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Lost hikers found after short search

Three helicopters, 20 ground crew called in

The RCMP always get their man, or men in this case, albeit with the assistance of the Squamish Search and Rescue.

Two Lower Mainland men, identified as Robert Dudonis and Leonard Nelson, were missing on Monday, July 10 at 9 p.m. after they were reported overdue from a hiking trip in the Indian Arm area. Both men were experienced and prepared for the outdoors. An aerial search discovered the vehicles at 10:55 a.m. the following day on the MacMillan Bloedel Forest Service Road about 28 km east of Squamish.

Squamish Search and Rescue and the RCMP commenced a ground and aerial search for the hikers. The search was initially concentrated in the Pinecone Lake area, just north and west of the Mamqum River Forest Service Road, and in the Boise Creek area southeast of the vehicles along the Fools Gold Route.

Three helicopters and 20 ground crews were involved in the search assisted by volunteers.

The men were discovered by searchers in an area north of Pitt Lake on Tuesday evening, further east than the original search area.

According to reports, the hikers were hemmed in by low clouds and were in the process of figuring out where they were. The men were prepared for a long trip and were not concerned by their predicament.