Caver freed from Canmore's 'Psych Squeeze' after 12-hour rescue
A man pinned vertically in a narrow passage of Rat's Nest Cave was extracted using a newly built underground radio system that transmits through solid rock.
Why it matters
The new radio technology could improve safety for future cave rescues across Alberta and B.C., where underground communication has long been a challenge.
A caver became trapped vertically in a tight passage known as the "Psych Squeeze" inside Rat's Nest Cave near Canmore around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, according to Search and Rescue Alberta. The Alberta/BC Cave Rescue team responded and used hammer drills to remove rock around him, freeing him in a process the group described as moving "inches per hour."
The man was freed around 10 p.m. and emerged from the cave around midnight, following an operation that involved 13 cave rescuers, 10 firefighters and two Kananaskis Mountain rescue members.
During the rescue, teams used a volunteer-built cave radio in a live operation for the first time. The device, using technology called QDX-M, can transmit text-based signals through more than 500 metres of solid rock, addressing the long-standing problem of phones, radios and GPS not working underground. Search and Rescue Alberta said the new units are smaller and lighter than older analog cave radios, which rely on technology that can no longer be repaired and are not commercially available at an affordable cost.
Search and Rescue Alberta CEO John Alexander said the rescue showed what can be achieved when multiple emergency agencies collaborate, crediting the organization's 1,500 volunteers for developing solutions that let responders reach people in difficult conditions.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.