Vernon Search and Rescue comes to aid of injured dirt biker near Lavington

Vernon Search and Rescue comes to aid of injured dirt biker near Lavington

Published 3:00 pm Saturday, September 19, 2026

A dirt biker who crashed and suffered a suspected broken leg while riding in the North Okanagan was responded to by Vernon Search and Rescue (VSAR) Friday.

VSAR was called to the Bardolph Lake off-road riding area near Lavington in response to a 911 call around noon Sept. 18.

With the injured dirt biker and his riding partner within cell service, VSAR was able to obtain very accurate GPS coordinates.

“That only told us where to get to, not necessarily how best to get there,” VSAR said in a post on Saturday. “Thankfully, our subjects were also able to text us some mapping of their route, which helped narrow our access down somewhat.”

A crew of eight was dispatched on ATVs and a side-by-side, and VSAR’s boggan for towing the stretcher was deployed as well. Included in this crew were members of VSAR’s advanced medical team.

VSAR found the dirt bikers and administered medical treatment, splinting the injured rider’s leg and loading him onto a stretcher and into the boggan. They headed back down the trails and roads to a waiting ambulance.

“All in, it was a few hours from the 9-1-1 call to when we arrived to our subjects, as our members had to leave their paid jobs, get home to grab their gear, move onto our hall to then drive trucks and machines out to the FSR parking area, before making the final run up the logging roads and trails,” VSAR said.

“Depending on where someone is when they call for help, this is a very normal response time for us. So if you are venturing into the woods, please expect this and prepare accordingly.”

VSAR said the dirt bikers were “exceptionally positive, well prepared, calm, helpful and had set themselves up well to be as comfortable as possible as they already knew that it can take us some time to get to people.”