Dying Man Rescued by Canadian Expedition Paddlers

Expedition paddlers Australian Jason Rowland and Chad Robertson on the Mackenzie River, 27, are currently on a big trip in the Northwest Territories and saved a man’s life this week who was suffering from hypothermia.

A few days before they found the dying man, they told CBC here they were shocked that backcountry travelers couldn’t register their trips with the RCMP.

Rowland and Robertson used their GPS to alert the police and to share their location, which led to a rescue.

After the rescue, Rowland posted on Facebook, “Thank you ft simpson rcmp. With our help & GPS device, a man’s life was saved.”

The two paddlers left Jasper, Alberta, and towed their canoe and gear north 1,200 kilometre to Hay River.

They are now paddling 1,800 kilometres along Canada’s longest river to Inuvik, Nunavut. Earlier this season, thieves stole some of their supplies in Fort Simpson.

“So, we may have lost all our food, but we’re already past that hurdle,” they wrote on their Facebook page here.

“We met locals that came past and even helped us out with a bit of food. It’s only food, I just sort of wish a bear took it. We’re stocking up in town then hitting the water again.”

Rowland will continue after their trip on bike for another 100 kilometres to Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean.

We’ll have more updates about their trip here at Gripped Outdoors.