Spotters ~ Power of Observation

Shuswap Volunteer Search & Rescue members have packed a lot into the past 10 days, including a key role in finding a lost 14-year-old snowboarder.

On Sunday evening, Feb. 2, SVSAR members answered a call from Sun Peaks Resort. Young snowboarder Carson Hadwin was missing, last seen on one of the mountain runs about 2:30 p.m. His family initiated a search when it was discovered he wasn’t on the bus home.

John Schut, SVSAR spokesperson, says Kamloops Search & Rescue searched until early Monday, about 2 a.m. SVSAR had arrived at the mountain the night before and continued the search about 7 a.m.

Schut says a number of groups were involved. Along with Kamloops and Shuswap search and rescue groups, there was Nicola Valley Search & Rescue, two RCMP dog teams, a helicopter, drones and Civil Air Search & Rescue Association (CASARA) aircraft. CASARA is an arm of search and rescue that uses aircraft for patrolling.

CASARA located Carson’s tracks as he had been dragging his snowboard along through the snow.

“Our team sent a snowmobile out to that area and they spotted him walking. One of the guys jumped off a snowmobile while it was still moving and ran after him,” Schut says, guessing the searcher leapt in his eagerness to reach the boy.

Schut said Carson was doing well and was “pretty happy to see search and rescue.”

The ski run levelled off in the area and, as the boy wasn’t going too fast, he began walking Sunday, Schut was told. He had turned the wrong way and became disoriented, ending up out of bounds and uncertain where he was.

Schut said it was great to find him alive and doing well.