As news of another death on Snowdon comes in, I’d like to offer a suggestion that this one might not be due to the incompetence of the inexperienced. Instead this death was of a 70 year old member of a long establish climbing club, as such you’d expect him to be both experienced and capable on the mountains.
The Telegraph, also quote the LLMRT spokesman Ian Henderson as say it is not know whether the man had fallen. Making seem more likely that some form of illness, might be responsible for the man’s death. Although this won’t be know until the coroner’s hearing.
So whilst it might seem sensational news that 4 people have died in 10 days on Snowdon, only three of those deaths would appear to be through walkers either not being properly equipped or not knowing how to use the specialist equipment of Ice Axe and Crampons. At present there has been a rapid thaw low down on the mountains, however it has still been well below freezing on the summit, so the treacherous condition will still remain higher up the mountain.
I was once told by a old salty sea dog of an instructor that “Its the risks you don’t know you are taking that are likely to kill you!”. So remember to be careful, the PYG track will still be like a inclined ice rink high up the mountain, and potentially the Llanberis path above Clogwyn Coch is still extremely icy!