Algonquin Adventures / Search & Rescue

**Posted by CanoeClaire** 5/18/2016 9:21 am

I'm hoping someone can satisfy my curiosity.

For every trip, I leave my itinerary with a reliable friend with the instructions that if she hasn't heard from me by a certain time to sound the alarm. But, if I'm honest, I have no idea what alarm would she sound?

What happens when people go missing in the park? Do park officials wait a standard amount of time past expected arrival and then go looking? Is it park officials that do this or is it OPP or would someone have to put together their own private search team?

I don't ever expect to have to learn about this first hand but I'm curious as to how this would work. I'm also curious as to how often this happens in the park.

**Posted by Coureur des Biere** 5/19/2016 8:52 am

I would also be interested in this as well; especially for my spring trips.

We always head out Brent in the spring and some days coming out it is simply too dangerous to cross Cedar. I always tell my wife not to panic if we are a day late due to this (I have also had a canoe issue that severely limited travel as well and a stomach bug that limited my travel for a few days) but should something serious happen I would want to know an estimated dispatch time for search and rescue.

I guess the easy answer is get a spot or satellite phone to expedite the process but I know these aren't as common as they should be yet.

Cheers!

**Posted by RobW** 5/19/2016 9:12 am

I know from experience that park staff will respond. That particular incident was a false alarm but back in 2001 or so when there was a strike on park staff still responded to a report of a missing canoe within a couple of hours.

**Posted by MartinG** 5/19/2016 11:35 am

There is no obligation to sign out at the end of a trip. I also don't know how regularly they check dashboards for permits. That could vary by access point. So, the park won't necessarily know if you are overdue. I think the most reliable trigger for a search is if someone or some service calls.

Otherwise, they may track certain permits during particularly hazardous weather events. I'm linking to a story over on CCR where a late season solo traveller was a day overdue. The weather had turned bad and the Park and OPP had invloved helicopters, ambulances, boats and a full blown search and resuce command post. This is not a regular procedure. I think it has more to do with the weather and time of year. The solo tripper was fine, just a day behind.

http://www.myccr.com/phpbbforum/viewtopic.php?f=108&t=31416

On all trips I make a float plan that I leave at home with my family. It details trip particulars, when I am supposed to be back, my planned route, and who to contact in case of emergency. I also carry a spot that I use to send out one of 4 messages: I'm OK; I've been delayed; This is not a life threatening emergency but I need help, call ###-####; and of course 911.

To show you the sort info I include on my float plan here is a screen grab.

**Posted by CanoeClaire** 5/19/2016 12:48 pm

Great Read MartinG, thanks for sharing.

I wonder how often APP engages in a search in a year. I know many of the National Parks in the US post records about their search and rescue operations (some are quite harrowing reads out of places like Yosemite and Zion).

**Posted by Kurt** 5/22/2016 10:19 am

Typically 48 hours.

At least this is what I've seen from park staff at Opeongo. If a party doesn't make the water taxi pick up on the way out, the taxi informs the park staff and they usually wait another day before chartering a plane to start looking for people.....
If you're not using a taxi, They'd probably wait until somebody contacted them with concerns.....
I usually tell my long-suffering significant other to give me until the next night, before calling in the cavalry....