Alberni rescuer returns to find injured hiker’s lost dog

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A North Shore Rescue helicopter was called in on Saturday night to rescue an injured hiker who had fallen 10 feet on Mount Arrowsmith.

The helicopter — the only one from a B.C. search team able to fly at night — was called in by the Alberni Valley Rescue Squad, which had already dispatched a pair of medical teams about 10 p.m. to the mountain’s Judges Route area, a popular trail that provides a six-kilometre round trip to the summit.

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The hiker was transported to hospital in Nanaimo.

Later, one of his rescuers, Rory Ford, returned to the scene on his own time and found the man’s dog, Izzy, who had run off during the incident.

Ford is described by the squad as “a selfless, helpful, dedicated, caring person.”

Going back to find Izzy “exemplifies who he is,” the squad said.

“After being out until quite early in the morning with that rescue, he went back out later in the day,” said Richard Johns, spokesperson for the Alberni Valley Rescue Squad. “He’s one of our longest-serving members. He’s got over 25 years — a stand-up person to have on our team.”

Ford told the team that once he had returned to the scene of the rescue, he managed to find Barnes’ original tracks, then followed them until he heard Izzy barking.

The dog seemed to be “cliffed out” — hesitating in a spot with what it perceived to be no way to go up or descend.

“He spent an hour coaxing the dog along and then eventually he put the dog on his shoulders and made his way down,” the squad said.

The squad said Ford’s rescue was “old school,” since his experience goes back to the time before satellite phones and other rescue aids.

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“Bark-only contact,” it said. “No GPS ping!”

The hiker, Carl Barnes, has since been reunited with Izzy, and thanked his rescuers in a message on Facebook.

“Thank you so much everyone at North Shore Rescue and Port Alberni Rescue,” he said. “I’ll never forget you.”

Johns said Barnes fortunately had good cell reception and the team was able to get a decent “ping” from his phone through 911 to track him down.

Johns noted that Barnes had made preparations for his hike and brought food and supplies with him.

“He was pretty well set up, so he would have been fine for the night had he had to stay up there.”

Nights are still quite cold at this time of year in the mountains, Johns said, and it’s advisable for people to have extra layers of clothing with them in the outdoors — even if they are hiking on a warm day.

The rescue squad said in a statement that winter conditions are persisting at elevation despite the lack of snow pack and can lead to slippery slopes and rocks.

It reiterated that those headed to the back country should have a trip plan, stay on trails within their skill level and research their route.

Barnes did the right thing by telling friends where he was going, Johns said.

jbell@timescolonist.com

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