Search on North Shore mountains serves as reminder to be prepared

NORTH VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The latest search on the North Shore mountains for a missing man is another example of the need to be prepared to go into the backcountry. Crews are growing tired and frustrated the message isn’t getting through to enough people.

They say it’s critical to be equipped for the cold, snowy conditions on the local mountains as they try to find a man who has been missing for nearly a week.

Vancouver Police say 24-year-old Carl Couture hasn’t been seen since the early hours of October 31st and investigators have now think he was hiking the trails in the Grouse Mountain area when he vanished.

The weather isn’t the only issue, both snow and powerful rain storms on the mountains have crews facing a race against time and the elements. Couture is believed to have ventured out in just sweatpants, a tank top and a fleece but no waterproof clothing or a jacket.

North Shore Rescue Team Leader Mike Danks says this serves as yet another reminder, if you’re heading to the trails, be prepared and tell someone. “It seems like it keeps happening. We get people who go out and they attempt to do this big hike in remote areas [but] they don’t tell anybody and then we get notified three or four days or even weeks down the road and that puts us way behind the eight ball.”

Members from several different search and rescue teams have been brought in to help find Couture. “The Hanes Valley route was closed the day before — the signs were up. That’s not a beginner hike and from all the information that we’ve got, Carl was a beginner hiker.”

Danks says members will meet to figure out what the next step is in their search, discussing what areas they may have missed. “He has done some cold water immersion training and he actually does really well in cold temperatures, so for us that’s a really positive thing. There’s always the potential he’s hunkered down somewhere and he’s got shelter and he’s just trying to stay warm and stay still. But, we’re also very realistic, we do realize there is a high likelihood that he is not going to be responsive at this point.”

Vancouver Police are also involved in the search.

Couture is described as white, 6’2″, 165 lbs., with short blonde hair, brown eyes and he wears glasses.

If anyone saw Couture on or after Halloween, especially around the North Shore trails, you’re asked to call Vancouver Police at 604.717.3321.

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