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The search and rescue organization for Metro Vancouver’s North Shore mountains is warning people to do their research after two international visitors became stranded while relying on hiking apps to plan their routes. Allan McMordie with North Shore Rescue managed the Sunday night rescue of a man from Goat Ridge, a backcountry area behind Grouse Mountain. He said the man told rescuers he had not been expecting snow, despite two of the local ski hills opening with fresh powder last month. “All you had to do was look at the top of the mountains from Vancouver and know there’s snow up there,” he said in an interview. “To be in running shoes and not even expecting any snow was pretty naive.” The man from France had set out on a marked route, then decided to make his way through very rough, steep terrain to a separate trail at significantly higher elevation. “This is rugged backcountry,” McMordie said. “It’s almost impassable.” McMordie could not confirm which apps the hikers in both recent rescues were using, but said a lack of any marked route or trail reports is a good indication not to use the application. In any case, he said trip planning should involve multiple sources for information. If the man from France had done any research, McMordie said he would have discovered the backcountry area where he was rescued is closed for the winter. In both recent cases, he said there are signs at each trailhead with maps showing trails and topography, along with reminders about key steps in trip planning, he said. Both men were lucky to have been able to make 911 calls, McMordie added, as service is patchy in the area and their phone batteries had nearly run out. Above all, he said hikers should tell someone else where they’re going and when they expect to return, so that person can alert local authorities if necessary. “Absolutely nobody knew where this person was and what he was doing that day,” McMordie said of the man from France. “If he had not been able to get that (911) call out, he would still be there.” Sunday’s rescue on Goat Ridge came three days after a similar call, when another man”seriously underestimated the difficulty” of a route marked in an online hiking app, North Shore Rescue said in a statement posted to social media. The group said there is “barely a trail” in the summer and “nothing whatsoever” in the winter, making for “full mountaineering conditions” at this time of year. The man called for help after hiking for eight hours that left him “tired, soaked (and) hypothermic” as the sun was setting,” it said. It’s doubtful the man would have survived the night in the Mount Seymour backcountry if he hadn’t been able to make the call, the rescue group added. The man had been staying in a short-term accommodation and had taken an Uber to the trailhead. Only his girlfriend in Norway knew where he was, and he was not wearing or carrying adequate gear for the conditions, McMordie said. Vancouver-based Stephen Hui, the author of several B.C. hiking guidebooks, said the rough, mountainous terrain steps away from urban Metro Vancouver and the extent of the snowpack in winter is a surprise for many visiting hikers. Hui said online apps can be helpful and often provide commentary about trail conditions from other hikers, but it’s crucial to look at additional sources of information, including complete maps and provincial and national park websites. He said local authorities and outdoor groups have some responsibility for people heading into the backcountry, and there is room for more signage and education. Ultimately, though, he said people must be responsible for themselves. “We can’t handhold everybody,” he said. “There’s always going to be dangers in hiking.”Elon Musk Is Responsible For Palantir Stock Rally, Jim Cramer Says

Steve Lynch, who was appointed as Cayuga County manager on Feb. 29, is retiring after nine months in that role and 18 years with the county. Cayuga County Legislature Chairwoman Aileen McNabb-Coleman told The Citizen Tuesday that Lynch announced his retirement Thursday, Nov. 21. It is effective Dec. 27. Citing a personnel matter, McNabb-Coleman could not provide further comment on Lynch's decision to retire. Lynch did not respond to The Citizen's request for comment. Lynch was the longtime director of the county's Department of Planning and Economic Development prior to being elevated to county manager in March. His salary was $140,000. McNabb-Coleman announced in February that Lynch would be appointed county manager. The county did not have an administrator for five years — J. Justin Woods was the last to hold that position — but McNabb-Coleman believed it was necessary to have someone else focus on day-to-day operations. Until Lynch's appointment, the county Legislature chair oversaw operations. McNabb-Coleman handled those responsibilities during her first stint as chair in 2020-21. Former Chairman David Gould served as acting administrator from 2022 through 2023. When McNabb-Coleman returned as chair, she wanted to focus on policy. She believes it's important to have a full-time administrator who oversees county operations. Although Lynch will remain on the payroll for the next month, he won't be working. McNabb-Coleman said she and the county operations officer, Shereen Androsko, will take on the manager's duties. "We'll do the best we can until the Legislature can come together and make a decision about next steps," McNabb-Coleman added. Lynch's retirement was announced during the annual county budget process . McNabb-Coleman proposed a $192 million budget for 2025 that includes nearly two dozen job cuts and a 4% property tax levy increase. The tentative budget contains $555,832 for the county manager's office, up from $279,855 in this year's budget. Most of that increase is for salary and benefits. McNabb-Coleman encouraged the county Legislature to keep the funding in the budget. "We are in the middle of a crisis," she said. "If we have ever needed a county manager, it is now. There are a lot of moving parts and a lot of things to keep track of. We definitely need somebody to come in and direct the response to this crisis." For the county, that crisis has multiple parts. It began the year with a damaged roof on the county office building. Four months later, the building was closed after asbestos-containing vermiculite was found throughout the interior of the structure. It will remain closed for up to two years. Amid the building closure and departments being relocated, the county has been dealing with a budget crunch that's required the Legislature to use millions from its fund balance. The proposed job cuts are part of the response to the ongoing fiscal situation. Government reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net . Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Online producer/politics reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

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