Canadian Camper Mistaken For Distressed Hiker, Was Really Just Singing Nickelback
A man in British Columbia unintentionally launched a full-scale search and rescue effort after hikers mistook his Nickelback performance as a cry for help.
Canadian search and rescue teams were called into action late last month after hikers reported hearing distress cries echoing through the forest near Kelowna, British Columbia.
What they found wasn’t a lost or injured backpacker — it was just a dude camping alone and belting out Nickelback.
Yes, really.
Who among us hasn't belted out Nickelback when we thought no one was listening?
(Getty Images)
The incident unfolded near the Boulderfields climbing area on July 31, when two hikers called 911 after they heard what sounded like "repeated cries" from deep in the trees. The Central Okanagan Search and Rescue (COSAR) team, already out conducting a routine training exercise, immediately sprang into action. They deployed RCMP officers, launched drones and formed search teams to investigate the eerie calls for help.
But instead of a person in peril, they found a solo camper just minding his business and jamming to some Nickelback a cappella.
"The camper was singing his heart out to the trees, blissfully unaware that the acoustics of the Boulderfields had turned his tent-side concert into an accidental distress signal," COSAR wrote in a Facebook post.
Search manager Duane Tresnich summed it up perfectly: "He wasn’t in trouble. Unless you count his singing."
Which raises the age-old philosophical question: if you sing Nickelback in the woods and no one’s around to hear it, does it still result in a full-blown search and rescue operation?
Apparently yes.
There’s no word yet on which Nickelback song echoed through the Canadian wilderness — "Rockstar"? "Far Away"? "Photograph"? Maybe a B-side if he's a real fan! All we know is this guy was giving it 110%.
Thankfully, the camper was unharmed, aside from (presumably) a little embarrassment. COSAR used the incident to remind the public that they always take potential emergencies seriously, and that their services are free — even if what’s needed is vocal coaching instead of medical attention.
"And the money you save could be spent on singing lessons," the team joked.
Look, maybe singing Nickelback alone in the woods is, in itself, a cry for help. Or maybe it’s just a uniquely Canadian form of therapy.
Regardless, I'll bet that guy brings his Bluetooth speaker next time.
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