I just really want to say thanks to all the people that helped my son and I get home safely on Sunday, Jan. 4.
After a grueling day of sledding my son Byron and I realized that we might be overnight in the snow bank with no fire. At this point we became aware of how easy it is to get into a desperate situation however with some help with solid fuel cans I had stuck in the lunch pack eventually we got one going. I think it took about two hours but I can say that was a pretty nice looking fire. So after one more treat of a smokey-type sausage. I touched the satellite phone that was frozen in my pocket. It felt warm and I said to Byron I wonder if that thing will work so on it went and we had a phone.
I phoned anyone we had a number for including 911 then we realized they would not be out until morning so we tried to keep the fire burning
About midnight we though we heard that buzz we looked at each other - there is only one thing that sounds like that. Byron said he could hear them and, if he had the energy, he would have been dancing in the snow. There is no saying how wonderful that sound was. Seconds later, we could see the lights bouncing in the snow. Toby Cartwright and Kevin Novak from the snowmobile club and right behind them came search and rescue Dave Merrit and his partner. Within minutes we were on our way home. Stopping at the Yamaha rescue house we were joined by three more searchers. Twenty minutes later we were at the club house. That distance covered with snowmobiles would have taken us twenty hours to walk out. Also waiting for us to arrive was the RCMP.
Byron looking at all this and was asking if we have to pay for this? I said I don't really know as I have heard they get pretty mad when its not necessary or they feel abused. Talking to them we realized that they were very good people and I cannot stress the importance of having them around. It was a wonderful experience knowing that they would come and help us like that .
I would never have guessed that they would respond in under three hours and they were ready and able to deal with whatever we could throw at them.
And there is more. The next day we have to get our sleds out and we are looking for helpers but no such luck, so I phoned Peggy at the PG Snowmobile Club who said she might be able to get us some help. Within minutes I got a phone call from Rezso Peters saying that he and three others, Mike Lehman, Ryan Lightfoot and Angie B would go and get them out. Sorry Angie, I didn't get you're last name.
Where else in the world you can get help like that?
Anyway, thanks so much to everyone who helped us.
Byron Laass and Pat McInerney
Prince George
