Image: Hope Volunteer Search and Rescue

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Rescue effort

Valley Helicopters involved in yet another rescue mission

Jul 8, 2025 | 7:08 AM

HOPE — Just days after a wanted man was plucked from the side of a forested hillside by long line via one of their helicopters, Valley Helicopters was instrumental in rescuing a stranded hiker northeast of Hope on Monday.

According to a social media post, Hope Volunteer Search and Rescue says they were dispatched Monday for the report of a stranded hiker on Needle Peak. The summit is located northeast of Hope, and east of the Coquihalla Highway.

Image: Google Maps / Needle Peak, as indicated by the red pin.

With the assistance of Valley Helicopters, SAR members were able to hover exit on a saddle between Markhor and Needle where they were then able to access the subject and assist them back to aa collection point.

“We would like to remind hikers to thoroughly research the trails before heading out and to understand that public reviews on trails do not always reflect the experience level required for the trail,” Hope SAR said on social media.

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Just last Friday, Mounties arrived to help other first responders near a fire in Hope when they heard a man yelling for help. Once the fire was contained in the area, police say search and rescue crews found a 27-year-old man stranded on the face of a cliff. The man was taken out by a Valley Helicopter-piloted long line and wasn’t hurt.

That same day, Valley Helicopters based in Hope helped battle a small wildfire that ignited earlier this week just south of Highway 1 in Hope.

The BC Wildfire Service says in an update on Friday that the fire was discovered Wednesday near the popular Serpent’s Back hiking trail and is now classified as being held.

According to a report from the Canadian Press, Brad Fandrich with Valley Helicopters, a charter helicopter operator, says the wildfire service called for help and he dumped about 100 buckets on the fire on Thursday alone.

Fandrich says the steep cliffs made it difficult for crews to get close to the blaze, so the fight had to be done by helicopter.

In early June, with the help of Valley Helicopters, Hope SAR carried out a rescue mission on Monday, June 2, involving an injured biker on the Skagit River Trail southeast of Hope. Hope SAR 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.

Hope SAR says having the injured biker’s exact location enabled volunteers to locate him quickly by helicopter, while 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.

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