Vernon couple rescued in the back country

It’s a reminder that weather conditions in the valley bottom can be dramatically different than only a few hundred feet higher elevation.

A Vernon couple were rescued off a forest service road in the Kelowna area on Saturday night by Kelowna RCMP members.

Police received a call at around 7:30 p.m. from a Vernon man that he and his wife were stuck on a rural forest service road east of Kelowna. The man stated that his cellphone was about to die, and they were extremely cold.

Officers drove as far up the road as they could to their reported location, then hiked approximately half a kilometre until they located the couple in their vehicle. They were able to hike back with the man and woman and ensured they got home safely.

“We are extremely happy that this situation resolved itself safely,” Cpl. Jocelyn Noseworthy of the Kelowna RCMP said. “It is another example of the importance of knowing the conditions and being prepared for the elements before you head out on any excursion.”

The B.C. Automobile Association has a list of items that motorists should carry in their vehicles during the winter months in case they are stranded by weather.