Overview
In this blog entry, I share my real-world experience of getting my vehicle stuck deep on an off-road forest service road near Tricouni Peak, how I managed to hike out in the dark, and the essential skills, tools, and mindset needed to call for help and ensure a safe rescue.
To keep things simple without overly technical road jargon: driving northbound on Highway 99 past downtown Squamish for 10 km, you turn left onto Squamish Valley Road. After roughly 29 km along the main corridor (Squamish Valley Road transitioning into Squamish River FSR), you fork off to the right to begin climbing up a very narrow, rough off-road branch.
Initial Attempt & GPS Coordinates
My friends (who joined me on the June 11, 2025 Mount Brunswick trip) invited me to hike Tricouni Peak. We agreed on the destination, but the initial trailhead GPS coordinates listed on AllTrails (49.96318, -123.25902) turned out to be inaccurate—it navigated us to the wrong side of the mountain massif!
We spent about 2 hours exploring around the mountain area before deciding to call it off for the morning.
Second Attempt with Correct GPS
After dropping my friends off at St. David's United Church in West Vancouver, I looked up updated driving coordinates from Best Hikes BC (49.978694, -123.240667) and set off back toward Squamish Valley to reach the proper trailhead.
What Happened
After driving approximately 7.4 km off-road away from the main FSR corridor, my 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport sank deep into soft mud on the left side and became completely immobilized.
My 2024 Atlas Cross Sport at 5:34 PM—just 5 minutes before sinking into soft terrain on the left side and becoming stuck.
Route map illustration: driving 7.4 kilometers off-road away from the main FSR corridor. In hindsight, I realized I took a wrong left turn on the final kilometer instead of staying right toward the trailhead.
The Self-Rescue & Night Hike
It was 5:45 PM and daylight was fading fast. Recognizing the vehicle was stuck for the night, I grabbed my daypack and trekking poles and immediately started hiking back down the road. At the same time, I activated my iPhone's "Emergency SOS via Satellite" feature to establish a communication log and emotional support.
Launching Emergency SOS via Satellite service on my phone at 5:45 PM as dusk settled in.
The distance reality: reaching the main road still leaves 29 km of Squamish River FSR / Squamish Valley Road to Highway 99, plus another 10 km from the highway junction into downtown Squamish.
I put on my headlamp as full darkness set in. Covering the 7.5 km distance down the rough logging road took me 1 hour and 45 minutes (a steady 14 min/km pace), arriving at the main Squamish Valley Road junction around 7:30 PM.
Along this remote stretch, I spotted camp lights and spoke to three campers. However, they had been drinking and could not safely drive me into downtown Squamish. By this time, my iPhone battery had completely died, and I realized I had accidentally left my power bank in the car.
I kept walking along the road in the dark. At 8:00 PM, an oncoming car approached—I stood by the shoulder waving, hoping it was a taxi called via Emergency SOS, but the vehicle passed by without stopping. I kept walking for another 30 minutes until 8:30 PM, when a second vehicle appeared. I stood clearly in the road and flagged down the driver, Dan from Seattle, who kindly agreed to drive me into town. I offered him $40—all the cash I had on me—as a heartfelt thank you for his generosity.
Side Stories & Recovery
1. Meeting the Police at Tim Hortons
Dan dropped me off at the local Tim Hortons in Squamish at 9:00 PM. Wearing a bright red/orange Arc'teryx outfit, I walked inside and immediately noticed four fully armed RCMP officers. Standing tall and highly visible in my bright gear, I walked right past them to plug in my phone (which had charged for 30 minutes in Dan's car) and call my wife to let her know I was safe.
Once I wrapped up the call, the officers approached and asked if I was Patrick Ni. I smiled, confirmed my identity, and admitted that I had deliberately prioritized calling my wife before talking to them! They all had a good laugh. After I finished my dinner, the officers kindly gave me a free ride to my hotel in Squamish for the night.
2. Trailhead Distance Check
Where my vehicle got stuck was roughly 6 km from the trailhead. Since my last left turn was a 1 km detour off-route, driver access reaches within 5 km of the trailhead with proper high-clearance clearance.
3. Vehicle Tow & Recovery
On October 17, Mitchell's Towing Ltd efficiently recovered my vehicle without a scratch. Every single item inside remained untouched, including $100 cash in the console. Huge thanks to Mitchell's Towing for their outstanding service and integrity! We picked up our SUV from Capilano Volkswagen on October 18.
4. Apologizing to Kosta
I had to apologize to my friend Kosta—since my car was stuck off-road overnight, I wasn't able to drive him to YVR airport as planned. We later caught up over a great meal at Uncle Joe's Buffet in Burnaby in October 2026!
Key Lessons & Takeaways
- Log GPS Coordinates & Take Photos: Before leaving your vehicle or seeking help, always take photos of the scene and record your exact GPS coordinates using Apple Maps or Google Maps. This provides precise reference data for emergency responders and tow services.
- Hike/Drive in Groups: Whenever traveling deep into off-road logging territory, having a second vehicle or traveling with companions provides an immediate safety net.
- Always Carry a Reliable Headlamp: My headlamp was invaluable during my 1 hr 45 min night hike down the dark forest road.
- Clear Communication Skills: Being able to speak clear English with emergency dispatchers, search and rescue personnel, and law enforcement makes coordination much faster and stress-free.
- Keep Emergency Cash On Hand: Having physical cash is an essential emergency item listed under the Communications/Safety category on my Hiking Checklist. Cash makes securing emergency rides or local assistance far easier when digital payment systems are unavailable.