A teenage quad rider from the Lower Mainland is lucky to be alive after surviving a fall onto a ledge, but avoided a potentially fatal drop-off. (Arrowsmith SAR)

By Ian Holmes

close call

Injured ATV rider north of Horne Lake nearly tumbles over cliff

Aug 19, 2021 | 7:06 PM

QUALICUM BEACH — A teenage girl was only a few feet from falling over steep cliff after a serious ATV mishap.

Arrowsmith Search and Rescue president Nick Rivers said their agency responded Wednesday Aug. 18 around 1 p.m. to a remote mountainous recreation area north of Horne Lake about 13 kilometers west of Hwy 19.

A 15-year-old girl from the Lower Mainland had fallen about 30 feet while on her quad to a ledge just above a much steeper drop-off.

“Luckily the rider came off the machine after the embankment and didn’t go over the edge with the quad. The quad is gone and not even visible,” Rivers said.

The quad tumbled down about 200 feet down the cliff.

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“All things considered she’s really lucky that she was able to stay up top — obviously she suffered some injuries from it, but far less if she had gone over the edge.”

The Inland Island Hwy. at the Cook Creek interchange was briefly closed Wednesday, Aug 18 to arrange for a helicopter to take an injured ATV rider to hospital. (Arrowsmith SAR)

The rider was air-lifted to hospital with broken bones and potential internal injuries, Rivers said. She was conscious and fairing quite well considering her injuries. Rivers confirmed she was wearing a helmet.

It appeared the rider miscalculated how much room she had to turn the quad around, Rivers said.

Hwy 19. at the Cook Creek interchange was shut down temporarily to transport the injured rider to hospital.

It turned out to be a busy day for Arrowsmith SAR crews.

Rivers said some of their volunteers were re-deployed from injured quad rider to the Mt. Cokely area near Cameron Lake to find two missing hikers.

The hikers were located and safely guided down to their vehicles by Arrowsmith SAR members.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes