Author Topic: another truly avoidable rescue, 10 brain dead walkers  (Read 5232 times)

bricam2096

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LDWs done - 32 in total including 16 National Trails and 3 C2C

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rural roamer

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Re: another truly avoidable rescue, 10 brain dead walkers
« Reply #1 on: 22:44:34, 04/11/18 »
Just seen this on grough news. And coming only a couple of days after a pair of walkers were stuck near the summit in the dark and quote “they did not have the map, the compass and torches or the skill and experience to make their way safely down, avoiding the danger areas.”

What on earth possesses people to head up a mountain in the dark with just a phone for navigation?

tenmilesplus

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Re: another truly avoidable rescue, 10 brain dead walkers
« Reply #2 on: 00:30:13, 05/11/18 »
I wonder what their ages are ? Know all Millennials or dopey Snowflakes ? Surely Night walks are for experienced people on well trodden routes ?? How can people be made more responsible or to accept responsibility for their own actions ? I was brought up to be responsible for my actions and as a result try not to do stupid things and at the very least try to do as much homework as I can..
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ninthace

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Re: another truly avoidable rescue, 10 brain dead walkers
« Reply #3 on: 00:56:25, 05/11/18 »
I liked the comment - the smarter the phone, the dumber the user.
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rural roamer

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Re: another truly avoidable rescue, 10 brain dead walkers
« Reply #4 on: 07:55:14, 05/11/18 »
I assumed (maybe wrongly) that they were doing the Three Peaks and that was why they were walking at night.

richardh1905

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Re: another truly avoidable rescue, 10 brain dead walkers
« Reply #5 on: 08:35:14, 05/11/18 »

Top of Piers Gill potentially a VERY dangerous place to get lost.


..and I can scarcely believe that not a single one of the ten didn't have the sense to pack a map and compass!
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pleb

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Re: another truly avoidable rescue, 10 brain dead walkers
« Reply #6 on: 10:34:43, 05/11/18 »
Top of Piers Gill potentially a VERY dangerous place to get lost.


..and I can scarcely believe that not a single one of the ten didn't have the sense to pack a map and compass!
I can, some folk dont have maps, or a compass, its all on the phone.
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Lakeland Lorry

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Re: another truly avoidable rescue, 10 brain dead walkers
« Reply #7 on: 11:28:24, 05/11/18 »
One of the guys who was rescued has posted a few comments on the Wasdale MRT Facebook page, saying:


Hi Guys, I just want to thank you from us all for giving us telephone guidance this morning. We will be making a donation to you as we value and appreciate you help and what you do. However your statement is factually wrong. All walkers were fully equipped and had GPS and silva compass, plus digital too and paper map but the conditions deteriorated at a rapid rate, rendering the GPS inoperable and using the map impossible. We as a team regularly walk mountains and the previous day completed Ben Nevis. We would never intentionally put ourselves at risk and everything was fully planned all equipment provided, we also would never want to waste you valuable time either, in 30 years of walking and mountain climbing I have never needed to call upon you but very grateful that you provide such an excellent service, as you know the most experienced of walkers come to difficulty at one time or another.

According to the other comments made, it was part of a 3 Peaks challenge event with an organisation called Warrior Training Strength and Conditioning.   They had apparently already done Ben Nevis in what they called 'brutal' conditions, and despite the awful weather they decided to push on and do Scafell Pike.   


The organiser also said:

I also went up 4 weeks ago during the day hours and mapped the route so I could use the route this weekend. I have done this many times and have had no issues with os mapping previously?? On this occasion[/color] . It wasn’t following the route and the severe rain, sleet, very high winds made using a paper(waterproof) map extremely difficult and hard cover none existent. Nobody was in danger but some extremely tired, so for the safety of all concerned the call was made after all options were exhausted. I am not one for waisting the rescue teams valuable time as I too rescue people as a Firefighter. Learning points are take a back up GPS or one or more of the group bring theirs.



Lots more comments on the Wasdale MRT's Facebook page.





bricam2096

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Re: another truly avoidable rescue, 10 brain dead walkers
« Reply #8 on: 11:40:18, 05/11/18 »
The first part says the conditions made the gps inoperable but then he/she says that next time they will take a back up GPS or get someone else to take theirs. Do they explain why the GPS was useless?

Surely in a group of 10 more than 1 person should have a GPS with them, even if it's just in the rucksack. I always carry mine, even on routes I know very well as you just never know.

What happens in that group of 10 in darkness if someone decides half way that they can't manage it and wants to go back?

If the conditions were that bad, did they check beforehand and still only carry one GPS? Just sounds to me like they are making excuses for their stupidity.
LDWs done - 32 in total including 16 National Trails and 3 C2C

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www.brians-walks.co.uk

alan de enfield

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Re: another truly avoidable rescue, 10 brain dead walkers
« Reply #9 on: 11:48:38, 05/11/18 »


Surely in a group of 10 more than 1 person should have a GPS with them, even if it's just in the rucksack. I always carry mine, even on routes I know very well as you just never know.





A bit of inconsistency me thinks (if you tell the truth you don't need a good memory)


In the 1st section it says :



All walkers were fully equipped and had GPS and silva compass, plus digital too and paper map ………………






Maybe he means they all had mobile phones ?


My (dedicated) GPS doesn't seem to mind if its dark, raining and windy, it just gets on with it.
« Last Edit: 11:52:41, 05/11/18 by alan de enfield »

Percy

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Re: another truly avoidable rescue, 10 brain dead walkers
« Reply #10 on: 13:05:36, 05/11/18 »
If they were genuinely  ‘fully equipped’ to go up Scafell Pike in November, in the dark, they should have been equipped to spend the night on the mountain.

Lakeland Lorry

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Re: another truly avoidable rescue, 10 brain dead walkers
« Reply #11 on: 14:28:36, 05/11/18 »
More comments, from the group who got lost:


All 10 are extremely experienced walkers, one guy was ex army and another an army reservist trained for survival situations. The whole group had done a recce of the mountain 3 weeks ago during the day to ensure they had a good idea of the terrain in preparation for a nighttime climb. The web of lies around lack of equipment, no compass etc is totally false - they had ALL of the necessary equipment including the means to stay up there overnight if needs be - the truth of the matter is that they were overcome by horrendous conditions which simply meant they lost their way and needed help to get back to the path.


and


.....the issue with the map was simply due to visibility -there was horizontal rain and next to zero visibility making it virtually impossible to identify meaningful landmarks and locations.

The issue with GPS still needs to be fully investigated - it wasn't providing a reliable fix on location and often wasn't picking up a location signal at all. We had been on a recce of the route 3 weeks ago and programmed way points into the GPS to assist with the navigation but obviously this failed us last night. It goes without saying we are also keen to find out what went wrong with the kit and when we have an answer we will of course be delighted to share it.





Percy

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Re: another truly avoidable rescue, 10 brain dead walkers
« Reply #12 on: 15:11:11, 05/11/18 »
So that’s an admission that it was a totally unnecessary call out. They should have stayed on the mountain if they were equipped to do so and walked down when it became light. A perfect example of all the gear but no idea.

astaman

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Re: another truly avoidable rescue, 10 brain dead walkers
« Reply #13 on: 16:22:49, 05/11/18 »
I may be misunderstanding this situation but the 'call out' involved the duty leader in Wasdale sending a text which activated their GPS (presumable on a phone) and they were then talked off the mountain. A bit different from a rescue team going up there in the middle of the night. Also, a member of this group and a representative of the organisation leading the group gave their account of the events. There is obvious evidence that they are lying. They may be of course but that would need to be demonstrated surely. It is just possible that someone has over-reacted and the news services have given it sensationalist spin.

astaman

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Re: another truly avoidable rescue, 10 brain dead walkers
« Reply #14 on: 16:24:32, 05/11/18 »
Sorry, errata: that should have read '...no obvious reason to assume they are lying...'.

 

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