TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2013
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TOUR DE ROCK TAKE-OFF
SUPER START TO FOOTBALL SEASON
Riders on fourth day of tour; local fundraising gets a boost
Ballenas Whalers beat Sentinel Spartans in a steady downpour Friday in Parksville
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RESCUE ON MOUNT ARROWSMITH
Tough task for searchers Local man breaks his ankle on hike; spends night on mountain NEIL HORNER
news@pqbnews.com
When a hiker fell and broke his ankle on Mount Arrowsmith on the weekend, rescuers had little difficulty in finding him. The challenge, said Arrowsmith Search and Rescue spokesman Gordon Yelland, was getting him down. The man was hiking Saturday with his wife and two dogs when he reportedly fell, breaking his ankle. “Alberni Search and Rescue was called out Saturday afternoon after the man took a fall and broke his ankle,” Yelland said. “They called for help and cell phones do work up there because of the towers on the mountain.” Alberni Search and Rescue hiked to the couple — located at about 4,100 feet up the mountain — and arrived at 8 p.m. They attempted to get the Comox 442 Squadron to hoist the man to safety, but deteriorating weather and difficult terrain made that impossible. “Poor weather in the area frustrated several attempts by the 442 Squadron crews throughout Saturday evening, as thick clouds clung to the mountain,” said Sergeant Guy St-Denis, Search and Rescue Technician. “After orbiting the area and making several approach attempts, crews were forced to turn back to Comox, as GSAR crews continued to carefully bring the injured middle-aged man to lower elevations.” Yelland said Alberni Search and Rescue members hiked the woman and two dogs down the mountain to safety, while two members remained with the injured man. “We got called at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday,” Yelland said. “We initially had six people respond. We met at the Alberni SAR hall, where the managers gave them directions and sent them off to the area.” Two of the team were trained in rope rescue techniques, but an assessment of the situation showed that rescuers were going to need a bigger rope team. Fortunately, a rope rescue course — led by experts from both Arrowsmith and Alberni Search and Rescue — was underway in Duncan at the time. See INJURED HIKER, page A5
LISSA ALEXANDER PHOTO
QB CARNIVAL FUN: From left, Karina Strong, Jenna Strong and Nikk Beach from Vesta Fire Entertainment were three of the entertainers on the streets Saturday in Qualicum Beach during the Carnival Sidewalk Sale put on by the Qualicum Beach Downtown Business Association. For more photos from the event, visit: www.facebook.com/PQBNews
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