‘Absolutely shameful’: NSR has harsh words for group of hikers who left member behind

NORTH SHORE (NEWS 1130) – The leader of North Shore Rescue has some harsh words for a group of hikers, after members left their slowest hiker behind on a tough trail.

The woman ended up hurt and stranded on the trail, and had to be rescued.

According to NSR leader Mike Danks, it was pure luck that a good Samaritan stopped to help her.

It happened late Sunday, and the group had summited Coliseum Mountain before members split up. The faster hikers forged on, leaving two slower members of their group behind.

“To be completely honest, it’s absolutely shameful. It’s hard to believe that a group would meet up, summit Coliseum Mountain — which is very remote, you’re very lucky to get a cell signal back there, and then to split the groups up because one group is a little bit faster and leave, basically, kind of the weaker two behind is not a good idea,” Danks told NEWS 1130 of the behaviour, adding one of the slower hikers ended up hurt. She was then apparently left behind by her companion.

“And then, for the group of two to then split up and the fast of that group to go ahead and leave that one person behind that’s an inexperienced hiker that’s not prepared is just terrible. It’s really just terrible.”

Danks said it wasn’t a completely smooth hike back down for the more “experienced” group of hikers.

“It ended up, the other group got lost on the way out too and had no intention of letting anyone know that this woman was on her own in a very remote area,” he described.

Luckily, another hiker found the injured woman and managed to get a call out to 9-1-1, before waiting with her for help.

“So for us, that was a big sigh of relief that we knew that we had someone competent that would not abandon her and stay with her until we were able to get there,” Danks said.

The situation could have ended much worse, and Danks said it has definitely put things in perspective.

“We’re still looking for Carl Couture, who was lost exactly in that area, and to this day, we still have none of his remains which is very sad,” he noted. “She was exactly in that area, and she was injured. I don’t think people really understand the gravity of the situation.”

Danks told NEWS 1130 one of the search managers has had a “stern” talking to the group of hikers, but isn’t sure if that’ll make any difference.

“I think the positive side to this is that there was a hiker that came across this woman, and he did everything right. He was there for her, he did not leave her until help had arrived, and he had already put in a very big day.”

-With files from Dean Recksiedler