A family outing in south Edmonton turned into a rescue operation on Saturday afternoon after an elderly man slipped and popped his hip out while walking up a steep embankment.
Firefighters responded to the scene and were able to pull Glyn Wynn to safety using ropes and a stretcher, and the 70-year-old is said to be in good condition.
The man's wife says the family was taking part in what's known as geocaching when the incident happened. The activity is a cross of orienteering and treasure-hunting, where participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers.
"It's a fun opportunity for the family to get out and spend some time outside," said Ada Wynn.
"You see places you've never been before."
But when the GPS indicated the container was at the bottom of a steep ravine, Ada decided to stay at the top of the hill while Glyn and their two adult sons headed down.
By the time they realized the terrain was unpassable, it was too late; Glyn slipped and the family called for help.
"We were dealing with a steep embankment – very icy, very slippery," said Dwayne Smith, Cpt. of a technical rescue team at a local fire station.
He says the rescue took over an hour because conditions were challenging.
"If they were to try to extract him they could've got him into more trouble or themselves," he said.
Ada says she's grateful firefighters acted quickly to help her husband.
"It's wonderful - it's been a worry [but] it looks like he's okay. Our thanks to the rescue crew - they did an awesome job."
While she says the family hasn't seen the last of geocaching, she tells CTV News the plan is to opt for less difficult terrain in the future.
