UKC

We had just started climbing and it was our first day on snow and ice - I had borrowed an ice-axe from someone. There were four of us (the report was of course wrong), myself, Bob Hughes, Russ Bloer and one who I can't remember.
I was in the lead, we were unroped and about two thirds up the main gulley when I heard Bob shout "avalanche" !
It was fifty three years ago but I remember it well. My first thought was that an avalanche in Wales couldn't be much and if I kept my head down it would pass by. Next thing something hit me hard and I'm hurtling down the slope and clearly remember thinking "don't be a statistic" ! But I had read in climbing books how to brake using an axe and came to a halt after about a hundred feet. Looking down I was confused to see four bodies in the cwm - the fourth being Huey. He did have back injuries but I don't think they were too serious.

Wow.
10/10

Apparently he lost an inch or so in height after that incident! He had a bit of back trouble in later life and had to give up slalom canoeing but I'm not sure if it was because of this fall.
Unfortunately my Dad died in December last year and I found this original cutting as well marked B'ham Post. I've got some other similar B'ham Mail cuttings as well if you're interested in copies.
Ewan.

Nice comment Ewan - sorry to hear that Huey had passed on. I was brought up about two miles from him in Quinton.
We climbed in different circles but we did meet a few times in the Pass in the glorious summer of 1959. At that time I remember Huey as a solid "VS man" while we were striving to make that grade.
I was very much a part of the Welsh climbing scene for the next fifteen years but don't recall ever seeing him again after the incident on Y Garn
Regards,
Ian Campbell
PS - the date should have been 1960, as I'm sure know if you have the full cutting.