I would consider myself a pretty experienced hiker. I’ve been hiking my whole life and have summited some impressive peaks. However, a hike I went on last week proved to me that we’re all just a few small mistakes away from literally dying. As of May 23, BC’s Search and Rescue team have helped 345 people this year who have been in dire situations, 19 of whom died. Take it from me; it is so easy to end up on this spreadsheet if you disregard some of these tips like I did. Now, let’s go over some of the details that made this the most memorable hike of my life.
I started hiking to Lindeman Lake, a popular Chilliwack hiking spot, at around 2:00 p.m. with my mum. At 3:00 p.m. my mum and I separated; she was going home and I was going on by myself to Greendrop and then Flora Lake. To her knowledge, I was going to camp in a spot off Chilliwack Lake Road later that night, remaining far out of cell phone service. A few mistakes were made here. First of all, I started hiking way too late in the day for such a long trail. I had been caught in the dark before, so I did have a flashlight to use just in case, but I completely underestimated the length of the trek. Tip #1: Start hiking as early as possible to get the most daylight you can. Also, being out of cell range, there was no way to check in with someone when I was done hiking. Tip #2: Tell someone your trip details before you go, including when you plan to complete the trail, and check in with them when you return safely. You can do this with a tool like the Garmin inReach satellite communicator, which is able to send texts and SOS signals to local search and rescues. Yes, this device is quite expensive, with a $500 price tag and satellite subscriptions starting at $15 a month, but if you hike alone regularly it’s well worth it.
I did end up making it to Flora Lake at around 5:45 p.m. But, I completely underestimated the trail conditions, so I was completely unprepared for the amount of soft, deep snow there was, as I was just wearing denim shorts, a tank top, a flannel, and regular hiking boots. Tip #3: Look into the trail conditions before going. This is what the AllTrails app is great for, as hikers can leave reviews of their hike and trail conditions, so you have pretty up-to-date information. Another great way to find out what the trail will be like is by simply asking people you pass on the trail who are coming back from where you’re going. Tip #4: Pack extra layers of warm clothes and snow spikes if needed. When hiking, it’s always better to pack too much than not enough. Be sure to pack extra layers like a down jacket, and snow spikes to strap on your hiking boots when there is snow.
Around Flora Lake was when everything started to go wrong for me. My phone ran out of battery, so my main form of navigation was now dead, as I was using the AllTrails app. I relied on the orange trail markers on the trees, however the snow was so high that it was difficult to keep finding the next one. I mistakenly followed the markers all the way up Flora Peak instead of back to Greendrop, and I ended up sliding down a snowy mountain, losing my flashlight out of my drawstring backpack in the process. So, now I had no way of knowing where I was going and no way of seeing where I was going once it got dark. Tip #5: Always pack the “10 essentials,” even on a short, day hike, in a reliable, zippered backpack. The 10 essentials include: navigation aids, head lamp, sun protection, basic first aid, knife, fire source, a basic shelter, and more food, water, and clothes than expected.
I followed markers and traced my own footprints in the snow nearly all the way back to the fork that signals the start of Flora Trail. But once it got dark out, I was completely out of luck, and ended up very lost and very far off trail. I was able to see an opening in the distance, so I bushwhacked through the forest in the direction of an expanse of sky that was transitioning from day into night, and I ended up near a lake.
At this point, I was flicking a lighter that was swiftly running out of propane every 10 seconds just to see what was directly in front of me. I contemplated stopping and waiting out the dark, but immediately started shivering once I stopped moving. I convinced myself to keep going, that I would find the trail again if I made it around the lake. Tip #6: Know your limitations and turn around if necessary. I kept going, despite the fact it was too dark out to safely navigate. I kept going, straight through snow covered boulder fields and up icy mountains just because I was too stubborn to turn around. Tip #7: Hike with a friend. I’ve hiked alone as much as I have hiked with friends and emergencies can happen whether or not you’re with someone else. However, I know if I had been hiking with someone else they would have had enough perspective to know that we needed to turn around. If you need a hiking buddy, there are plenty of Facebook groups with people looking for someone to hike with.
Tip #8: If you’re lost, stay calm and try to retrace your steps. If you’re lost and it’s dark, you’re injured, or near exhaustion, stay put. This goes along with bringing more layers and a basic shelter, as advised to bring in the 10 essentials. It’s better to be prepared to stay where you are than potentially get more lost and more injured.
On a particularly steep section, that I was more rock climbing now than hiking, something slipped and I fell head-over-heels about 10 feet down, with the freezing cold lake finally breaking my fall. My head was split open by a rock, my wrist was snapped sideways, and my clothes were now wet. I climbed ashore to sit against a tree for the night, as there was no way I could go in the dark now one-handed. So, I shivered beside a lake that still had sheets of ice on it for probably five hours, pressing my gaping forehead wound down, trying to identify constellations, and staring at the skyline for any hint of light.
Once it was light enough to see my surroundings, I regrouped, trying not to be phased by the blood that was dripping into my eyes, my wrist that I could no longer feel, or the gaping gashes in my legs. I found the trail from Greendrop to Lindeman Lake pretty quickly from where I was and walked for about two kilometers until I encountered two older male hikers. They looked shocked to see me, asked if I was okay, and offered me a few of their granola bars. I told them I had a fall and was walking back to Lindeman for help, they told me to go slowly and they kept going onto Greendrop. Tip #9: When you see a seriously injured person on the trail, help them. The older hikers might not have been able to physically help me, but they could have stayed with me, gone back for help, or have done any number of things other than leaving me there.
Shortly after this encounter, as I was hobbling through a boulder field, I ran into another hiker. This one sat me down on a rock, gave me water, made sure I was coherent, and told me he would get me back to Lindeman. He helped me remain calm and awake by asking me questions about my life and lying to me about how serious my injuries were, all while physically supporting me through boulder fields, under fallen trees, and past shocked groups of hikers. After about an hour we made it to Lindeman, where luckily there was an off-duty RCMP officer with a beacon who could call for help.
I left the trail via an RCMP helicopter with mild hypothermia, a fractured wrist, nerve damage in my hand, a skull fracture, a compressed disk in my spine, a gaping wound on my forehead, deep lacerations in both legs, and with scrapes and dirt encasing my whole body. My entire hiking trip got turned sideways because of a few small mistakes — a dead phone, a lost flashlight, and the stubbornness to continue on a trail I was not prepared for. We are so lucky to live in a part of the world that has such an abundance of accessible hiking trails — learn from these tips and enjoy them responsibly.
Image: Brielle Quon/The Cascade
Andrea Sadowski is working towards her BA in Global Development Studies, with a minor in anthropology and Mennonite studies. When she's not sitting in front of her computer, Andrea enjoys climbing mountains, sleeping outside, cooking delicious plant-based food, talking to animals, and dismantling the patriarchy.
