don't see emergency calls as inconveniences. They see them as opportunities to bring people home safely to their families.

The rescue team recommends packing ten essentials: a headlamp with extra batteries, signaling device, fire starter, warm clothes, pocketknife, shelter materials, water, food, first aid kit, navigation tools, and a fully charged phone. Cold weather and poor cell signal drain batteries fast, so pack backup power too.

This hiker's story ended with her walking down the mountain on her own two feet, a little wiser and deeply grateful.