Timeline
129 documented events between 1948 and 2026, each one tied to the article or articles that record it.
Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue era
2003-05-01 – 2026-12-31 · 108 documented events
- 30 July 2026
Two incidents of hikers rescued in Sooke this past week
A group of four lost hikers was found after a night search in Sea to Sea Regional Park around July 24, 2026.
- 30 July 2026
Search and rescue help injured hiker out of East Sooke Park
Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue responded to a call in East Sooke Park for a hiker with an ankle injury; after medical assistance it was a short and straightforward stretcher carry.
- 23 July 2026
Search and rescue teams come together to lift injured hiker from Juan de Fuca Trail
Juan de Fuca SAR, Metchosin SAR, BC Emergency Health Services and North Shore Rescue's long-line team lifted an injured hiker from the Juan de Fuca Trail after extremely difficult terrain ruled out a stretcher carry.
- 20 May 2026
Juan de Fuca, Metchosin SAR team up to haul out injured hiker
On Monday, May 18, 2026 (Victoria Day), Juan de Fuca and Metchosin SAR teams were tasked around 11 a.m. to help a person with a leg injury in East Sooke Park.
- 15 May 2026
VIDEO: A peek inside helicopter training with Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue
Volunteers with Juan de Fuca SAR gathered at Jordan River for mandatory annual helicopter boarding and deboarding training with West Coast Helicopter.
- 15 May 2026
VIDEO: A peek inside helicopter training with Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue
Juan de Fuca SAR volunteers trained on boarding and deboarding a hovering helicopter at Jordan River on a foggy Saturday morning, described as a mandatory annual exercise done every year with West Coast Helicopter, called a key partner in the team's tasks as well as training.
- 7 May 2026
Juan de Fuca Marine Trail to reopen after $950K of repairs
The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail was expected to reopen that summer, with an opening date to be announced in mid-May.
- 29 April 2026
Juan de Fuca Marine Trail to reopen this summer
The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail was expected to reopen that summer, with an opening date to be announced in mid-May, the province said.
- 20 April 2026
PHOTOS: Search and rescue dips into Sooke Potholes for swiftwater training
Juan de Fuca SAR spent Saturday April 11 at Sooke Potholes for swiftwater training.
- 9 April 2026
Searchers find hiker but warn much of Juan de Fuca Trail still closed
After locating an overdue hiker on the Tuesday, Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue reminded hikers that much of the Juan de Fuca Trail remains closed.
- 8 April 2026
Juan de Fuca Trail hiker rescued after leg injury
A hiker had to be carried off the Juan de Fuca Trail on the Monday with a serious leg injury.
- 7 April 2026
South Island rescue team helps haul injured hiker off Mystic trail
A hiker was hauled to safety after suffering a lower-leg injury on the Mystic Beach Trail on Monday April 6, 2026.
- 26 March 2026
Trail users raise concerns over ongoing closure of popular Vancouver Island route
The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail remained closed from 2025 storm damage with no reopening date set; the park had seen 596,030 visits in 2024 and 2025 despite the closure.
- 23 February 2026
PHOTOS: Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue introduces new ground crew
Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue's new ground crew successfully completed a survival skills exam.
- 23 February 2026
PHOTOS: Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue introduces new ground crew
Juan de Fuca SAR welcomed a new intake of ground search and rescue members starting training in September 2025, training two to three times a week to build operational skills.
- 19 February 2026
Police searching for missing 14-year-old boy from Sooke
A 14-year-old Sooke boy reported missing Feb.
- 25 January 2026
Order of B.C., citizenship medal nominations open
Nominations for the year's Order of B.C.
- 3 January 2026
A community listing under LANGFORD: "Slegg Lumber, 1210 Childlow Connector.
- 18 December 2025
Surfer injured at Sombrio after wave slams log into leg
Surfer [Ethan] Baker was walking into the water at Sombrio Beach when a wave launched a log into his leg, breaking it.
- 12 December 2025
Surfer injured at Sombrio after wave slams log into leg
Surfer Ethan Baker was walking into the water at Sombrio Beach the previous week when he looked down briefly to attach his surfboard's leash to his ankle.
- 9 December 2025
Juan de Fuca rescue team carries injured surfer from Sombrio Beach
A surfer suffered a severe lower-body injury at Sombrio Beach and was rescued by Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue on Friday Dec.
- 21 August 2025
Juan de Fuca SAR lead earns B.C. medal for heart, vision and resilience
Victoria Clarke, a Saanich resident and coordinator of Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue, was awarded the 2025 British Columbia Medal of Good Citizenship.
- 14 August 2025
15 B.C. search and rescue groups attend specialized tracker training in Quesnel
Members from 15 different B.C.
- 28 July 2025
Vacationing Penticton SAR member helps out with Botanical Beach call
With a helping hand from a vacationing Penticton member, Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue hand-hauled a hiker off Botanical Beach on the Sunday afternoon.
- 9 June 2025
Juan de Fuca search team called out to assist injured hiker, biker
Warmer weather is upping the predicted need for search and rescue teams, with the Juan de Fuca team tasked three times in the first week of June 2025 - twice in one day.
- 16 May 2025
A simple item like a whistle can save your life in the backcountry, a search-and-rescue member said, as many outdoor enthusiasts geared up for their first trips of the year over the long weekend.
- 3 January 2025
Where to take your Christmas tree for disposal in Greater Victoria
A regional listing of Christmas tree drop-off and chipping events.
- 26 December 2024
Juan de Fuca searchers dedicate 12,500 hours in training, tasking in 2024
A year in review with coordinator and search manager Victoria Clarke: more than 40 callouts, about 40 active members and more than 12,500 volunteer hours in training and callouts during 2024.
- 27 November 2024
Victoria Clarke, spokeswoman for Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue, said a group had camped on the Saturday night at Wye Lake and was planning to hike out on the Sunday, but some members felt unwell.
- 26 November 2024
Snow, fog hamper rescue of 15 hikers in backwoods above Jordan River
Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue was called before noon Sunday Nov.
- 21 August 2024
SAR team rescues 2 hikers on Juan de Fuca trail during peak season
Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue, with support from the Alberni Valley Rescue Squad, rescued a hiker near Sombrio Beach on the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail on Friday Aug.
- 20 August 2024
Volunteers with the Alberni Valley Rescue Squad were called to assist with a rescue on the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail on the Friday.
- 14 August 2024
A team of rescuers helped get an injured hiker to safety on the Sunday after a fall along the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail.
- 7 August 2024
[Rescuers helped] an injured hiker from China Beach on the Saturday.
- 18 June 2024
Helicopter rescue for injured hiker near Botanical Beach
A hiker who suffered a back injury on the Juan de Fuca Trail was lifted to safety on the Saturday, says Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue.
- 17 June 2024
Search teams call in helicopter for injured hiker near Port Renfrew
Back-to-back hiker calls kept Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue and its partner organizations busy Friday afternoon, June 14, 2024.
- 11 May 2024
The week's rescue of a student who fell on a school hike on the Juan de Fuca Trail and had to be carried out on a stretcher for about four hours is a reminder of the trail's dangers.
- 10 May 2024
Juan de Fuca SAR slogs 4 hours through mud, saves injured hiker off trail
Hours of slogging through mud carrying a stretcher to haul an injured hiker off the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is a standard call for local search and rescue crews.
- 15 April 2024
Hikers help free man trapped in waist-deep mud on Juan de Fuca Trail
A hiker on the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail became stuck in mud up to his hips on March 29, 2024, and couldn't get out for a couple of hours.
- 14 April 2024
It is not unusual for hikers on the Juan de Fuca trail to sink up to their knees in mud, but a recent mud-related call was a first.
- 16 January 2024
Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue puts training to the test
A report on a training day held on Saturday 13 January 2024, combining theory and practical work, for a unit of nearly 45 members.
- 5 January 2024
Christmas Tree chipping 2024
A community listing for a Christmas tree chipping fundraiser by donation in support of Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue.
- 20 May 2023
Juan de Fuca trail third busiest in B.C. for search-and-rescue calls
Hikers on the Juan de Fuca trail made 13 calls to search and rescue in 2022, making it the third busiest trail in the province.
- 18 February 2023
East Sooke Fire Commission renews lease with JDF Search and Rescue
Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue's renewal of a lease with the East Sooke Fire Commission serves the community well, says fire commission chair Falk Wagenbach.
- 7 January 2023
Where to take Christmas trees for chipping
A Capital Regional District list of Christmas-tree chipping sites, noting that community events are typically by donation while there are fees at most public works yards, and asking readers to remove…
- 31 December 2022
Search on for dog missing from shipwrecked sailboat
A pet rescue group was looking for a dog that went missing after a sailboat was shipwrecked west of Jordan River that week.
- 24 December 2022
A Christmas tree seller describes a poor season: "It is disheartening for me but it has also affected the crafters who sell their wares on site, some who have reported sales down 60 to 70 per cent.
- 13 December 2022
Search continues for missing woman after vehicle found in Sooke
Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue personnel returned to the mobile command base during the search for Melissa McDevitt in the Sooke Potholes area on the Monday.
- 13 September 2022
"It can't come soon enough," said Karl Ablack, president of the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce.
- 27 May 2022
Juan de Fuca Trail reopens after infrastructure repairs
Four large bridges, eight smaller spans and several sections of stairs and boardwalks were replaced on the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, giving hikers wide-open access after nearly a year of detours and…
- 2 January 2022
Where to take your Christmas tree for disposal in Greater Victoria
A regional listing of Christmas tree drop-off and chipping events.
- 5 November 2021
Anyone who spoke to man missing in Fairy Creek area asked to contact Sooke RCMP
Sooke RCMP were continuing to look for a 61-year-old man believed to have been last seen hiking between two camps in the Fairy Creek watershed area on 13 October.
- 3 November 2021
Sooke RCMP renew call for help finding man missing in Fairy Creek watershed area
Sooke RCMP renewed a public appeal for information on Gerald Kearney, 61, missing in the Fairy Creek watershed area since around 10 a.m.
- 31 October 2021
Search crews look for Montreal man at China Beach
Search and rescue crews resumed a search on the Saturday for a missing Montreal man whose rented motorhome was found at China Beach on the Friday.
- 15 April 2021
A second run of the report that cellular service is coming to the Sooke–Port Renfrew corridor, quoting Vickie Weber, senior manager of Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue, on what it will mean for emergency…
- 7 April 2021
A highway rest area near the entrance to Sombrio Beach, a popular surfing hotspot, will be upgraded to provide a Wi-Fi connection, improving safety and convenience for people passing through or coming to…
- 12 January 2021
Search for missing kayaker expands
The Victoria Rescue Co-ordination Centre was contacted about 7 p.m.
- 10 January 2021
Body of missing 16-year-old Langford teen found in Goldstream Provincial Park
The body of 16-year-old Langford resident Andre Courtemanche was discovered at Goldstream Provincial Park on Saturday evening, eight days after he left home on Jan.
- 31 December 2020
A regional listing of Christmas tree-chipping events includes an entry for Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue at Slegg [Lumber].
- 10 October 2020
Body of Beecher Bay woman found; foul play not suspected
The body of a missing Beecher Bay woman was found on the Friday, more than a week after she went missing.
- 9 October 2020
Family of missing Beecher Bay woman chooses hope
UPDATE added to the article the same day: the search for Raymona Peter, 45, of Scia'new First Nation, ended in loss when Sooke RCMP announced the evening of Oct.
- 19 August 2020
Province could close parks if users aren't careful, warn south Island volunteers
Amid record calls for rescues, volunteers are reminding park users to practise caution as there is a risk the province could close outdoor spaces.
- 3 June 2020
A 26-year-old woman who had suffered an ankle or leg injury was brought to safety up a steep incline at the Sooke Potholes on the Monday night.
- 4 May 2020
Seven-year-old girl falls off cliff at East Sooke Regional Park
A seven-year-old girl fell 15 feet off a cliff at Cabin Point in East Sooke Regional Park on Friday afternoon, the same day District of Sooke parks reopened to the public after pandemic lockdown.
- 1 March 2020
Search and rescue crews looking for missing hiker in Sooke Potholes
Search and rescue crews safely located a 19-year-old man who went missing in Sooke Potholes on Sunday afternoon.
- 25 February 2020
Children ages 11 to 14 out of the bush by evening
Two scout leaders missing in the Sooke hills near Jordan River were found on the Monday, safe and uninjured.
- 24 February 2020
Two Scout leaders found near Sooke
The search for two Scout leaders, one male and one female in their mid-thirties, who went missing Sunday morning came to a successful conclusion when both were found.
- 13 February 2020
Juan de Fuca SAR comes to the rescue
A profile of the Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue leadership published in the aftermath of the February 2020 Sooke River tragedy, in which the team led the search and recovery.
- 5 February 2020
Body of third missing man found in Sooke River
The body of a Sooke man was recovered from the Sooke River on Tuesday afternoon, days after he and two other friends were swept away by a torrent of water while in a pickup truck; the bodies of the two other men were found Sunday.
- 4 February 2020
Three men disappeared as Sooke River rose
Juan de Fuca search-and-rescue and RCMP continued the search for a missing man on the Monday.
- 2 February 2020
Foul play not suspected in two deaths at Sooke River; search continues for missing man
Two of three missing Sooke men were found dead in the Sooke River on Sunday; the third remained missing. RCMP said no foul play was suspected. About 40 SAR and emergency responders joined hundreds of community volunteers in the search.
- 5 January 2019
A display notice advertising the Christmas tree chipping fundraiser in support of Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue volunteers at Slegg Lumber, Langford, 2901 Sooke Road, the same day the notice ran.
- 4 January 2019
A display notice: "CHRISTMAS Tree Chipping Fundraiser.
- 4 December 2018
Rescue operation a success after hiker injured in fall at Sooke Hills
A woman in her mid-30s was rescued from Sugarloaf Mountain near Sooke on the Sunday by crews who hiked hours to get her to a waiting ambulance.
- 20 June 2018
Search fails to find missing kayaker near Sooke
A full-scale search covering a 1,000-square-kilometre area of the Juan de Fuca Strait failed to find a 57-year-old kayaker who set out from Beecher Bay; a red kayak similar to his was found.
- 11 May 2018
Helicopter lifts out tourist after Sombrio cliff plunge
A woman hiking the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail with friends had to be plucked by helicopter from an area near Sombrio Beach on the Wednesday after falling down a cliff.
- 12 June 2017
East Sooke has a community hall for all seasons
When the East Sooke Fire Hall opened in 1985 no one thought it would become the central meeting place for residents; it was for fire trucks and firefighters.
- 18 December 2016
Four rescued after getting lost near Sooke
Four Victoria residents (two men, two women) got lost on a day hike Saturday in Sooke and endured five hours in nighttime cold before rescue.
- 20 October 2016
A community events listing: "Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue Open House, Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
- 19 October 2016
Longtime volunteer has experienced range of rescues
A profile of Victoria Weber marking 35 years of volunteer service as of October 2016.
- 5 June 2015
A hiker who became lost in forest near Port Renfrew was rescued after a massive 12-hour search.
- 17 February 2015
Hiker's call goes to U.S.
The rescue of an injured hiker ran into a delay on the Sunday when his companion's 911 call was answered by an American dispatcher.
- 22 May 2014
Climber hurt in fall at potholes
More than two dozen emergency personnel were involved in the rescue of a man who fell from a cliff at Sooke Potholes on the Wednesday.
- 8 January 2014
East Sooke hiker focus of seach
On the night of Thursday 2 January, Sooke RCMP received a missing person call.
- 4 January 2014
Search on for woman, 59
A sprawling search was under way for a woman believed to be missing in East Sooke Regional Park.
- 14 March 2013
CRD building questioned
A letter to the editor objecting that a notification about a Capital Regional District building project was somewhat misleading, and asking whether anyone had been consulted.
- 19 January 2013
$1.3-million Juan de Fuca HQ planned
Capital Regional District director Mike Hicks planned to build a new $1.3-million administration building for his Juan de Fuca electoral area on Sooke's western border in Otter Point.
- 30 May 2012
MP awards Diamond Jubilee medals to local citizens
Randall Garrison, MP for Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca, presented 30 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals on 19 May to recipients who live in Esquimalt and Juan de Fuca and have made significant contributions…
- 24 April 2012
Injured hiker assisted
About 20 Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue members made the trek into the Sooke Hills on the Sunday to help an injured hiker who had severely injured her ankle.
- 5 April 2012
After five days, searchers discover man's body in waters off East Sooke
The five-day search for a missing East Sooke man came to a tragic end on the Wednesday when his body was found in the waters of Anderson Cove, near Gillespie [Road].
- 5 March 2012
A 21-year-old mountain biker spent a cold, wet night lost in a forest west of Mount Wells Regional Park on the Saturday before being found by Metchosin Search and Rescue.
- 20 July 2011
JDF Search & Rescue joins Project Lifesaver
Project Lifesaver Greater Victoria announced it was expanding the Project Lifesaver program to Sooke, thanks to the involvement of the Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue group.
- 1 April 2010
A lake search followed an extensive ground search around Glen Lake on the Saturday, carried out by the Juan de Fuca search and rescue team.
- 29 July 2008
A woman in significant [distress or difficulty] was hoisted to a helicopter after being reached by two search and rescue technicians who were lowered to her, working with members of the Juan de Fuca search…
- 14 July 2007
Men go down cliff to save injured teen stuck in waterfall
Fifteen-year-old Alyssa Albany was swept over a waterfall at the Sooke Potholes on the Thursday while fooling around with friends on an air mattress, and was trapped for more than three hours on a foothold…
- 2 July 2007
A letter from a hiker who was rescued after a fall close to the Bear Beach section of the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, observing that the place where the couple required rescue is about the simplest and…
- 9 May 2007
A letter from someone involved in or grateful for a rescue on 5 May, who writes of "the relief of hearing a U.S.
- 30 January 2007
Victoria firefighter killed in kayak accident near Port Renfrew
The Victoria Fire Department and Vancouver Island's river kayaking fraternity were mourning the death of a colleague who drowned when his whitewater kayak became trapped under a rock.
- 5 July 2006
Death at lake blamed on alcohol, cold water
A body was recovered after a man named Doherty was reported missing.
- 16 October 2005
A feature on the Thursday Hiking Group, which heads out into the Sooke Hills every week; on 7 July the group left from the Sooke Potholes parking lot.
- 25 June 2005
Sooke Potholes Regional Park was to open officially on the Sunday with a series of special events starting at noon, at which a search and rescue group would rappel down the canyon wall.
- 17 August 2004
A 22-year-old Alberta man died following a hiking accident on the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail.
- 16 October 2003
Rescuers feel let down
When paramedics and volunteer firefighters reached Charles Douglas, they realised they couldn't pluck him off the rocks on their own.
- 15 September 2003
Notice of Intention to Adopt Bylaw No. 3101
A statutory notice from the Capital Regional District.
- 14 September 2003
Notice of Counter Petition Opportunity — Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue Service Establishment Bylaw No. 3101
A statutory notice from the Capital Regional District.
- 10 May 2003
Injured man rescued after cliff fall
A man with a severely broken leg was rescued on the Friday.
Sooke Search and Rescue era
1979-11-10 – 2003-04-30 · 11 documented events
- 8 April 2002
Search and rescue teams looking for a missing woman named Mitchell had been told they would probably have to see her to find her, as she was not responding to people calling for her.
- 30 November 2000
Hiker rescued after night lost on trail
Shateira Wynde's prayers were answered at 9:40 a.m.
- 29 January 2000
A classified advertisement, run under the "Volunteers" classification: "SOOKE Search and Rescue is looking for new members.
- 28 January 2000
A classified advertisement, run under the "Volunteers" classification: "SOOKE Search and Rescue is looking for new members.
- 27 January 2000
A classified advertisement, run under the "Volunteers" classification: "SOOKE Search and Rescue is looking for new members.
- 3 January 2000
Rescue: Senkowski downplays his heroics
A profile of a rescuer named Senkowski, 49, who swam through waves and wind to reach a stricken sailboat.
- 16 May 1998
On the Lookout
A profile of a Victoria investment adviser who volunteers as a search and rescue trainer and manager, and who would "much rather be jangled awake at 2 a.m.
- 9 July 1997
Rescuers battle conditions to reach hiker
Thirty volunteers slipped and slid through rain, fog and mud on the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail to reach an injured hiker after a call came in on the Monday evening.
- 18 September 1980
A search involving an RCMP helicopter, a tracking dog and a dogmaster was called off shortly after noon on the Wednesday when a missing hunter was reported safely home.
- 10 November 1979
Night in woods chills hunter
Fifty-one-year-old George Paull decided to take a little break from hunting.
Pre-formation — before an organised Sooke team appears in print
1948-01-01 – 1979-11-09 · 10 documented events
- 14 November 1978
They rallied round fires in hiking mini-ordeals
A Sunday afternoon hike turned into a chilling experience for nine people in two separate parties in East Sooke Park when nightfall caught them still far from their destination, forcing them to huddle…
- 1 December 1976
Toddler rescued from bush
A three-year-old boy missing for seven hours in dense bush at Saseenos in the Sooke district was found unharmed by a volunteer searcher after darkness had fallen.
- 14 April 1968
Student Found Dead
The body of Russell Wayne Hodson, an 18-year-old University of Victoria student of 877 Royal Oak, was found early on the Saturday morning at the foot of a cliff on the Sooke River, about a mile from the…
- 25 July 1964
Heading Home?
An elderly man who was the object of a search in the Sooke area might be attempting to return to his former home in Campbell River, Sooke RCMP said, after a party of about 20 Sooke residents and police…
- 8 May 1962
Sooke RCMP were continuing their investigation of a piece of lifejacket found floating off Otter Point during the weekend.
- 1 November 1960
Sooke Hunter Escapes Fog Trap
Sooke hunter Leonard Jones, who became lost near Leechtown on the Sunday when trapped by fog, walked out of the woods safely early the previous day.
- 29 September 1959
Test Hunters Like Drivers, Boys' Rescuer Urges
A Sooke logging operator who on the Sunday brought two young Victoria hunters out of the bush country called for hunters to be licensed and tested in the way drivers are.
- 6 December 1955
Aircraft to Join Rangers In Search for Lost Hunters
South Vancouver Island Rangers in force and possibly two aircraft were to head into the rugged Sooke Lake area to look for two missing Victoria hunters, lost since Sunday noon.
- 24 November 1953
One Search Ends; Another Started
A 48-hour search by 1,500 men in thick Sooke bush for a missing hunter ended successfully on the Monday afternoon, and another began at once for three missing searchers.
- 14 November 1948
Rangers Find Missing Hunter After Search of Five Hours
A party of 27 South Vancouver Island Rangers found William Reader, a 60-year-old father of eight from Colwood Camp, in the dense woods of the Sooke Lake watershed, less than five hours after the party left…