Yr Elen, scene of the rescue. Photo: Rhion Pritchard
A climber involved in a dramatic helicopter rescue earlier this year had to be airlifted to hospital again after injuring himself while raising cash for his rescuers.
The man, in his twenties, suffered a broken thigh bone in January while ice climbing on the Devil’s Cellar in Cwm Idwal in the Ogwen Valley, Snowdonia. The RAF Valley helicopter carrying him to hospital almost crashed when its rotor blades iced up in the severe conditions.
Yesterday, the climber had to be rescued again by members of the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation ironically while he was taking part in the Oggie 8 sponsored walk to raise money for the team that had probably saved his life after his 40m (130ft) fall in winter.
He slipped on greasy rocks while on the Carneddau and broke a bone in his leg while taking part in the event, which entails tackling eight 3,000ft (914m) peaks in the Ogwen Valley in a day. Proceeds go to the rescue team which covers some of the busiest Snowdonia mountains away from Snowdon itself.
Chris Lloyd of the OVMRO said of the injured walker: “He was determined to recover from serious injury and raise money for OVMRO by entering The Oggi 8.”
He suffered an injury to his ankle, close to metal members inserted after his earlier fall.
“The RAF could not fly in directly so ferried MRT members and kit to cloud base. Members climbed up and used ropes to lower the casualty down into Cwm Llafar in the shadow of Yr Elen. From here he was placed into the helicopter and flown to Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor.
“It’s a very great shame for a very brave young man.”
The third annual running of the Oggi 8 is thought to have raised about £5,000 for the mountain rescue team. 89 people in 20 teams set off from the team’s base at Bryn Poeth at 7am yesterday, with the winners, the C’est la Vie team from Bangor University, finishing the course in 7hrs 48mins, slightly slower than their winning time last year.
Competitors’ ages ranged from early 20s to late 60s, and team members staffed checkpoints as the walkers and runners tackled Carnedd Llewelyn, Yr Elen, Carnedd Dafydd and Pen yr Ole Wen before descending to Llyn Ogwen for soup and flapjacks and a chance to ring out soaking socks. The walkers then continued on to the Glyderau, ascending Y Garn, Glyder Fawr, Glyder Fach and Tryfan, before descending back to Oggie base.
Low cloud and poor weather persisted throughout the day, but participants were treated to a hog roast and locally brewed beer. Final competitors completed the course in 14½ hours.
