The couple from Ontario has been found!

[Auto1]

A huge thank you to all of the volunteers and SAR members who have spent almost a WEEK looking for this couple.

They have been found - ALIVE!

KEREMEOS – After almost a week in the rugged terrain of the Similkameen Mountains near Keremeos, a missing Ontario couple have been found alive by search and rescue crews.

Search manager Alan Hobbler posted to his Facebook page this afternoon, June 28, that the “subjects” had been located and they are “ambulatory” so able to walk.

Lynne Carmody and Rick Moynan, both in their 50s, were reported missing June 22 when they didn’t return to the Cathedral Lake Lodge after hiking for the day.

Search and Rescue volunteers from around the province and the RCMP have been looking for the pair who were described as experienced hikers.

Two helicopters, search dogs and trackers have been scouring the mountainous, high alpine terrain.

No further details have been released about Carmody and Moynan’s conditions or the circumstances surrounding their rescue today.

More to come.

*bleep*/newsitem/ontario-coup ... nd/it20783

I just want to say that these volunteers often pay for fuel, time off work, food, etc out of their own pockets. I am sure some of them have blisters, were hot, and lost out on family time etc to do this search.

I hope that the couple from Ontario recover quickly - and I am sure there is more to the story...

(I am not handing out blame, or looking for cost recovery, simply thanking the volunteers. Good job!).

[Queen K]

There are miracles out there, this is one of them.

Thank God for SAR and other volunteers to aid and assist.

[Auto1]

Castanet's take on the story: http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#143092

So glad that they are healthy and safe.

Glad the volunteers can now go home as well.

Great ending to a story that could have easily been a tragedy.

[Noilly]

First of all an amazing effort by the SAR and everyone involved in this. Secondly, this couple were apparently experienced hikers. I don't know any experienced hikers that would venture out into the backcountry without the necessary tools e.g firestarter, which would have signalled SAR and other items. They themselves said they were not equipped.
Thank goodness this turned out well for them and please let it be a valuable lesson to all...

[Gixxer]

It should be law that anyone travelling into the backcountry use a SPOTS Satellite Messenger.

http://findmespot.ca/en/

[twobits]

It should be law that anyone travelling into the backcountry use a SPOTS Satellite Messenger.

http://findmespot.ca/en/

And as far as back country goes, Cathedral Lakes is top of the list for areas that people can easily get to via lodge transport and get lost in a heartbeat in some vicious mountain terrain. I agree with you 100%. The Lodge operating permit should require that every guest be so equipped if not escorted.

[Auto1]

I love that idea of a 'mandatory' GPS unit. The lodge has enough business that they could buy a couple of units and rent them out. I know it is an added expense, but when you think about the cost of this most recent search...

Not to mention that if you are hurt, immediate response is crucial. So having a unit with you would save time, stress, etc.

I am a huge fan of the outdoors, but I am also a huge fan of being safe.

(Or maybe - and this is "Utopian" - the government could provide local SAR's with a certain amount of GPS units, and the local SARs could rent them out, and the profit could be returned into SAR programs.).

[Always Sunny]

It's certainly great news when a story like this has a happy ending. But how in the world does a 50-something year old man not understand this was a big deal. How much time and resources were devoted to helping find them? At least his father knows what's up.

The father of an Ontario man who emerged from the forest near Keremeos after being lost for seven days says his son isn't sure why he's getting so much attention.

North Bay couple Rick Moynan and Lynne Carmody, who are both in their 60s, walked out of the forest virtually unscathed as crews were thinking about ending an extensive search on Sunday.

Bob Moynan said he spoke with his son on the phone hours after he was told that the search might be suspended.

"He says, 'We didn't know what all the fuss was about,'" said Moynan from his home near North Bay.

"I said, 'Well Rick, think about it. You were due back for dinner on Monday night at five o'clock, and you're seven days late.'"

Moynan and Carmody were on a day hike near Cathedral Lakes Lodge, in the Similkameen, when they got lost last Monday.

They managed to survive by staying close to water and building themselves a shelter.

The couple was exhausted and bruised when they left their shelter and stumbled upon rescuers after spotting a helicopter. They were taken to hospital for a precautionary assessment.

Moynan said his son has a fair amount of outdoors experience, and Carmody's now-deceased longtime husband worked in search and rescue.

He said the ordeal was "terrible" for his family, but he never gave up hope.

"We are people of faith and we were praying a lot," Moynan said.

"It's almost a miracle that they could survive seven days and be able to be healthy enough to have been able to walk out. So we're just terribly, terribly grateful that it's over, and we've all learned something."

He said the couple was on their way back on Ontario on Monday.

Link: http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#143131

[jamapple]

I know I'm gonna get kicked for this, but read the story, and thought I read they walked out of the bush themselves? Not to take away from the good that SAR does, ( my brother was deeply involved with them for years), so my hats off to them. I just thought in this case, they came out themselves, not found by SARS.
If I'm wrong, please correct before kicking.....thank you!

Edit: I also read the other story, so, one from CN, and one from *bleep* that both say the same thing, they walked to the lodge on their own, were bug bitten and banged up, but on their own.

[Symbonite]

I know im jumping to conclusions...well like everyone else on the board does...but...

Insurance payout in the will....

[Anonymous123]

I know I'm gonna get kicked for this, but read the story, and thought I read they walked out of the bush themselves? Not to take away from the good that SAR does, ( my brother was deeply involved with them for years), so my hats off to them. I just thought in this case, they came out themselves, not found by SARS.
If I'm wrong, please correct before kicking.....thank you!

Edit: I also read the other story, so, one from CN, and one from *bleep* that both say the same thing, they walked to the lodge on their own, were bug bitten and banged up, but on their own.

If SAR did not have a helicopter in the air this couple may have not found their way back to the lodge.

http://www.castanet.net/news/BC/143092/Hikers-alive-and-safe

Berry said the hikers followed intended route for first portion of the day last Monday, but then ventured off trail and became disoriented.

"They ended up well downhill and northwest of where they wanted to be and continued down into some very heavily wooded drainages," said Berry.

The first night, he said, they put boughs down and rested. On the second day, they built a shelter.

"they wandered back and forth the next couple days, trying to get oriented," said Berry.

"Crews were close to them last night, but they were over a ridge. We couldn't see them, or hear them, obviously, over the helicopter, but they said they were close enough they could see the colour of the rope lowered from the helicopter."

Feeling they needed to make a move while they still had the strength, the couple followed the route of the helicopters back to the lodge.

[Always Sunny]

^^^absolutely agree.

Makes me shake my head. The man thinks it's no big deal. What? You purpose got lost with no provisions (planned on a day trip, that's what they told the lodge)?? If you don't think it was a small miracle that you both came out pretty much unscathed after a week in the woods...maybe you should apologize to SARs and everyone else who was looking for you two.

Really, if that's the attitude they have, is it really any different than a teenage runway? Leaving home, having the authorities spend their time search for time, having their family worried sick. But what's all the fuss about? I'm fine.

[Auto1]

Wow... I would have hoped that they would have been more grateful.

It is my understanding that they walked out too - but that doesn't diminish how much effort the SAR crews put in.

Maybe they were just embarrassed. Maybe this was just his first reaction? I hope they can acknowledge how major this was later in life. Maybe the woman is already thankful to have made it out alive?

I am still glad they are okay, and am still amazed at the volunteers who give out of their own time and money.

[Noilly]

Stay in Ontario and go hiking there next time....

[jamapple]

Told you I'd get kicked!! C netters never dissapoint!That's why I chose my words very carefully, and even commended SARS, as again, I had family involved in a big way. I do recognize the following of the helecopter sounds, but at the end of the day, the 2 ungratefuls walked out on their own.
In the words of the rescued hiker, "What's all the fuss about"?