Wasp Season Not Over Yet

LBSAR rescues climber after swarming

Wasp-stricken climber is prepared to be airlifted to safety. Photo courtesy LBSAR.

Fall is in the air on our local mountains, but the wasps are still out in force.

Just last week, members of Lions Bay Search and Rescue were called in to help a climber on the Redoubt Wall (near Loggers Creek) who had received multiple wasp stings. A ground team carrying emergency medical equipment, including epinephrine, was deployed to render aid. And when it became apparent that the climber could not return to her car on her own, North Shore rescue attended the scene and airlifted the stricken hiker out by helicopter.

"Wasp activity can remain significant into late summer and early fall," says LBSAR Training Officer Maria Masiar. "Colonies are at their largest at this time of year, and wasps can become increasingly active as their usual food sources begin to diminish. We expect more activity, not less."

Masiar recommends that if hikers have a known allergy, they should carry an EpiPen as a part of their regular hiking kit. She notes that a serious allergic reaction can occur after even a single sting, and adds that it’s also worth remembering that a hiking partner could be the person who reacts.

While Benadryl can be effective in treating the localized reaction to wasp stings, it can also cause drowsiness, so LBSAR medical members recommend carrying a non-drowsy antihistamine such as Claritin. However, Masiar notes that antihistamine is not a substitute for epinephrine in a severe allergic reaction.

She says it's important to call 911 right away if a member of your hiking party develops signs of a systemic reaction, particularly difficulty breathing, dizziness or faintness, significant swelling away from the sting site, or nausea and vomiting. Calling early is essential, in order to allow rescue and medical help time to reach you.

Masiar says that even with an immediate call in the case of the stung climber, and operating as quickly as they could, it still took the ground team an hour to hike to the injured climber's location and equally as long for the helicopter to arrive.

A second climbing party descending through the same area later in the afternoon also reported a multiple-sting event, but in this case there was no systemic reaction and the climbers were able to exit the area under their own steam.

Squamish resident Petr Lebedev's Sea to Sky Wasp Watch is a good resource to check prior to planning a trip into Sea to Sky region.

Masiar wants to remind those enjoying recreation in the backcountry that wasp encounters can become a medical emergency very quickly, particularly when someone receives a large number of stings.

"Your first line of defence is to have these meds on hand in your emergency kit," she says.

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