A pair of walkers got in to difficulty, initially on the summit of Harrison Stickle. They were unable to locate a safe way off the summit in poor visibility. They were given directions off the top and a small group was sent to meet them because they had no torches and would run out of daylight before they got down. Before they could be located they missed the path again, becoming cragfast on steep ground, with darkness adding to the poor visibility. They were eventually located and evacuated to safe ground. By this time, hypothermia and additional medical problems were kicking in, adding an extra dimension to the evacuation. The pair were eventually removed to the valley and taken back to their guest house in Ambleside, the medical condition having been brought under control. With the possibility of a difficult stretcher carry on the cards, Kendal MRT were called to assist.
Man Hours
12 team members for 5 hours, plus Kendal MRT
Incident Type
Location
OS Grid Reference
NY2802507200
Unique Incident ID
3251
Safety Tip
Always carry a torch
What ever time of year, always carry a torch. You never know when or why you may be delayed.
When it goes dark in the hills, it usually goes VERY dark! There's little ambient light unless you are lucky to be out when there is a good moon and little cloud.
It's worth carry a set of spare batteries as well. If you're lucky they'll be the same size as other devices you might be carrying such as GPS.
Modern LED torches are very reliable, and batteries last a long time, and it's well worth considering a headtorch in favour of a hand torch, leaving your hands free.
