RCMP officers aid four friends on hiking trip turned dangerous

It was a close call for a group of experienced hikers camping near Rice River Canyon, which is 95 km east of Carrot River. The remote area is known for its natural beauty and is an attraction for backcountry hikers who love a challenge.
Things turned dangerous for the group when they started to make their trek home. Water levels rose three feet overnight, which made their riverside trail impassable. The hikers were prepared and had a cellphone with a satellite function to call emergency services. Carrot River RCMP responded.
"I've hiked the Rice River Canyon trail before and I know the area well. It's beautiful, but there's no cell service and you have to be very careful because the weather can turn at any time," says Cst. Dylan Custaloe, Search Manager for Saskatchewan RCMP's Search and Rescue team. "In this situation, we were dealing with adverse weather."
To get a visual of the missing hikers and navigate a path out of the area, Cst. Custaloe's team used the Carrot River Detachment's Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS). RCMP officers then located and hiked to the group's coordinates. The responding officers used their local knowledge of the area to safely lead them to an alternate path home.
"The drone was able to give us a bird's-eye view so that we could plan the safest way out of the canyon," says Cst. Custaloe. "This group was well prepared and I'm grateful that they had the foresight to have the technology to call for help in an extremely remote area."