Police dog rescues disoriented Ranney Hill hikers

RCMP in Yellowknife say they located and retrieved two lost hikers on a trail near Yellowknife after a search-and-rescue operation on Friday evening.

In a post online on Monday, police said they received a call about the hikers at 8:16pm on Friday. The two were lost on the Ranney Hill trail, which stretches from the Vee Lake access road north of Yellowknife to the Ranney Hill lookout point.

“The hikers, two women, were on their way back when they realized they had veered off the trail and could no longer locate the markers,” RCMP said.

“After being disoriented and because the darkness was settling in, they could not find their way out.”

RCMP police dog Hoss – who made headlines for his part in a downtown altercation with another dog earlier this year – found the two hikers just under a kilometre away from the trail.

Hoss led the two to safety without injury, police said.

“We are thankful we found the hikers safe and sound. RCMP would like to remind people to always tell a friend or family member where you are going when going for a hike,” said Staff Sergeant Yannick Hamel, Yellowknife RCMP’s operations manager.