Campers rescued from the Bruce Trail

Clearview firefighters were called to rescue a camper suffering from hypothermia on the weekend during a winter camping trip on the Bruce Trail.

Deputy Fire Chief Roree Payment said one of 11 people in a group of University of Toronto students snowshoeing on the trail was showing signs of hypothermia Sunday when 911 was called.

“When he woke up in the morning, he was shaking uncontrollably, very, very cold,” said Payment.

The campers were travelling toward Blue Mountain where they were to be picked up Monday.

The group was camping about 45 minutes’ walk north of an access point near Glen Huron, on Concession 10 at the 12/13 Sidåeråoad Nottawasåaga.

Firefighters used the department’s ATV to drive along the trail where they met the campers who were coming out.

The man with hypothermia was met by paramedics and taken to hospital in Collingwood by ambulance.

The other people did not require medical attention.

Payment said firefighters helped the other travellers remove their gear from the campsite and took them to the fire hall in Singhampton, where they had created a warming centre.

“We allowed them to recharge their batteries and get warm,” said Payment.

From there, they arranged transportation home.

Payment said the hikers had some winter camping experience and had all the right gear but the temperatures reached into the -40˚C range with the wind chill.