A climber in British Columbia required a helicopter rescue after sustaining over 100 wasp stings in a remote area north of Vancouver. Lions Bay Search and Rescue reported that the female climber was on Redoubt Wall near Loggers Creek when she was swarmed by the insects.
Following concerns of a severe allergic reaction to the stings, a ground team was dispatched with emergency medical supplies. Recognizing the climber’s inability to hike out, Lions Bay Search and Rescue called for a helicopter extraction by North Shore Rescue.
Rescuers were deployed to assist in airlifting the climber out of the densely wooded area, and she was subsequently transferred to B.C. Emergency Health Services for treatment. The incident took place approximately 40 kilometers north of Vancouver along the Sea to Sky Highway.
The rescue team emphasized the swift escalation of wasp encounters into critical backcountry medical emergencies, especially when an individual sustains a high number of stings.