Snowdon is still in full winter conditions, rescuers warned. Photo: John S Turner CC-BY-SA-2.0
A woman and her son suffering from hypothermia were airlifted from Wales’s highest mountain after losing their way.
Rescuers said the 41-year-old woman and her 17-year old son, from Kent were not properly equipped and didn’t have adequate clothing for the 1,085m (3,560ft) mountain.
A walker who came across the pair on Snowdon called out mountain rescuers today after stopping to help them above Clogwyn Coch.
Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team was alerted about 9.35am and 12 volunteer members went to their aid.
A team spokesperson said: “The mother and son left Pen y Pass intending to go to Snowdon’s summit via Pyg Track.
“They encountered snow and ice from the intersection of the Pyg Track and the Miners’ Track but continued to the summit of Snowdon despite slipping and sliding.
“They decided to descend via the Llanberis Path but quickly became disorientated by wind and cold and felt unable to go on.
“A passing walker who was properly equipped for the conditions stopped to help them and called for assistance from the mountain rescue team.”
The spokesperson said both mother and son became hypothermic.
A Sea King search and rescue helicopter from RAF Valley flew to the site and airlifted some of the rescuers to the base of the cloud at Clogwyn Station on the Snowdon Mountain Railway, from where they continued on foot to the site above the 150m-high crags of Clogwyn Coch.
Llanberis MRT posted a video of the rescue
The pair were roped to safety by team members then airlifted by the Sea King to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.
The spokesperson said conditions on the mountain were ‘truly awful’ with winds of more than 70mph and blown spindrift. There was snow and ice underfoot.
Llanberis MRT said anyone heading for the upper reaches of Snowdon needs an ice-axe and crampons and the ability to use them.
Walkers also need appropriate clothing along with food and warm drinks.
The spokesperson said people should recognise their limitations and be prepared to turn back in good time if necessary.
The north Wales team’s plea to walkers to be aware of winter conditions follows a similar message yesterday from colleagues in south Wales where walkers have had to be rescued from icy mountains in the Brecon Beacons.
Snowdon attracts thousands of walkers every year, but unwary and ill equipped walkers can put themselves in danger. There have been deaths on the Llanberis Path where walkers have slid from the hard snow over the precipices of the crags to the North-West.
Snowdonia Breaks
21 March 2013Huge respects to the selfless rescuers and their families!
Gerald Davison
22 March 2013A superb video which starkly shows the prevailing conditions on the high peaks in Snowdonia at present.
Fantastic if you are both equipped and skilled for the challenge this will provide, but a warning for those who maybe might be thinking of a "gentle walk" out on Snowdon during the upcoming Easter holiday.
You MUST be equipped for winter mountaineering with Ice Axe, Crampons, adequate clothing and above all the skills and experience to survive in these conditions.
Hats off to Llanberis MRT and the RAF SAR Force for a good job today, but lets hope they don't need to do the same thing again in the next couple of weeks.
Robin Parker jones
22 March 2013Massive respect to the MRT guys
What in earth are these people thinking when they go out on the mountain in the middle of winter ? Bloody fools
I am meant to be going the weekend but am cancelling because its to dangerous
Adam howard
22 March 2013Absolute idiots. They do not deserve to be rescued. People rescued that are not prepared for conditions should be forced to pay the cost of the rescue! Disgrace
Margaret
22 March 2013Robin said, "What in earth are these people thinking".
I wrote the other day in another grough post that hillwalkers need to get their heads around the fact that this is 'not a sport'. When taking part in a sport you can call it a day when you like.
As Reinhold Messner recently said: "I go to the wild mountains where I am responsible for myself. Step by step I am making sure that I don't die. Climbing is an adventure, not a sport, all mountains are dangerous."
W H Murray also said, "...though mountaineering abounds in healthy adventure, it implies to a mountaineer much more than a sport."
Commercial interests and even the governing bodies seem to be in a dilemma between heavily promoting the activity (sport), while at the same time having to regularly remind people that it is, in fact, a dangerous activity.
Rachel
22 March 2013To the rescuers - hats off and kudos - you are my heros.. To the badly prepared walkers - when will they learn? Answer, probably never because the only people that watch these videos are those of us that know better! To the movie producer ;-) awesome shots and even more awesome is the choice of music!!
Pemco
22 March 2013Mental - do people not watch the weather forecast ??
Waste of time money and energy rescuing these people
They should be sent on a weeks survival course and the expenses picked up by them
Dam annoying
Imogen
22 March 2013Great video and all mountain rescue team volunteers are real heroes! I think in order to spread the message more widely, you need to be putting it on TV / newspapers / radio / social media etc.
Alan
22 March 2013Re Imogen's comment above, it would be great if anybody working in media can please give this issue some free coverage, as I'm not sure whether, given the limited funds available to rescue teams, paid advertising is really an option. This video is does a great job at getting the message out in a constructive and non-judgmental way, while being absolutely clear about what sort of risks the people were exposing themselves to. It deserves wider coverage.
Regarding some of the other comments above: complaining about ill-equipped walkers might help get it off our chests, but I'm not sure whether it actually helps get the message out. I'm sure we've all met more than our share of ill-equipped and clueless people on the hills who are just asking for trouble (and Snowdon does seem to attract them...), but which of us more experienced walkers could put hand on heart and say that we ourselves could never end up needing rescue, or claim that we've never had to learn at least some lesson or other the hard way? It's all very well saying "they don't deserve to be rescued", but frankly, which of us does deserve to be rescued? If I ever had to be rescued, would the mere fact that I go fully equipped, am reasonably experienced and take reasonable care mean that I therefore somehow *deserve* to have rescuers give up their time for nothing and at no notice, to come out in possibly horrible conditions and fish me out of whatever mess I've got myself into? Not at all! The only reason why *anyone* gets rescued is not because they deserve it, but because the mountain rescue teams are so amazing and dedicated.
James Lomax
22 March 2013Bloody heroes. And what annoys me is how the MRT are unfunded and voluntary. The money they need is not actually very much and yet it never appears in the necessary budgeting of government.
I also second Alan's remarks. Please stop this sneering at people who get caught out like this, whether it's inexperienced people who don't understand the dangers or experienced people who do - but still get caught out, as anyone can, as happened recently at Glencoe.
Think in terms of these being people you know - and you wouldn't say such things, would you? We don't actually know the specific details - it says they got lost so maybe that was the critical factor, that had they not got lost their equipment would have been adequate. Have you never got lost? - because I know I have.
Wonderful video, bravo the MRT.
Rob Johnson
22 March 2013We have posted this video to make people aware of the significant amount of snow on the mountains this Easter in Snowdonia and to point out the dangers of descending the railway instead of the Llanberis Path in winter. We have not published it to criticise the people we have rescued - as team members we are all climbers and mountaineers and enjoy the mountains ourselves. We are happy to help fellow mountaineers when they over stretch themselves in their adventures or are simply unlucky but we also try and educate to prevent people having an unnecessary epic! Thats the purpose of this video so please share and spread the word - by getting into the mainstream media we are more likely to reach the people that would not otherwise appreciate the hazards of winter. Thanks all.
Rob Johnson
Llanberis MRT
Jhimmy
22 March 2013I have no problem with volunteer MRT, but I do have concern about the commercialism of trying to get people active and on the hills and mountains.
MRT was originally formed to help the community of the area they lived in. This may have involved hill walkers, but also the farming and working community. This is a noble cause and I believe in it passionately. However, when commercialisation rears it's ugly head, how can you expect volunteers to rescue those who head for the hills due to companies who might be making millions of £ in profit?
This pair is the reason I believe in £100 per rescue. How utterly stupid can a person be?
For those who disagree, try stopping your job to rescue an idiot for the reward of losing hours worth of pay!
Margaret
23 March 2013Jhimmy, I agree with your comments about commercialisation, which started a long time ago, but is continuing at pace.
As I commented earlier, 'even the governing bodies seem to be in a dilemma between heavily promoting the activity (sport), while at the same time having to regularly remind people that it is, in fact, a dangerous activity.' It's also interesting to note that the MCofS at one time stated, that it was not in the business of promoting mountaineering.
Mountaineering is being promoted as a sport, but as Messner said, climbing is an adventure; ie, an undertaking usually involving danger and risk.
I wonder how long it will be before Fire and Rescue will try to take Mountain Rescue under their wing. I read that they tried a bit of a hill rescue recently on Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh but eventually had to call in a rescue helicopter.
Katie
24 March 2013I love the mountains all year round. I love snow and the challenges of navigation on a winter day. The sense of satisfaction when you've navigated safely in some really challenging conditions. I could not live without my doses of outdoor adventure. The feeling of exploration when walking in remote or wild places does not compare to anything else. It baffles me why people would go up Snowdon so ill prepared, but it doesn't supprise me. I've been walking on the Glyders and had someone ask if they were stood on Snowdon...
Dawn
26 March 2013I, and some friends were due to climb Snowdon this weekend - had it planned for months. I teach children & cadets on how to navigate and be safe in the hills. I have postponed my climb as I know my limitations, however, unless the public know there's then their are people who will always be caught out. Thanks to all our MRT's!!
Margaret
27 March 2013Dawn, you know what you are doing, but it's the promotional message the general public is getting that I think is the problem. They are vigourously encouraged to get out there, buy the gear, find the hills, get fit etc and off they go.
However, they usually don't pick up on the cautionary message (which usually receives less emphasis unless there is an incident) that it can be very dangerous up there,
Simon
26 March 2015Three friends and I climbed snowdon for the first time last Saturday 21March. Even though we were kitted out for the conditions I was shocked to see people wearing trainers and some even wearing converse all stars on their feet. Come on people show the mountain the respect it deserves and wear and carry the correct equipment.