Hope Volunteer Search and Rescue

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Hope Volunteer Search and Rescue HSAR is called upon to assist when specialized skills are required or accessibility into backcountry
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Double calls seem to be the new trend at Hope SAR over the last month. At 4:30 this morning, members responded to a call...
10/15/2026

Double calls seem to be the new trend at Hope SAR over the last month. At 4:30 this morning, members responded to a call for a vehicle over embankment in Boston Bar.

Then, shortly after lunch, we received another call for a hiker with an injured ankle on Serpent's Back Trail. Thankfully, Serpent's Back is primarily in a cell service zone, so the group called for help and stopped to wait for rescue.

Members were able to hike up to where the group was waiting, load the subject into a basket - with the added comfort and aid of our new vacuum spine board - and carry her out to an awaiting ambulance. This trail has some very steep sections, so careful maneuvering is necessary and challenging, but the team was able to quickly get her to the trailhead.

As always, we are happy to assist when the need arises. We realize that a misstep can happen to anyone and we want hikers to know that we will be there for you when you need us.

This rescue was a relatively quick one, but as the weather turns, we want to remind you to Train (know and stay within your limits), Trip Plan, and Take the Essentials. This time of year, more than ever, nights come quickly and can take hikers by surprise. Imagine the sun setting and the temperature plummeting and make sure your Essentials include the necessary items to keep you alive in subzero temperatures.

Hope SAR had another busy holiday with two separate calls for assistance. In the afternoon, we received a call from a ge...
10/02/2026

Hope SAR had another busy holiday with two separate calls for assistance.

In the afternoon, we received a call from a gentleman who was hiking with his dog on Flatiron. For no apparent reason, on his way down from Flatiron he felt his Achilles tear. He made his way to the cairn but knew the steep hike down would be too difficult to manage with the pain he was experiencing.

The rescue was made simple with the help of Valley Helicopters. The only complication was calming his dog enough to load it in the helicopter.

We are always glad that mountains like Flatiron/Needle make rescue easy with a helicopter extraction and we hope this gentleman and his K9 friend are able to return to the mountains soon.

The next call we received was at the end of the day for a father and his two children. They had driven up an FSR and gotten their vehicle stuck. With no cell service, the family had to hike for four hours until they could get a call for help out. They were cold and exhausted when we reached them.

As always, we would like people to be aware that most of the areas surrounding Hope do not have cell service. Although not 100% reliable, we always encourage people to have a form of communication like an inReach or a Zoleo. More importantly, even when traveling in a vehicle, let a trusted person know where you are going and when to expect you back.

Hope SAR members had lots of fun today at the Brigade Days parade. It was a beautiful day and the streets were well line...
09/13/2026

Hope SAR members had lots of fun today at the Brigade Days parade. It was a beautiful day and the streets were well lined with people.

Thank you to Kaja at Advantage Hope for the amazing pictures

Did you know that the Fraser River is the longest river in BC, stretching from the headwaters in the Rocky Mountains to ...
09/03/2026

Did you know that the Fraser River is the longest river in BC, stretching from the headwaters in the Rocky Mountains to the Strait of Georgia? We recently had a few of our members go through a boat operator and safety course, ensuring we maintain our ability to respond to calls on the Fraser. Huge shoutout to for teaching us how to stay safe on the water! Photo credit

Hope SAR responded to another call today on the Markhor to Needle traverse. To begin, we'd like to acknowledge that the ...
08/17/2026

Hope SAR responded to another call today on the Markhor to Needle traverse. To begin, we'd like to acknowledge that the hikers who called for help were well prepared, called when they knew they were in trouble and stayed put until we arrived. We are always happy when people understand their limitations and trust their instincts. Our team was able to access them by hover exit with the help of Valley Helicopters.

We would like to emphasize again that this route is technical and has a good amount of exposure. It has sections that are classified as class 3 to class 4. If you don't know what that means, you probably should not attempt it.

We understand that many of our favorite mountains on the Coq are closed now due to the approaching wildfire, but the Needle ridge and Flatiron are equally beautiful places if you're looking for options in the area. You can get to the junction and choose your comfort level. We also recommend Illal Meadows with the option of Jim Kelly if you're looking for something a little more difficult in the area (easy FSR access behind Needle/Markhor).

And, as always, we strongly recommend that if anyone posts reviews of mountains that are considered scrambles that they include a brief description of the difficulty and skill level required for the route. If you're looking for new places to explore, always research various sources of information and judge accordingly.

We imagine you may not be on the trails today in this smoke, so why don't you come on down to the Hope RCMP detachment, ...
08/15/2026

We imagine you may not be on the trails today in this smoke, so why don't you come on down to the Hope RCMP detachment, enjoy a BBQ and chat with us about staying safe in the backcountry.

Bring you day bag and we can evaluate your supplies and make recommendations.

Check out the other service providers who are here as well and get a tour of the jail šŸ˜³.

08/04/2026

Hope SAR was tasked out today to rescue an injured hiker on Markhor Peak. We are thankful for the assistance of the Chilliwack Search and Rescue CDFL team for their assisting in bringing the subject off the mountain. Also thanks to Valley Helicopters for taking time away from the wildfire work to assist with two flights on this call.

Our team was unable to locate the subject from the air and was dropped off midway down the mountain. They hiked up until they located the subject very near the peak and stabilized him until the CDFL team could fly him down.

A few important lessons. First and foremost, Markhor is a class 3 to class 4 climb. We often see posts on social media of hikers/climbers who have completed this hike and want to share their experiences. We need people to understand that this is a hike that requires some advanced skills. We're happy for people to share their pictures, but it would be great if the posts could include healthy disclaimers as to the difficulty of this hike. And to the casual hikers looking for new mountains to conquer, we strongly recommend a good deal of research before heading out.

People should also be aware that there is not reliable cell service on any of our mountains. It comes and goes, especially on the Coquihalla. We are very thankful that there were other hikers on the mountain today who were able to call for help and give early assistance.

This hiker fell 30 feet but he was thankfully wearing a helmet, which definitely prevented a much more serious injury. Falls on this mountain can very easily have a much different outcome.

And, as always, bring your essentials on every hike, in every season.

We are heartbroken to hear of the passing of a fellow SAR member this weekend. Mike Coyle of Coquitlam SAR leaves a lega...
07/28/2026

We are heartbroken to hear of the passing of a fellow SAR member this weekend. Mike Coyle of Coquitlam SAR leaves a legacy of SAR service after 27 years with his team. Our deepest thoughts are with his family and fellow teammates as they struggle with this sudden loss.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1JNVYNuCB6/

Hope SAR was tasked out last night to rescue three stranded rafters on the Skagit River. After determining that there we...
07/13/2026

Hope SAR was tasked out last night to rescue three stranded rafters on the Skagit River. After determining that there were no injuries, the subjects had started a fire, and that access by land was through dense brush, it was decided that a morning helicopter extraction was the best plan.

The subjects were in good spirits this morning. Their fire was extinguished and the rafters were returned to their camp at Ross lake.

The Skagit River is not in good shape for rafting right now. This is the third call Hope SAR has received this summer for rafting issues on the Skagit. These subjects had already portaged around two other problems on the river since setting off that day, but were met with a massive log jam that could not be crossed. They were able to bushwhacked to the sandbar we picked them up on but land access to the road can be quite far in places like this and the terrain is nearly impassable.

We acknowledge that the trio had essentials with them that allowed them to call for help in a no-cell-service area and to keep themselves warm and safe during the night. They attempted a self-rescue but called for help when they realized they were in trouble and this is exactly what we recommend.

We do not recommend rafting on the Skagit River.

Hope SAR was tasked out last night to assist with delivering evacuation notices to the residents of Boston Bar. We have ...
07/05/2026

Hope SAR was tasked out last night to assist with delivering evacuation notices to the residents of Boston Bar.

We have nothing more to offer than encouragement and hope to the people who live up the Canyon and are experiencing numerous early season wildfires of note this year.

We sincerely hope for winds to calm or change direction, for strength and wisdom for the wildland firefighters and for protection of infrastructure from these devastating events.

Address

940 Fraser Avenue
Hope, BC
V0X1L0

Opening Hours

Monday 12am - 11:59pm
Tuesday 12am - 11:59pm
Wednesday 12am - 11:59pm
Thursday 12am - 11:59pm
Friday 12am - 11:59pm
Saturday 12am - 11:59pm
Sunday 12am - 11:59pm

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