Despite pleas for recreationalists to use extreme caution in the outdoors and avoid backcountry travel during the past couple of months, B.C. saw a spike in search and rescue incidents.
BC AdventureSmart says the province’s search and rescue organizations have seen a 35 per cent average increase in calls compared to this time last year.
The organization highlighted the number as the South Coast heads into its first summer-like weekend of the year, with temperatures predicted to reach 25 C.
“Weekends with warmer weather, sunny skies and time to play outside are all about hiking, cycling, paddling, trail running and mountain biking, and incidentally mishaps occur that can be prevented,” the release reads.
It goes on to urge outdoor enthusiasts to “Be kind, be clam, and be safe.”
Meanwhile, while the province announced it would be loosening some restrictions next weekend, those rules remain in place until then—including the closure of BC Parks.
Squamish RCMP tweeted on Friday, May 8, that parking lots for provincial parks in its jurisdiction were filled with cars and they would be ticketing and towing over the weekend.
🤔We all watched Premier Horgan on Wed tell us that some BC Parks would be open the long weeekend...that includes the Squamish! Parks appear to be full today! Expect tickets and some vehicles are being towed. #explorelater @MountainFMradio @_BCCOS #bcparks #catlake pic.twitter.com/z0i1h5tChE
— Squamish RCMP (@SquamishRCMP) May 8, 2020
Whistler parks, likewise, remain closed. People are still able to use the Valley Trail through the parks, but must follow physical-distancing rules.
“The message from our premier, provincial health officer and our minister of health has been very clear that we need to remain one hundred per cent committed to making sure the curve of COVID-19 remains flat,” said Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton, in a release. “Now is not the time to relax and undo the work we’ve done. This means that in spite of warm, sunny weather, we need to stick to going outside with only our household members and continue to practice physical distancing.”
