Squamish SAR Uses Two Drones to Deliver Rope to Stranded Night Climber
Squamish Search and Rescue used two uncrewed aircraft during a nighttime operation on September 10 to assist a climber stranded on the Stawamus Chief in British Columbia. Reporting based on the team’s account says the climber was secured to an anchor on the Alaska Highway route, about 77 metres (250 feet) above the ground, but lacked a rope long enough to descend.
One aircraft illuminated the rock face with a floodlight and gave rescuers an aerial view of the climber’s position. A second drone carried a lightweight messenger line to the ledge. Ground personnel then used that line to send the climber a jacket, headlamp and eventually a climbing rope, according to Squamish SAR’s reported debrief and subsequent accounts.
The climber secured the rope and rappelled to the ground under guidance from rescuers. The operation took place after dark, when the team assessed that the scale of the terrain and rockfall exposure would make a conventional rope rescue more difficult. Reports said a helicopter evacuation near the cliff was also not selected for the mission.
Why it matters
The case demonstrates a practical public-safety use for small UAS beyond search imaging: delivering a controlled messenger line into terrain that could otherwise expose rescuers to nighttime technical climbing hazards. It also shows why dedicated drone training, lighting capability and clear integration with ground rescue teams matter in complex vertical operations.
Sources: Squamish Search and Rescue — About Us; UAV Coach — Drones Deliver a Rope to Climber Stuck 250 Feet Up at Night; CityNews Vancouver — Search and Rescue use drones to reach climber stranded on Stawamus Chief; Climbing — The Unknown Story of the Squamish Climber Rescued by a Drone
