ALL IN THE NUMBERS: MOUNTAIN RESCUE STATS
EASY IN SUMMER IS NOT EASY IN WINTER
That gently-rising path that you amble up in summer can turn treacherous with inclement conditions. Don’t just think you can easily meander up any mountain,
Elfyn Jones, BMC Access and Conservation Officer for Wales, says: “Snow and ice can transform mountains completely, adding an extra dimension of spectacle. They can be wonderful places to be, but they can also introduce hazards and dangers you don’t find in summer. A lot of people think Snowdon is an easy mountain to climb because there are wide paths to the summit and a café on top. But Snowdon in winter is a very different place to Snowdon on a sunny summer day.
“Snow and ice can often cover those paths, not only obscuring the way but forming potentially hazardous slippery slopes, which you need an ice axe and crampons to negotiate safely. In heavy snow conditions there can be a risk of avalanches. We’re not saying ‘don’t go up Snowdon in winter’. If you think the views are good in summer, you should see them under a layer of snow – it can be hugely beautiful and rewarding. We’re just saying ‘be prepared’.”
Words: Pete Burnside
Watch your footing: You might think that Mountain Rescue only get called out in extreme circumstances, but actually last year the number one cause for callouts were slips and trips. The second-most common cause was becoming lost and navigational errors.
Savage Saturdays: Saturday is the busiest day of the week for Mountain Rescue, followed closely by Sunday. No relaxed weekends for these volunteers.
Walking vs climbing
What might the most dangerous activity be? Surely it’d be ice climbing and rock climbing? Actually, the data shows that the number of Mountain Rescue call outs from hill walking and running incidents increased over the last three years, while climbing and scrambling incidents are actually decreasing.
Great kid, don’t get cocky!
According to the latest statistics, nearly two thirds of incidents in the Scottish mountains were people deemed to be ‘experienced’, with the most at-risk group being ‘experienced males’ (almost half of all incidents).
Based on 2016 data from Mountain Rescue England and Wales, and Scottish Mountain Rescue.
THE #MAKEWINTERCOUNT
COMPETITION Over the whole of winter, the BMC and Lowe Alpine are running a winter competition. Share your winter journey online via social media with the hashtag #MakeWinterCount and you’ll be entered into a fantastic prize draw.
www.thebmc.co.uk/makewintercount
›WATCH AND LEARN
Sharpen up your skills for winter. BMC TV has a host of skills videos you need to freshen up for the coming season.
www.thebmc.co.uk/winterplaylist
SUMMIT#88 | WINTER 2017 | 73
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