Image: Hope Volunteer Search and Rescue

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Backcountry rescue

Valley Helicopters instrumental in backcountry rescue southeast of Hope Monday

Jun 3, 2025 | 5:58 AM

HOPE — With the help of Valley Helicopters, Hope Search and Rescue says it carried out a rescue mission Monday (June 2) involving an injured biker on the Skagit River Trail southeast of Hope.

In a statement posted to social media, Hope SAR says it was tasked with rescuing a biker who had suffered injuries on the trail, located just south of Highway 3 (Crowsnest Highway) between Hope and Manning Park. SAR personnel say the male biker was able to send a message requesting assistance using a Garmin InReach.

Image: Amazon / A Garmin inReach is pictured from Amazon.ca.

Hope SAR says having the injured biker’s exact location allowed our team to locate him quickly by helicopter and the subject used a mirror to further assist in making himself more visible.

Additional members were en route to hike out to his location if extraction by helicopter was not possible. However, the helicopter was able to set down close to the subject and he was transported back to Hope for further care.

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“Many thanks to Valley Helicopters for helping us make this a quick rescue!” Hope SAR said.

Hope SAR wants to remind people that due to limited cell phone coverage in the backcountry surrounding Hope, people should plan ahead when it comes to telecommunications in the event of an accident.

“Please remember that most of the trails and mountains surrounding Hope do not have cell coverage, so be sure your phones are equipped with an offline emergency SOS feature, or invest in a satellite communicator before heading into the backcountry,” Hope SAR said.

Hope SAR recently conducted training sessions for its members in training, affectionately called MITs, in early May. With temperatures hovering in the low single digits, MITs did shelter and fire building; searching using different techniques to ensure no ground was missed; staying on course using maps, compasses and/or GPS to navigate challenging terrain; being ready for anything to do with first aid; practicing how to access and treat injuries they might encounter in a real search; maintaining regular radio communications; dealing with elements and staying warm; and practicing realistic scenarios, making decisions and solving problems as they arise.

Image: Hope SAR / The dedicated volunteers from Hope Search and Rescue, pictured during a Members in Training exercise in early May 2025.