Warning over charity challenges after mountain rescue

Rescuers warned that sponsorship and social media announcements can lead to pressures that make it more difficult to call off or postpone charity walks.

On Saturday night, an Aberdyfi search and rescue team went to the aid of a walker stranded at the summit of almost 3,000ft Cader Idris, near Dolgellau, Gwynedd.

The 59-year-old South Wales man had been part of a group of four attempting the Welsh Three Peaks challenge for charity by climbing Snowdon, Cader Idris and Pen y Fan in a day.

But he had become separated from his group earlier in the day and was at the summit shelter in atrocious weather, unable to find the path down.

His friends raised the alarm at the foot of the mountain but the man had been missing for five hours and dressed only in shorts, a T-shirt and a light jacket, with no extra equipment, food or water. He was cold and hungry when reached. After being given adequate clothing and warm drinks, he was escorted off the mountain by 1am.

"These types of charity challenge can sometimes result in an extra burden for rescue services across Britain," said Aberdyfi team spokesman Graham O'Hanlon.

"While many are well-organised and go without incident, this is sadly not always the case.

Pressures

“The very nature of such a challenge is that it can draw in people with little or no experience.

"The pressures of a time-limited process can quickly lead to groups becoming spread out on the mountain, with the least fit or experienced being lost at the back.

"If someone else is in charge of navigation then this can lead to problems quickly.

"Additionally, busy diaries, complex transport arrangements, sponsorship and social media announcements can all add pressures that make it feel increasingly difficult to abandon or reschedule the attempt when all the evidence suggests that this would be the best course of action."

Mr O’Hanlon added: ”The very poor weather over the weekend was clearly forecast many days in advance, and should perhaps have served as a warning to at least review the skills and equipment of the group before deciding whether or not to proceed.

"As a charity ourselves, we fully understand that fundraisers are the lifeblood of such organisations but would ask people try to ensure that fundraising for one charity is not done at the expense, in terms of time and resources, of another.

"As ever, we encourage people to check the weather before heading to the mountains, and to ensure that the skills of the group and the equipment carried are suitable for the proposed task."