KELOWNA – A pair of lightly-dressed cross country skiers had to be rescued in the Kelowna area Sunday night.

RCMP called Central Okanagan Search and Rescue for help when they heard from the pair by cell phone. According to a release from COSAR, before the eight-person rescue team even had a chance to deploy by snowmobile, a member of RCMP found the two skiers near the Nordic ski trails in the McCulloch Road area.

“They were lightly dressed and not prepared for an overnight stay in the woods,” COSAR vice president Duane Tresnich says. “Fortunately they had cell contact with the RCMP.”

This was the second call for help responded to by COSAR in the last 24 hours and they remind back country travelers to plan activities according to current weather.

“The days are very short at this time of year, so all activities should be planned to start and end early,” he says. “It is always a good idea to let a responsible person know where they plan to be and when they will return, as many wilderness areas even very near Kelowna do not have cell coverage.”

To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infonews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.