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A man from Squamish, British Columbia, was rescued Tuesday after he crashed into a mountainside while BASE jumping from Mount Slanai.
BASE jumping is a flight with a parachute or wingsuit from a fixed structure or rock. The acronym BASE refers to four types of stationary objects from which you can jump: building, antenna, span, and ground.
Squamish Search and Rescue (SAR) manager Mike Teske said when Zackery Maine jumped Nov. 11, he spun 90 degrees and hit a mountain rock.
“When his parachute disintegrated, he began to fall to the ground where his parachute got caught on a rock,” Teske said.
MEin managed to move to a small area and get out of the parachute without it knocking him off the mountain.
Maine's friends called for help around 4:30 pm PT and eventually led 30 search and rescue personnel to his location – about 20 meters below ground level.if on SlPeak range.
When Squamish SAR arrived, they discovered that Main was clinging to a small rock ledge to avoid falling from a height of more than 450 meters.
“It would have been an inevitable downfall,” Teske said.
“He’s very lucky,” Teske added. “He was very cold… and he was in a very dangerous position. He couldn't move.”
But getting to Maine wasn't easy, Teske said.
“It's a significant trek through some really difficult terrain to get to an area above where he got stuck,” he said.
Squamish SAR turned to North Shore Rescue for help andd Talon Helicopters, a private company that works closely with search and rescue teams,get Maine out of the area.
It was midnight when Maine was finally saved.
“It takes a lot of people to organize a rescue operation like this,” Teske said. “If it’s hard for you to get there, then it’s really hard for us to get there and then get you out.”
British Columbia Emergency Medical ServicesBLIT Information Officer Brian Thwaites said paramedics transported Maine. I'm going to the hospitalThe condition is serious, but stable.
“He had serious injuries to his lower leg,” Teske said.
Main expressed his gratitude to the rescue crews, his friends who helped and the Squamish community.
“The city of Squamish itself, in terms of supporting my recovery, is a special place,” Main said.
Pemberton Search and Rescue says it has exhausted all channels with Meta to get its Facebook page back after it was compromised months ago. The rescue team says the loss of control puts not only their reputation at risk, but also public safety.
Teske reminds people to be aware of outdoor recreation conditions in November.
“It gets dark very quickly, it’s already winter in the mountains, so as soon as the sun goes down it gets cold very, very quickly,” Teske said.
BASE jumping incidents in British Columbia
There have been 14 BASE jumps over the past five years. incidents, including search, rescue or recovery, in British Columbia, most of which occurred in Squamish.
British Columbia AdventureSmart, a national program that encourages people to learn how to safely enjoy the outdoors.2020 data released showing there were 10 rescues in Squamish, as well as one each in Pemberton, Comox Valley, Chilliwack and Kent-Harrison.
“The overall number remains small in sample size and relatively small compared to other high-risk air sports,” said chief executive Sandra Riches.
For people who want to take part in “high risk” outdoor activities such as base jumping, BC AdventureSmart encourages people to plan ahead, be prepared and make safety a priority.
“We also remind participants to respect the community, land users and protected areas around Squamish,” Riches said.
Before people hit the road, Riches offers them the right training, certified equipment and experienced partners. People should also check local weather and wind conditions, make a travel plan and carry reliable communications in case of an emergency.
