North Shore Rescue scales back search for Carl Couture

North Shore Rescue (NSR) has scaled back thesearch for Carl Couture, 24, who has been missing since Oct. 31 and is believedto be intheHanes Valley near Grouse Mountain.

"It's been an incredibly frustrating time for not only our team, but all the neighbouring teams that have been assisting us and putting in a huge effort to leave no stone unturned," saidNSR leader Mike Danks.

On Nov. 2, Vancouver police issued a release about his disappearance, while the next day, Nov. 3, North Shore Rescue began its search.

"You need to let somebody know where you're going, what time you're expected back and when they should call for help, and in this circumstance that didn't happen, and that put us basically three days behind Carl, which is an incredible delay given the severe weather that we had on the North shore in those three days," Dankssaid.

Danks said footage from Grouse Mountain shows Couture heading for the backcountry around noon on the day he disappeared.

He said Haines Valley closed the day before Couture went for his hike.

Based on the information they have gathered, Coutureis not an experienced hiker, said Danks.There is also concern he does not have appropriate gear for an extended stay in the area.

Over the weekend crewsfrom Lions Bay, Ridge Meadows, Coquitlam and Surrey helped look for Couture.

Danks says searchers believe that Couture made itdown into the Hanes Valley, around Lynn Lake junction and to the Hanes Valley trail when he hit darkness.

"That's a really easy spot to lose the trail if you don't have a light source," he said.

'Will to survive'

Dankssays conditions where they believe Couture is are cold and icy, but given all the things going against the missing man, Danks says there is hope.

"We've had calls in the past where subjects have lasted a number of days when they're ill-prepared and I think it's really all in the mind-set of the person and their will to survive."

Crews are taking their time searching under logs and in hollow trees where Couture might be seeking shelter.