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Mountain Rescue Mountain Advice

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  • angry climber
    00:53:16, 02/10/12
    I don't agree that clothing needs to be colourful. I have worn blacks and greys for ages now. Ever since on my Winter Mountain Leader course I was advised to stick to basic colours so my equipment looked more professional and matched.
    If I got into trouble I would use my red survival bivi bag to attract attention.     



  • guess who
    10:12:26, 03/10/12
    I don't agree that clothing needs to be colourful. I have worn blacks and greys for ages now. Ever since on my Winter Mountain Leader course I was advised to stick to basic colours so my equipment looked more professional and matched.
    If I got into trouble I would use my red survival bivi bag to attract attention.   

    Honest question AC. What would you do if you feel forward, put both arms out and broke them both?

    Wearing colourful clothing means you would have a better chance of being seen.



  • sussamb
    10:19:24, 03/10/12
    Think you can always come up with a scenario that defeats anyone no matter how well prepared.  I'm with AC, always stuck with darker colours and should I ever need to attract attention will do so with my orange bag/sack cover.  Course if I've fallen into a deep hole even colourful clothing wouldn't help  ;) ;D



  • guess who
    10:35:39, 03/10/12
    Think you can always come up with a scenario that defeats anyone no matter how well prepared.


    Very true. However this actually happened to a guy in America. I saw a TV about it ages ago and its stuck in my mind since.
    In the same show was the story, of a guy who used to wear camo gear all the time. He had fallen and could get help. He had gone a different way to the one he told his wife. The rescue services were looking the wrong way. Some hiker found him.

    The show showed where he had fallen. You could see it from the carpark where his car was. He could not be seen with the clothing he was wearing, but if he had a red coat on he would have been seen. They proved this by having someone sit where he was found and wear the two types of clothing.

    AC mentions about been told what to wear when he was on a Winter Mountain Leader course. I would take a guess and say that, that advice applies more to him working as a Mountain Leader, rather than walking on his own.



  • mananddog
    12:02:14, 03/10/12
    I wear dark colour because I do not want to be a blot on the landscape. I would do with walkers in bright clothing what the Nat Parks do with caravans - Paint them green!  ;D
     
    I am responsible for my safety. If I make a mistake it is my responsibility to try and get out of it.



  • sussamb
    12:09:10, 03/10/12
     ;D ;D O0 O0



  • robstubbs
    12:49:41, 03/10/12
    Think you can always come up with a scenario that defeats anyone no matter how well prepared.  I'm with AC, always stuck with darker colours and should I ever need to attract attention will do so with my orange bag/sack cover.  Course if I've fallen into a deep hole even colourful clothing wouldn't help  ;) ;D

    Same here.  I'm sure there's circumstances where folks have survived because of their dark clothing, but they are no doubt equally rare.  People must decide for themselves what is and isn't appropriate for them.
     
    Rob.



  • Walking Dog
    13:37:05, 03/10/12
    Actually I wear what fits be best within what I can afford!! Being of a 'larger' size that it my first consideration before colour, although I find bright pink doesn't quite suit  ;D



  • Slogger
    16:40:29, 03/10/12
    I don't think it is neccesary to blend into the background when out walking (you are not a permanent fixture).
    Imo it is best to wear colours that do stand out so that you can be found more easily and not make the job of mountain rescue services more difficult.
    Sure everyone is responsible for their own safety and should self extract from the hills if possible to do so, but anyone no matter how well prepared can trip, bash their head and end up unconscious. A bright survival bag in your rucsack will not be any help then.




  • angry climber
    17:01:34, 03/10/12
    Honest question AC. What would you do if you feel forward, put both arms out and broke them both?

    Wearing colourful clothing means you would have a better chance of being seen.

    Honest answer mate. If I fell forward and broke both arms resulting in my not being able to retrieve my survival bag I possibly would also not be able to retrive my mobile phone or whistle to call for help. I would quickly become cold and have no way of alerting anyone to my peril. No matter what colour you are wearing if no one is looking for you in the first place then it really does not matter what colours you are wearing. Yes a bright yellow jacket may be noticed better than a black one but only if someone is looking for it.



  • angry climber
    17:05:29, 03/10/12
    I don't think it is neccesary to blend into the background when out walking (you are not a permanent fixture).
    Imo it is best to wear colours that do stand out so that you can be found more easily and not make the job of mountain rescue services more difficult.
    Sure everyone is responsible for their own safety and should self extract from the hills if possible to do so, but anyone no matter how well prepared can trip, bash their head and end up unconscious. A bright survival bag in your rucsack will not be any help then.

    I refer you to my previous answer if your knocked unconscious then who knows you are hurt. If you are recorded missing because you fail to appear then a search is likely to start at night wearing a red jacket at night is only marginally better than a grey one. A beam of a head torch still has to hit the object. Or the search light of a helicopter.



  • Ridge Walker
    18:53:33, 03/10/12
    Mountain saftey is not based on how bright your clothing is  ;D
     
    AW came up with a gem and its the best piece of advice ever, " Watching where one puts ones feet speaks volumes for mountain saftey O0
     
    Plan your route, have escscapes routes mapped out. No mattter how far from reaching an intended summit, if weather conditions turn for the worse or your not feeling yourself,  dont even think about it. Be prepared to turn back   :)     
     



  • robstubbs
    21:25:52, 03/10/12
    Imo it is best to wear colours that do stand out so that you can be found more easily and not make the job of mountain rescue services more difficult.
    Do you really go out thinking about being rescued ?  If you do then I would suggest you're in the wrong frame of mind before you even start.  And do you propose that folks change from their bright yellow to a nice dark colour for walking in snow ?


    There's common sense precautions and being prepared which everyone here seems to support.  As mentioned below though safety doesn't depend on the colour of your clothing.


    Rob.



  • moonchip
    23:57:46, 03/10/12
    I can understand the MR comment about colour in an ideal world , but like many others I go for fit & comfort over what colour it is. By choice most of my gear is grey or black/navy blue - all my Merino tops are blue which seems to be the only colour they come in.


    Like AC said, I too always carry a dayglo red survival bag and agree wholeheartedly that you are responsible for your own safety and planning accordingly.


    The only colourways I don't wear by choice are ex army 'camo' DPM styles .......







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