Photo: CSRD

The B.C. Coroners Service has confirmed the deaths of two hikers on the Sicamous Creek Falls trail last year were accidental. 

Reports on the separate incidents were released to the media Thursday, concluding both men died after falling from height while on trail that has since been closed to the public.

A 27-year-old man from Malakwa died on May 15, 2019, while Dave Kowalchuk, a 53-year-old Alberta school principal died on July 29, 2019.

The reports indicate the Columbia Shuswap Regional District had an independent assessment of the trail completed after the second death which made several safety recommendations. 

“This involved trail maintenance and blocking off unofficial paths that had been cut by previous hikers that led to the cliff edge,” the reports says. “Improved signage and public information that describes the trail as a loop hike rather than a view hike, to discourage users from trying to get to the edge for the view.”

The trail remains closed awaiting the implementation of the recommendations, the report says. 

The 27-year-old Malakwa man died after falling about 140 metres down a steep embankment. He and two others had climbed up to a cave on the rock face and were taking photos when the rock gave way.

His friends climbed down to the creek bed below, where the man had an obvious traumatic head injury. The next day, his body was recovered from the creek bed with the help of a helicopter. 

How exactly Kowalchuk fell remains unclear. He was hiking with a family member, but they were not together while descending back to the parking lot.

When the family member became concerned after Kowalchuk took too long to return, they ran back up the trail to look for him. Another member of the public found Kowalchuk around this time on the lower section of the trail. He had fallen about 30 metres.