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Oh dear 😕
Doesn't say whether they fell or what but this is terrible.
I hope nobody here.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/three-hillwalkers-found-dead-glencoe-30646934
Grim, it's pretty unforgiving terrain that.
That's terrible news 😔
Roped together I guess. One fell and pulled the other two off. Terrible.
Roped together I guess. One fell and pulled the other two off. Terrible.
Yep, most likely explanation.
Some big exposure on that ridge.
Whats the ridge like compared to Crib goch?
Condolences to the families as well - three fatalities together is very rare.
Much, much harder grade of scrambling and exposure combined make it <span style="font-size: 0.8rem;"> a completely different league</span>
Awful news for the individuals, thier families and the MRT/Police involved.
I await more information from reliable sources.
Aonach Eagach - long, sustained, a lot of 'challenges' through the day, interspersed with easy sections, a couple of challenging sections technically and risk wise. Mrs_oab fell off...
Crib Goch - shorter, less sustained, arguably one bit as challenging, but generally clear route.
Heard the helicopter out Saturday night/Sunday morning (camping in Glencoe). Wondered what was going on. Bugger. Assuming given the terrain they knew what they were doing and this was just (very) bad luck rather than being unprepared.
matt_outandabout
Full Member
Aonach Eagach – long, sustained, a lot of ‘challenges’ through the day, interspersed with easy sections, a couple of challenging sections technically and risk wise.
Then add in that conditions on Saturday were pretty horrible
The weather around there on Saturday was absolutely horrendous. We drove through about 6pm and it was pretty much zero visibility on the peaks, biblical rain and very cold.
Yeah, rain most of the day and I'd assume much windier higher up.
My money's on a Clachaig Gully descent gone wrong.
Just looking at the photos makes me feel queasy, there’s nothing could make me even attempt to climb that. I heard about it on the news earlier, and I’d imagined it was pretty challenging terrain, but not as bad as that. My condolences to the families of the bereaved.
Loads of videos on YouTube if you want a better idea.
montgomery
Full Member
My money’s on a Clachaig Gully descent gone wrong.
I would like to think a guide wouldn’t have taken them down the gulley,it was more dangerous than the ridge.I came down it a few years ago for old times sake and it was worse than I remember it before the bypass.
I would like to think a guide wouldn’t have taken them down the gulley
Were they with a guide? Haven't seen that reported although I've only scanned stuff.
Were they with a guide? Haven’t seen that reported although I’ve only scanned stuff.
There's *RUMOR* that is a guide and two customers.
I'd assumed not given the weather. A competent guide would know when not to go up. I won't speculate further.
I won’t speculate further.
This.
Stuff written here is for perpetuity.
Condolences to the families. It's a horrible thing to have happened.
Roped together I guess. One fell and pulled the other two off
Not an extreme walker, so given the pictures of the terrain above why would you rope up when the chance of falling seems quite high. Presumably unless you’re braced and ready (which is going to be harder to do when walking as opposed to climbing) you’re going to struggle to arrest the progress of anyone falling and just putting yourself at risk.
I did it in the nineties when I was a scrambling freak. I honestly don’t remember the difficulty and exposure of the ridge proper but I sure as hell remember the Clachaig Gully descent. Fierce.
Really sad to hear this. Not something you expect to hear of at this time of year. I’ve walked over the ridge a few times and always thought it best avoided in severe/wet weather. There’s a race going over the ridge next month. Hopefully organisers take note and amend the route if very wet.
Moving together when roped up is common, kilo. I've only ever done it with one other person. The most experinced climber anticipates difficulties and gives more or less rope to be in a position to hold the other climber on difficult moves. On ridges (praticularly snow-corniced ridges) the climbers can agree to go right or left if the other bod goes down so they're left hanging over the ridge. Obviously it's not perfect but there's safety in speed and if you pitch every inch with belays it takes an eternity. It's down to what you feel happy and confident with and sometimes even the most experienced people make mistakes.
Went along that on a school trip. A fantastic scramble on a good day.
Went along that on a school trip
Blimey, can you imagine the risk assessment for that now? In the old days, the enthusiastic Geography teacher with beard, holey wooly jumper and a pair of RD Superguides was sufficient insurance...
As always, great fun when it goes to plan but the penalty for failure is very high even with a guide/roped up. I thought it might be a bit wet and windy with Antonio going through but obviously can't really tell from Cambs.
Poor sods 😔
In slightly nicer conditions:
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I did it in the nineties when I was a scrambling freak.
Similar - I soloed it in mid Aug 88 when I was young/fit/climbing reasonably well and had a good head for heights. Don't recall any particular problems on the ridge itself once the overnight dampness had dried off it, but avoided adding to the already badly-eroded Clach Gully descent by walking a bit further along the ridge towards the Pap, and then coming down to the back lane from there. Was staying at the Red Squirrel campsite, so it delivered me more or less straight back to the tent. A very long day, given that I'd failed to hitch a lift, and ended up walking up the main road to Altnafeadh and the WHW to start with.
All sympathies to the families of the climbers involved here, it's very sad.
Blimey, can you imagine the risk assessment for that now?
With the right group, ratio and right person leading, that is within remit of many. It is not *required* to use a rope, so arguably within Mountain Leader (Summer or Winter) level.
Blimey, can you imagine the risk assessment for that now?
It's a fairly easy route by climbing / scrambling standards. Guides do much harder technical stuff day in / day out.
I've only ever done it in winter and it was technically very easy (Grade 1), but big exposure in many places - one slip in the wrong place and it's game over.
so arguably within Mountain Leader (Summer or Winter) level.
I would say well beyond Winter ML, definite MIC territory. Hardest thing we did for Winter ML was Fiacall ridge in Cairngorms, which is *much* tamer.
Never done it in summer, so can't comment.
I would say well beyond Winter ML, definite MIC territory. Hardest thing we did for Winter ML was Fiacall ridge in Cairngorms, which is *much* tamer.
Yes, you are correct. With ice and snow it is another game entirely.
We weren't roped, no idea about formal qualifications for teachers but they were keen and experienced hillwalkers. I don't think it was really *challenging* but certainly exhilarating. We also did things like the Cuillin ridge including the In Pinn with an abseil off the top, which was the only time the rope got used on the hills. The outdoor trips were probably the highlight of my schooling which I didn't enjoy greatly for the most part.
With the right group, ratio and right person leading, that is within remit of many. It is not *required* to use a rope, so arguably within Mountain Leader (Summer or Winter) level.
I half wondered whether it was an candidate, in training I know of a few who are really trying to rack up the practice days prior to assessments due fairly soon.
We also did things like the Cuillin ridge including the In Pinn with an abseil off the top, which was the only time the rope got used on the hills. The outdoor trips were probably the highlight of my schooling which I didn’t enjoy greatly for the most part.
I think the TD gap is the hardest bit, IIRC, you abseil in and if you then can't climb back out, you're a bit screwed. IIRC Climb was only VDiff or something, but very cold, wet, greasy and in the middle of nowhere up a mountain made it seem way harder at the time!
It’s an incredibly sad situation.
Having done the ridge 5 times (twice in Winter and three times in summer) it is not for the faint hearted especially on the pinnacles.
My heart goes out to those lost and the families as well as friends remaining.
And the MR who had to do the recovery too. You sign up to volunteer knowing that's a likely task you'll have to do, but I suspect it has quite an impact.
Always gives me the willies does stuff like this, having lost pals in Glencoe. I haven't really done much in Glencoe as a result, but that's for personal reasons not because it's inherently unsafe. I know what their friends and families are going through and it's not fun.
Awful reading about this. Must be very difficult for the families that are left.
Really sad.
I walked the Aonach Eagach solo back in the day. A great day out in fine summer weather. I don't always have a great head for heights, but found it pretty straightforward as long as you stay on the right line. Easy to get off the usual route and get into trouble very quickly, even in good vis. On the other hand, Clachaig Gully is grim. I'd done it before and remembered it being not too bad, so happily went down it again after doing the ridge and it was very, very unpleasant. Much more exposed feeling than the ridge. Nothing difficult, but all the rock is downward sloping, exposed and, on the day, covered in loose grit that felt like ball-bearings.
Back when I did my ML I remember the AE ridge being frequently talked-about as the absolute bleeding-edge of ML terrain. In good conditions, with confident clients, maybe OK. In non-perfect conditions, no.
RIP and condolences to the families.
Times like this I'm happy to have an extreme fear of heights. Watched the video on my TV and looked terrifying.
There's a bit about 18/19 minutes into that video I linked above where I recall looking just below me and seeing a couple of sheep grazing the narrow ledges. I remember thinking "there must be easier grass to get to!!!"
I live in Glencoe, didn’t hear a thing overnight which is bizarre. The rescue chopper normally wakes me up.
Absolutely terrible news for those involved, the families and the rescue personnel.
Now confirmed as a 39 year old guide from the area, a 60 year old man and 64 year old woman. Accidents can happen even to the most experienced.
Condolences to all the families.
Oh no. Just terrible.
Condolences to all affected.
It is a grade 2 scramble. Scrambling isn't within the remit of ML. The only ropework in ML is using a confidence rope. Scrambling requires a rope which is rated for climbing/harnesses and some gear. MCI is required for scrambling (formerly MIA).
I've been following YouTube channel 'Scottish Munro journey' and it turns out the guide Dave Fowler was the one from in the Skye , In Pin episode
That is terrible news - I had met Dave Fowler a couple of times, he was well respected and known in mountain circles in Scotland.
I await the formal reports before I consider too much more, but I am sure the lessons to be learned will be much discussed then.
Really horrible news all all round. Just goes to show that accidents can happen to even the most experienced. An awful job for the rescue team too.