What began as a celebratory hike to Della Falls for Dallin Beaumier of Burnaby quickly turned into a life-threatening ordeal in the backcountry of Vancouver Island. And after four days of bushwhacking and walking along logging roads, unaware a search had been launched, he rescued himself.
Beaumier was celebrating earning his Red Seal as a plumber and wanted to hike Della Falls, one of the highest waterfalls on Vancouver Island. An experienced backcountry hiker, he left a detailed trip plan, photos of his gear and an emergency plan with his father.
"He told his Dad 'if after seven days you haven't heard from me, call it in,'" Alberni Valley Rescue Squad volunteer Richard Johns said. "His Dad called us in (July 8)."
While hikers typically take the water taxi to the end of Great Central Lake where the Della Falls trailhead is located, Beaumier drove to the end of logging road MERCS 616 and hiked in, setting up camp at about midnight. He hiked to Della Falls the next day without incident, returning to the trailhead to camp for another night.
Beaumier was just falling asleep the night he arrived back at the trailhead when he had what he called "an incident" with a cougar.
"I spent the night yelling and blowing my whistle and keeping the fire up so I wouldn't get attacked," he said. He hiked back to his car early the next morning, but in his haste to return home he took a wrong turn. And before he could go back to the correct logging road, his car got stuck and he cracked the oil pan, rendering the vehicle inoperable.
In retrospect, Beaumier said afterward, he could have made a better choice of vehicle to drive: he brought his 2001 Chevy Cavalier, which has low clearance and is not an SUV.
Rescuers with AVRS said Beaumier was one of the most prepared hikers they've ever encountered. And the equipment he rigged to rescue himself "was pretty impressive," Johns said. "He fashioned a wagon...he pulled his exhaust off, used some rope, sticks and his spare tires.
"His level of preparedness was above and beyond what we're used to. He knew where he was; his survival mentality led to his self-survival."
Beaumier had a full flat of water in his car as well as bottles of Gatorade and Vitamin Water. He packed it all on his wagon because he knew he would need it. Although he was only about 3.5 kilometres "as the crow flies" from where he initially parked his car, he had to traverse rough terrain and logging roads. He encountered a bear, and endured 30-plus-degree weather.
"I've spent most of my life hiking and going backcountry," he said after returning home to Burnaby. "I do have a lot of outdoors experience. I did prepare for the possibility something like that would happen."
Four days after his ill-fated wrong turn, he was back at the Della Falls trailhead, where he camped for a third time. The next morning he met the water taxi captain at the dock "and he was gracious enough to drive me back to Port Alberni. We had a burger (at McDonald's and I walked into the search and rescue hall."
Johns said he was shocked when Beaumier walked into the hall. The team had sent a helicopter to Della Falls to start searching for Beaumier, and they had distributed a photo of the hiker wearing the same shirt he had on when he saw Johns. "He popped over here about 3:45 p.m.: he walked in the back door. It was obviously quite a shock," Johns said.
Beaumier said he figured his father had contacted the authorities, and he also wanted to let them know he had to abandon his vehicle on the side of the road. "I thought they would be the best people to contact...It turned out they were looking for me."
Johns said the team talked with Beaumier about having an alternative form of communication such as a satellite communicator like inReach or SPOT or a newer iPhone with emergency satellite connectivity. Also: "Make sure you have a capable vehicle to travel these backroads."
Despite his adventure going awry, Beaumier said he hopes to return to Vancouver Island someday and finish the rest of his vacation: surfing in Tofino, hiking to waterfalls on the West Coast Trail and visiting Horne Lake Caves.
