5 snowshoers rescued after frigid night on Eagle Ridge

Coquitlam Search and Rescue members rescued five snowshoers who were stranded near Mount Beautiful on Eagle Ridge overnight.

Coquitlam SAR wrote on Twitter on Saturday night that the three women and two men, all in their 20s, were "in good spirits," but would be spending a "very cold night" on the mountain because the avalanche hazard was too high to make a rescue attempt.

The fiveinternational students from Germany, Switzerlandand Franceheaded out on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. and called for help around 5 p.m. after getting lost and encountering dangerously snowy conditions.

Ray Nordstrand, search manager with Coquitlam SAR, said the group headed out for a hike from the north end of Buntzen Lakethrough Swan Falls, a route that takes around10 to 12 hours in summer conditions.

"They came to a point where they were in snow, they could hear sluffing off, there were avalanches in the area,"he said.

"They were cold, they weren't sure where they wereand that's when they called for help."

SAR members hiked in, reachingthe groupjust before 2 a.m.

"The one subject is wearing Lululemon pants, so very cold, so I'd say they were not prepared. We brought them clothing and something warm to eat and drink," said Nordstrand.

Nordstrandsaid the avalanche risk in the area is high because of a week of Pineapple Expressconditions and heavy precipitation.

"Right now is probably not the best time to be in the backcountry," he said.