Search for missing hikers remains on hold due to bad weather

The search for two B.C.snowshoers missing in the Cypress Mountain Resort area remains suspended due to bad weather and a growing risk of avalanche.

"We've had heavy snowfallas well ashigh winds and that, with the mildtemperatures, has driven the avalanche danger up to high," said North Shore Rescue spokesman Mike Danks. "Itis just not safe for ourmembers."

ChunSek Lam, 64, and Roy Tin Hou Lee, 43,have been missing since Christmas Day, when they set off on a snowshoe hike from the Cypress Mountain Resort parking lot.

The men are considered experienced butdid not tell anyone where they planned to hike. They were assumed to be missing when Lam's car was discovered abandoned in the parking lot on Boxing Day.

Searchers had been concentratingon the areas around Bowen Lookout and Strachan Meadows before the operation was postponed for the first time on Wednesday due to bad weather.

"That's an area called Christmas Gully where we're doing our best to focus the search, but thatarea does lead into two significantdrainages Lembke Creek and Montizambert. Those are both avalanche terrain and concerning for our members to go into," said Danks.

Air search a priority

NSR and the West Vancouver Police are monitoring the weather.

Danks said the best-case scenario would be if it clears enough to allow a helicopter to resume searching from the air.

"That's a big priority for us," he said, noting that most of thevolunteers from NSR would be returning to their jobs or family Thursday.

"If we do get a break in the weather, we'll put a page out to the team and see who is able to make it out."

NSR has posted the photos of a number of out-of-bounds skiers and snowboardersthey have spotted while searching for the missing men.

Danks saidpeople going out of bounds in the Cypress ski area is making the search more complicated.

"It certainly doesn't help our search efforts because we're looking for tracks and we're trying to make voice contact . If we have people frequently in those areas it just makes it a lot more challenging," he said.

"If someone goes out of bounds today and he gets into trouble we are not going to be able to come directly in to get them,I can tell you that right now."

With files from Kamil Karamali