THE RAIN COMES DOWN STEADILY. Jason Storie hears it but is not worried. He listens to it as he prepares for a day of caving with five friends in a remote spot 130 kilometres northwest of his home in Duncan, on Vancouver Island, Canada. It’s caving, not hiking, he tells himself. I’m not worried about some rain.
Quickly, he dons a T-shirt, then two sweatshirts, a pair of overalls, neoprene socks, a water-resistant jacket and rubber boots. Under his arm, he proudly carries his new helmet and headlamp, the first pieces of equipment he has not borrowed from his buddy, Andrew Munoz.
“Sleep in,” he whispers, bending down to kiss his wife, Caroline, goodbye.
“Have a good time. Be careful,” she says.
“Always.”
It is 6am on December 5, 2015.…