Well, I was surprised not to get a call out with the rescue team yesterday, however I might comment I why we weren’t called out later in the week, after I have managed to chat to the Team chairman. I did however have a call to the house after midnight, as a friend was worried that his mate hadn’t returned from the black ladders after attempting the Somme.
Alarm bells ringing, as in the 1980’s two climbers were avalanche off the top snow slopes, so I advised him to dial three nines. Half an hour later I was woken a second time as the guy had turn up, just as my friend was dialling the second nine.
Today we had an early call out, in fact as some of the team were going to do some avalanche training, when the call came in of a climber falling 50 metres in Cwm Glas Mawr. It would appear a climber had fallen off the top pitch of Cascade, and falling to within 4 metres of the ground. Although serious the injuries were not life threatening, the RAF, a small number of Llanberis mountain rescue team and a handy insitu doctor, got him away to Ysybty Gwynedd in a reasonable time. A pretty lucky guy after falling that far, to within that distance of the ground!
I’d imagine that everyone at the crag was very shaken, as a 50 metre fall is massive, they guy was extremely luck to get away with the injuries he sustained. I don’t know if the route suffered any collapse or if the gear failed. Reports that although it is climbable the route was extremely thin on Friday and any gear was simply aesthetic, so I would imagine that some of the gear ripped, resulting in such a major fall.
I sat in base during the rescue, making brews for those waiting just in case the Helicopter couldn’t get on scene, whilst more of the team waited by the road ready to assist if needed. At present it is trying to snow, but not doing a very good job, although the mountains are getting more and more clagged in!