Dangerous snow conditions have prevented rescuers from reaching a man they say has spent close to 24 hours trapped in a gully above Howe Sound.
The snowboarder reportedly got into trouble at about 10 a.m. Sunday when he veered off a run at Cypress Mountain and descended into the treacherous Montizambert Creek drainage just north of Horseshoe Bay.
Unable to continue down or climb back up, the man spent more than 12 hours in the ravine before rescuers were alerted to his plight.
North Shore Rescue tried to reach the victim by foot overnight, but the acute risk of avalanche in the area prevented them from venturing into the steep terrain. The volunteers have been in touch with the victim to confirm he was still alive, but by Monday morning he was beginning to feel the effects of his situation, they said.
We briefly had a text conversation, said NSR team leader Tim Jones. Hes really wanting to be rescued.
Jones expected the weather to clear enough by late morning to allow the team to get in by helicopter. Cypress staff had also confirmed Monday morning that the snow in Montizambert now appeared to be stable enough to allow a team to approach on the ground as well.
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