Creston Incident?

[Modman]

Saw the Creston Valley search and rescue at Bayonne this afternoon. Ambulance and parameds, CV S&R was there directing traffic and organizing something.

Anybody know if it was a drill or if someone got buried/hurt? Sure hope not, hopefully just a drill.

Watch out, the conditions are still scary out there.

 

[teddybear26x]

Not sure on the whole story, but someone was killed in an avy while on his sled. That's all I know. Just caught the tail end of the news tonight.
My heart goes out to his friends and family.
RIP

 

[Newfie1]

From RCMP report.
A Maple Ridge man was killed Tuesday afternoon after being trapped in an avalanche while snowmobiling near the Coquihalla highway.

The 43-year-old was among 12 snowmobilers who were riding near the Tulameen forest service road, approximately 10 kilometres off the highway, when the avalanche struck around 1 p.m.

My Condolences to the family

Link

 

[Newfie1]

Man killed in Avy near the Coquihalla highway.

From RCMP report.
A Maple Ridge man was killed Tuesday afternoon after being trapped in an avalanche while snowmobiling near the Coquihalla highway.

The 43-year-old was among 12 snowmobilers who were riding near the Tulameen forest service road, approximately 10 kilometres off the highway, when the avalanche struck around 1 p.m.

My Condolences to the family

Link

 

[DRD]

Re: Man killed in Avy near the Coquihalla highway.

RIP

Bayonne is no where near Coq. Hopefully there wasn't something going on in Creston.

 

[Modman]

Re: Man killed in Avy near the Coquihalla highway.

RIP

Bayonne is no where near Coq. Hopefully there wasn't something going on in Creston.

Thanks.

Newfie1 - that is not the same place as we are referencing here. Nothing on the news yet, hopefully this was just a drill.

 

[aircanam]

Thanks.

Newfie1 - that is not the same place as we are referencing here. Nothing on the news yet, hopefully this was just a drill.

Just posted on CBC, some guy fell 100ft into an unmarked mine shaft. Sled went in after him but only fell 20 ft and landed on a ledge. Best part of the story he lived!!

 

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

Just posted on CBC, some guy fell 100ft into an unmarked mine shaft. Sled went in after him but only fell 20 ft and landed on a ledge. Best part of the story he lived!!

Wow - unbelievable story....good to hear he's alive.

 

[aircanam]

Here's the Story:

A snowmobiler from Creston, B.C., has been released from hospital with broken arm after plunging more than 25 metres down an abandoned mineshaft on Tuesday.

Ken Gadicke, 58, was sledding in the Kootenay Pass area with his son Steve and another man when his sled went over an unmarked opening of an abandoned mineshaft. The area was once heavily mined, but has since become a popular alpine recreation area.

Gadicke's son Steve told CBC News the snowmobile shot over a cornice of snow that had formed to conceal the metre-wide entrance to the mineshaft and landed with its back end hanging over the hole.

As it tipped backward, Gadicke fell off the sled and into the mineshaft. The sled fell in after him.

Gadicke survived the fall, perhaps because he was wearing a helmet, padded jacket and pants and a backpack. He escaped having the sled fall on him because he tumbled much deeper down the hole.
Search and rescue team arrives

Randy Lall, president of the Nelson search and rescue team, said the team received a call around 1:30 p.m. PT from the snowmobilers and a helicopter was dispatched to the accident site immediately.

But by the time rescuers surveyed the avalanche risk and landed at the site, Gadicke's companions had his rescue well underway.

"The whole snowmobile went down the shaft. The snowmobile stopped on the first ledge, which was probably 20 feet down, and they pulled the snowmobile out in order to be able to access this shaft," said Lall.

"The snowmobiler's friends had been able to descend to where the injured snowmobiler had fallen, which was approximately 100 feet into this mineshaft through a series of vertical drops and ramp-type of features and bring him back up to within approximately 30 feet of the surface," he said.

Gadicke's son said he and the other man actually managed to climb part-way into the shaft and lower a towrope the rest of the way down to Gadicke, who tied himself to the rope. The pair hauled him up about 15 metres until the mine shaft turned vertical.

That's where rescuers found Gadicke, who was suffering from only an injured arm and an injured ankle.
'Amazing' rescue

"It is just amazing that the snowmobiler and his rescuers were able to navigate though this maze in almost pitch dark and just a single flashlight and very wet and risky conditions and not fall into these other shafts that branched off into directions unknown," said Lall.

The rescue team then set up a rope rescue configuration and lowered one member down to bring the injured snowmobiler to the surface first, followed by his two companions.


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"We don't get mine rescues that often. They were lucky they were able to get him close to the surface where we were able to determine there was fairly low risk of further mine-related injuries from a collapse or noxious gas."

Gadicke was transported to the East Kootenay Regional Hospital, where he was treated and released on Wednesday afternoon.


Read more:

 

[jaredszakacs]

wow thats unreal glad everyone is ok

 

[DRD]

That could have ended very bad.

 

[raceu4it]

wow that's unbelievable, now a guys going to have to pack a 150 ft rope when riding in abandoned mine country. who knew.

 

[MOMMA]

wow that's unbelievable, now a guys going to have to pack a 150 ft rope when riding in abandoned mine country. who knew.

Alot of wonderful mini miracles came together that day to create a happy ending. From the amount of rope we had, the Sars team being mobilized so quickly. The helicopter was very very close by when it got the call. So many things to be thankful for... Most of all, we are all thankful Ken is Ok.

 

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

Alot of wonderful mini miracles came together that day to create a happy ending. From the amount of rope we had, the Sars team being mobilized so quickly. The helicopter was very very close by when it got the call. So many things to be thankful for... Most of all, we are all thankful Ken is Ok.

One day I will share our little adventure (with a positive end) with you over a brew...it's amazing what happens in the midst of a sledding tragedy.
Again, I'm so happy the ending was as good as it is.