Rescuers in action on St Sunday Crag. Photo: Great North Air Ambulance
Mountain rescuers in the Lake District warned that winter equipment and experience is essential for walkers heading for the fells.
Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team offered the advice after rescuing four walkers from St Sunday Crag today.
The four, from Derbyshire, called for help at 2.45pm after one of them became exhausted in the winter conditions and was unable to continue.
Patterdale MRT went to the aid of the party on the 841m (2,759ft) mountain.
A team spokesperson said: “Given the man’s location and condition, the Great North Air Ambulance was called to assist with the evacuation.
“The remaining members of the party were roped off the mountain.”
The spokesperson added: “Patterdale MRT would like to remind everyone venturing into the mountains that winter conditions are very challenging at the current time.
“Ice-axes and crampons are essential and a good level of winter navigation experience is required.”
peter james
26 March 2013do these people never learn till its to late ?
Jhimmy
26 March 2013AGAIN, we hear the same old tripe "need to be well equipped...ice-axes, crampons...blah blah blah!"
Yet nothing is mentioned about the fitness of the persons walking. In the article it says "after one of them became exhausted.." Doesn't that say something?
There are fell runners going up and down those hills in all weathers (usually without ice-axe and crampons). You can have all gear, but if you're unfit even a simple mountain like St Sunday Crag will exhaust you.
It's not the hardest mountain in the world even under snow and ice! You are never really that far from the valley or the ridge to Patterdale.
JG
27 March 2013Just two things I have noticed during this current winter spell (March 2013).
Scafell Pike - deep snow - one young man (student) in trainers.
Helvellyn - a man with his son clearly pleased at having reached the top. Man was jokingly picking the lad up and "pretending" to throw him over the edge. Both were stood on the very edge of a substantial cornice. We watched with trepidation. Clealry the father had NO concept of winter knowledge and safety. Later that day a boy was airlifted off Swirral Edge. Could it have been the same lad ?
SR
27 March 2013no surprise there.. people are all too happy to splash out on really good technical clothing and equipment and dismiss the idea that attending a course of some sort will benefit them. As we know there are a lot of corses available over weekends so they dont eat into peoples holiday entitlement and budget so why dont people attend these ?
for example intro to winter walking or navigation course is the same price as a good duvet jacket ( ive seen people wear these in the rain !!!) which the average hill walker doesnt really need .
i'm all for people heading into the hills and taking up this pass time but like jhimmy says sort your fitness out .
rant over .