Five hikers stranded on Coquitlam's Eagle Mountain for over 20 hours were found by search and rescue crews early Sunday morning.
Crews located the group of three women and two men in their 20s in frigid conditions and helped them walk safely off the mountain also known as Eagle Ridge.
The group had been snowshoing near Buntzen Lake.
Three photos from last night's rescue. A party of 12 (5 subjects, 7 rescuers) descending Swan Falls trail.
— Coquitlam SAR (@CoquitlamSAR) January 19, 2020
Taken by SAR member @mkellasdicks pic.twitter.com/lzEGdu6NNN
Al Hurley with Coquitlam Search and Rescue says the hikers were wearing thin clothing and only packed two aluminum space blankets for warmth.
He says they were nearly hypothermic from being out in the rain and a crew member on the phone talked them through how to dig a pit and create a shelter with sticks.
Hurley adds the trip down the steep, icy mountain wasn't easy, but fortunately no one suffered any injuries.
Search manager Raymond Nordstrand says there was a delay in the rescue because of the risk of avalanches due to recent snowstorms.
— With files from The Canadian Press