Rocky Mountain House RCMP advise backcountry users to be prepared following a search for missing hunters on Monday.
A married couple were reported overdue from a Sunday hunting trip, prompting a search by RCMP, Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers, Clearwater County peace officers and family members. An RCMP aircraft also took part.
The couple was found about 4 p.m. on Monday after their truck became stuck on a cutline near the Forestry Trunk Road west of town.
The couple couldn’t call for help due to the remote area having no cellphone coverage.
RCMP Cpl. Mark Burnell said staying with their vehicle helped ensure the couple would be found faster.
Telling someone your destination, route and return time ensures searchers have vital information from the start. Having a satellite phone or GPS locator means not relying on cellphones.
“They made good decisions when they got in a predicament,” he said, adding the couple set an alarm to sound hourly through the night so they could start their truck to keep warm.