A teen girl who was missing for more than two days in Golden Ears Provincial Park has been found “alive and well,” according to Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue.
The good news was confirmed by rescue team member Ryan Smith in an email to CBC shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday night.
CBC has reached out to Ridge Meadows RCMP for comment.
The news is a relieving end to a days-long, frantic search for the teen, after she became separated from the other three people she was hiking with Tuesday afternoon.
A helicopter, a drone and teams of rescuers from across the Lower Mainland all helped look for the girl across what rescuers described as difficult terrain.
The teen’s group left a lookout point at about 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday to head back to their campground, and about 15 minutes later, they noticed that the teen was missing.
Police say the group returned to the viewpoint to look for the girl, and when she was not found, the leader returned to the entrance of the trail to have a park ranger call police.
Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue confirmed Thursday afternoon that they were searching with the assistance of many teams from across the Lower Mainland, while RCMP say about 45 search and rescue resources had been deployed.
The teen was carrying food, water, and a cellphone, but the remote area and lack of cell reception means attempts to ping her phone were unsuccessful.
People at the site of the search said she recently completed Grade 10 at Walnut Grove Secondary and that the teen has a passion for the outdoors.