The lost hikers who headed up Mount Albert Edward peak four days ago have been identified as a University of Victoria student and a Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt employee.

The missing hikers are Christopher Yao, 31, a UVic master's student in kinesiology exercise science, and Jean-Simon Lessard, 22, who works at CFB Esquimalt as a military electrical distribution technician. He is new to Victoria, having moved here from Quebec.

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An extensive ground search Tuesday turned up no sign of the missing men, who failed to return to university and work Monday after leaving to hike up the peak in Strathcona Provincial Park near Mount Washington, on Friday.

The ground search was suspended at dusk and an air search was to continue overnight with crews using night-vision goggles.

Heavy snow and thick fog hampered ground and air search-and-rescue crews, Paul Berry of Comox Search and Rescue said Tuesday afternoon.

“We continue to have teams in the field,” Berry said.

Aircraft from 442 Squadron were searching from Mount Albert Edward south and west in the areas of Hope, Charity and Ruth Masters lakes, said Berry.

“Certainly we are hopeful,” Berry said. “These are strong, bright young men and we are anticipating they have made the choice to hunker down and when we get [there], we will find them,” he said.

Berry said Tuesday that plans were being made to organize search plans for today and Thursday.

On the ridges of Albert Edward, snow is knee- and waist-high, he said. Winds are also howling, making the trek difficult.

There are more than 30 searchers covering a large geographical area along with an RCMP helicopter, CFB Comox’s Cormorant helicopter and a private helicopter, according to police.

“Every rescuer we have available we have on the scene,” Berry said.

All of the areas that hikers have been lost or trapped on the peak in the past have also been searched, Berry said.

As the day unfolded, the weather continued to deteriorate with rain, fog and snow covering much of the area.

Helicopters were only in the air for minutes Tuesday morning before they were grounded by the poor weather, Berry said.

Mount Albert Edward is 2,093 metres high and is the sixth-highest peak on Vancouver Island. It is considered an iconic peak and a “must” for hikers on the Island.

While some hikers run the peak in a day, a two- or three-day hike would be typical, according to Vancouver Island hikers.

Hikers are often instructed to stay put if they are lost.

“Our best hope is they are OK and hunkered down if lost or injured and, if they have [the right] equipment, can stay warm and in one place. Maybe they’ve done that and we just need to find them now,” said Comox Valley RCMP Const. Nicole Hall.

The hike is considered moderate to difficult in good weather but can be treacherous in bad weather. The treed area opens to a very exposed area and parts are a steep climb, leading to a scramble.

Both men are considered physically healthy and were prepared with a tent to spend a night on the mountain, said police.

Police have notified the families of the missing hikers.

Brandon Austin, who hiked the mountain last year, said it’s a well-marked, well-maintained and direct trail.

It represents a round trip of about 30 kilometres.

“Once you get out of the treed area and into the rock [snow and glacier], it’s a fairly straightforward,” Austin said.

charnett@timescolonist.com



— With a file from Sandra McCulloch