The Mantario Trail is a 60-kilometre hike along the Ontario border in Whiteshell Provincial Park where the body of a teen was found Friday. (Karis Penner)
The body of a dead teenage hiker was discovered Friday on the Mantario Trail near the Manitoba-Ontario border, RCMP reported.
Mounties found the body of an 18-year-old male from East St. Paul Friday evening in the Whiteshell region after receiving a call for help from someone hiking in the area.
The teenager, who was hiking the 63-kilometre-long route had sought help using a satellite distress signal at about 4 p.m., Falcon Lake RCMP said.
Investigators determined the young hiker had been dropped off with supplies at the southern trailhead near Caddy Lake earlier that morning.
A search team headed toward the remote location to try to find the distressed hiker.
Google map shows the position of Marion Lake at top right, near where the hiker’s body was found Friday. He set out that morning from the Mantario Trail’s southern trailhead at Caddy Lake. (Google Maps)
By the time they found him, it was too late.
A helicopter that was already flying in the area spotted the teen at about 6 p.m. but was unable to land due to tricky terrain. The pilot noted the male was not moving, police said.
Falcon Lake RCMP, emergency medical services, Manitoba Sustainable Development and the Southeast Whiteshell Fire Department joined in on the search.
Searchers recovered the body from the east side of Marion Lake shortly before 8 p.m.
RCMP have not released any details about the cause of death or the state of the body.
Last summer, the trail had been temporarily closed after a hiker was bitten by a bear.
An autopsy has been scheduled, RCMP said.
The investigation continues.
