UKC

Possible fatal accident in the northern coires.

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
 Smelly Fox 25 Mar 2016
Climber feared dead after Cairngorms mountain fall
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-35901219

Be safe out there people. So sorry to hear about these things on such a good and popular crag.
Suffolknewbie 25 Mar 2016
In reply to Smelly Fox:

Thoughts are with the family
 george mc 28 Mar 2016
In reply to Smelly Fox:

Just released the climber's name.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-35911104

RIP
 Sime64 29 Mar 2016
In reply to george mc:

Yes it is very sad. I was at the base of Coire an t-Sneachda in the Cairngorms with my climbing partner and witnessed the fall of a climber from the top cornice of Aladdin's Couloir to rocks at the base of the Corrie. He landed a short distance from where we were standing. The route he fell from was the same that we were about to do ourselves. It was a huge fall of about 200m. We were amongst the first few climbers to arrive at the scene and tried to help as best we could before the paramedics and rescue team arrived. There was very little that we - or they - could do and he died at the scene. The climber, Pete, was with a group from the Mercian Mountaineering Club and was described by them as very experienced. The rescue services were incredibly fast and professional and several of the climbers in the Corrie who came to help were themselves ex mountain rescue or instructors. My thoughts go out to his friends, his climbing buddies and his family.
 Smiffy 30 Mar 2016
In reply to Sime64:

Yes very sad. My climbing buddy Duncan Beard and myself were on Goat Track Gully when it happened. We didn't really see / hear it. But we did hear shouting, which was probably post incident. We then saw the chopper about 15-20 minutes later. We kind of hoped that it was an exercise, but sadly not. Thoughts are with his nearest and dearest.
In reply to Smiffy:

What an awful day. I think I may have descended Goat Track with you a while later. I hope you and everyone who was involved or witnessed is ok. Condolences to this man's family.
 Smiffy 30 Mar 2016
In reply to nickinscottishmountains:

We did decend the goat track with someone I think. I had a turquoise fleece and a blue coat and a red helmet. Duncan had a black top, black / white trousers and a white helmet. I was thankful that I did not witness it. It must have been horrible for anyone who did.
 Ron Walker 30 Mar 2016
In reply to nickinscottishmountains:

It was a really horrible thing to witness, especially for everyone directly involved. It was a nice bright morning but with very icy snow and strong gusty winds.
We were gearing up and taking photos near the rescue box when we heard and saw someone sliding at high speed from the Patey/Mirror Direct area directly into the rocks. It appears he fell from the Aladdins Couloir cornice then down the Mirror side of the col over the cliffs missing those climbing.
It could have been worse if he'd slid down the Couloir as there were close to a dozen folk either soloing or about to solo Aladdin's Couloir at the time.
Everyone was badly shaken, thoughts are with the friends, family, rescuers and everyone in the corrie.
Removed User 31 Mar 2016
In reply to Ron Walker:

Perhaps this isn't the thread for this discussion, but I do think that we tend to ignore the trauma that witnessing such an event causes. It happened to me a few years ago and I was the first on the scene having run as fast as I could to get to the victim. The victim had fallen the full distance from the top cornice to the bottom floor. I did everything I could for him but he was clearly dead when I got there. There isn't much that prepares you for this and it has stayed with me.
 Trangia 31 Mar 2016
In reply to Removed User:

I've responded on another thread

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=637826
 Ron Walker 01 Apr 2016
In reply to Trangia:

Interesting one this as I've now had several folk contact me direct via email about this and how they have been affected by the recent accident but would not be happy about posting on the UKC forum.
 Sime64 01 Apr 2016
In reply to Ron Walker:

I've had a few too. It's very personal - how one responds to these events and often it takes months (or longer) to process. In my case this was the second time I've been involved in a fatal climbing accident - which has both prepared me for what happened last week but also brought up all over again the previous accident. Anyway my only real point here is that it is very personal - and no one should feel embarrassed or worried about what they may (or may not ) be going through whilst acknowledging of course that it is nothing compared to where Pete's friends and family are right now.
Abacus 03 Apr 2016
In reply to Sime64:
Yes, it's awful when people die like this while enjoying their chosen sport. Like this poor woman who was recently washed overboard in the current Yacht Race. Unrelated to climbing the biggest shock I have ever experienced was a road accident many years ago before mobile phones. Driving along a remote bendy country road as the Sun was setting I came up to a bend and saw dust and a light haze of smoke ahead. I rounded the bend, there was an open backed light van seemingly parked on the edge of the road. I slowed right down, looked to my right and a car was straddling a ditch right side up but badly damaged but no sign of a driver. I stopped at the side of the road, got out, looked back. The front of the parked van was completely stoved in, the engine and dashboard pushed right back trapping 3 people on the bench seat.
A few fumes were rising, no fire, no sound, no signs of injury. A man driver, a woman next to him, and man next to her sitting normally looking into and lit up by a blood red Sun.. all dead... I can still see that scene and those faces and it's nearly 40 years.

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...