You may or may not have heard of the big rescue in the Wicklow Mountains this week. 2 Climbers were stuck overnight on a well known Wicklow Mountain called Lugnaquilla or Lug as its known by us outdoorsie types. It was a big search operation involving a number of MRT's from Ireland and the RAFMRT from RAF Valley in Wales.
As usual the media sensationalized the whole thing. The guys in question posted what actually happened in the fourms on www.climbing.ie and I just thought I'd pass it on to you. It makes for a good read and some lessons can be learned. Even these experienced climbers said they learned a lesson or two.
here is goes:
Evenin' all! So do ye want the truth or the reports from the print media? The story goes like this.... That morn, we parked up at Fentons in Imaal to approach the North prision, flags were flying so I had a chat to the Army boys who rightly suggested we not go in there as they're firing the 50's and 105's (range of 6 miles) into the glen. A ricochet from any of those can easily end up in the north prision which increases the grade of the winter climbs in there to a level I'm unwilling to climb at! So, off we go leaving one van behind to head in the Ow valley and see whats happening on the south prision. Snow waist deep in places made the approach across the valley a pain in the ass as ye can imagine. It's not fun postholing up to the waist in powder but we pressed on breaking trail across with the crags of the south prision looking very inviting for a bit of mixed fun. We had blue skies all the way and all was looking perfect. A damned sight better than the 60mph winds and blizzard that Delthedub and myself battled only two weeks previously climbing the haston line and hidden chimney on corrie an tsneachta in Scotland. I thought that the belays on those were the clodest I'd ever been...little did I know... C
We geared up at the bottom of a line to the left of the central gully (dont know if it's been climbed before, but it looked like an adventure) and off we went. The climb itself was fun but had little in the way of sustained interest, good belays and ran out the last pitch. I'd like to go back in soon to do some of the other lines there, short, but sweet looking. Good neve and hoar on rock....! A rare beast in Wicklow. When we topped out, It was getting dark and the cloud had come in thick and fast creating white out conditions.The plan then was to take a bearing to the summit cairn and from there easily find our way off (Lug is practically my back garden, I've been up there solo more times than I can remember) or follow the line of the south prision to get back down into the Ow valley. We took out the map to take a bearing and the wind snatched it back down into the valley.... Mistake number 1: We had only one map between us.... Mistake number 2: Fimilarity breeds contempt...I underestimated the mountain, thinking, it's only Lug, I've been up here a hundred times since I was a kid, I'll have no probs getting us off this, dark or not. Any other hill, be it the Alps, Scotland or wherever I'd have had more respect and for the conditions and had a second map, a bivvy bag and a foil blanket with me. I always carry them in winter. We were travelling blind now not able to tell where we were trying to follow the line of the south prision to find a safe gully to descend, each time I approached the edge to have a look, I couldn't tell if I was about to walk over a two foot snow bank or a drop to the bottom of the prision. None of the fimilar landmarks I'd normally use were there, hollows were filled level with snow, rock formations were hidden, so I had no reference points from which to navigate my way out. So, there we were wandering in the growing darkness looking at a blank canvass thinking, this isnt looking good. As the cold and night grew, a phone call came in from the army barracks in the glen of Imaal, where Keith had left his bus (advert on the side has his logo and phone number) asking if we were still ok? We said, yeah, grand. We pressed on still roped up in the wind and snow to try and figure where the hell we now were when we sat down to assess the situation and said fuck it, we're gonna have to call the MRT and let them know whats happening. We found a spot where we both had good phone coverage and made the call to Ronan Lenihan from the Imaal rescue team. All that we knew was we were sitting on a south facing slope, about 35 degrees facing a drop, the ground above us seemed to rise to a plateau, but we didnt know if it was a col or what part of the hill we sitting on.
We tried to dig a snow hole, but where we were, there wasnt enough snow to dig into. Not wanting to loose vital phone contact with the rescue squads, we found a rock sticking up about two foot out of the snow, scooped out a shallow indent on the lee side and insulated the ground using the ropes and stuffing from the rucksacks. Rucksacks were used to protect our backs from the biting winds. We built up a v small wind break on the rock with snow, put on every layer we had (thank fuck for patagonia belay jacket..it's the way forward!!!) and prepared to spend the night exposed on the hill. During the night, we could hear helicopters close by but couldnt see them (visiblity was down to less than 5 metres), the mountain rescue lads and ladies were asking us to watch for flares they were sending up, but it was futile. I lay there blowing the whistle in an sos and no answer...All we could do was speak to the rescue crews, and try to keep wriggling toes and feet and stay awake. The MRT battled through the night, never giving up. They maintained contact every half hour to monitor us. Keith was growing sleepy and saying that he couldn't feel his feet anymore, we shared the last of our emergency food supplies (moro bars are great frozen by the way) and kept moving to try to keep warm. It was an experience I'm in no hurry to repeat. The rescue crews explained that they were having a nightmare trying to get to us with the prevailing conditions. We contacted our families to tell them not to worry that we were absolutely fine up here...what else are you gonna say to people who are worried about you? After a long night, day finally broke and we listened to the helicopters. We were told that the rangers had been dispatched on fast ropes out of a helicopter to find us along with 50 MRT heads including an RAF sea-king Helicopter with full time MRT crew from Wales. At 11 o clock, I phoned the MRT and said, look it's daylight, I'm going to move us and get us out of there and down. They asked that we not move, especially as Keith at that ponit couldnt feel his legs from the knees down. I explained that I'd wait until two o clock and after that, we'd have to move. Having no food or drink left, I didnt fancy our chances during a second night out and was anxious to get moving. I attempted to short rope Keith down the slope in front of us until it became clear that it was too steep to descend. I blew the whistle again. Keith said he heard a voice in the distance. I ignored him because he had also just told me he'd seen giant bats flying towards him and I kinda figured the hypothermia had kicked in hard. As it happens, the man was right. My phone rang and it was the MRT to say a team just below us could hear the whistle!
I blew my lungs out on that bloody whistle. We went back up the slope to safer ground and I sat there shivering and making that whistle sing as loudly as I could. We eventually heard shouts and turned to see a group of lads running full tilt towards us. The first on the scene were a group from the northwest and Down MRT, Followed closely by Glen of Imaal lads (the team that first heard the whistle). The Northern lads immediately began treating us for Hypothermia in a bothy bag (my next investment!) and trying to assess frostbite injuries. Fed, watered and warm we knew the ordeal was over. I phoned home and told them I'd just bumped into a bunch of Northern lads on the hill and I might be a while as I'd have to help them get down.. Grin We were taken to Tallaght hospital via helicopter and treated for cold injuries by v cute and attentive nurses...(I'll be in touch girls!) I've fared ok and have only a numb thumb on my left hand and a slight pain in my foot. Keith unfortunately will be on crutches for a couple of weeks, but nothing lost. So, thats the actual story guys and girls...we've been hounded by press and media ever since and I am making the most of any opportunity to go on radio to praise the MRT publicly as I dont have everyones' name and phone number to thank them personally. Those of you who know me, will know speaking on radio or in public really goes against the grain for me, but it's worth it to say thanks and highlight what a totally professional and genuinely decent bunch of people we have operating in the MRT'S. They fought through the night to get us in horrendous conditions, putting themselves a risk voluntarily to come to the aid of two stranded climbers and for that I'll be in their debt always. To Paul Gilbert and Mark Flynn, sincere thanks for being in contact with my family and not bullshiting them. You have no idea how much it meant to them to have that voice on the phone. Ronan, Ann, you're stars! The logistics of an operation on that scale, cross border, cross department, international co-operation, it must have been a nightmare. The government and the Gardai could learn a lot from you guys. Cheers guys, I owe ye! Patrick Doyle aka DIDDS Wicklow (not Kildare, and climber, not snowboarder.Never believe a word you read in the papers, I've yet to read an accurate report)
From the other Climber: Firstly, there were bats on the hill flying towards me. Secondly, I want also to thank the all the teams involved in our rescue on the hill, in particular the Glen team and the Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue, Ann who I was talking to all during the night, Joe O Gorman who I was also in contact with by phone and who took great care of us and also Ronan Lenihan. There were many people involved and they all had an important part to play is what all I can call an amazing piece of team work. The effort that was put in by all the team in hills, their unselfish actions is what got myself and Pat down safely and in good spirits. This just shows you all that no matter how experienced you are or how comfortable you may think you are on any mountain of your choice, that mother nature and chance can come together and put you in situations that are life threatening! I am just back from climbing in the Andes on a mountain 7 times the height of Lug with temperatures going down to minus 25. I come back to Ireland and forget a very basic rule of the mountains-RESPECT. You dont have to go over 1000m to experience what the mountains can do. Thirdly-Regardless of what the newspapers said-We did not hold each other all night long reciting quotes from the movie Brokeback Mountan!!
Great read, the media in Ireland really made a song and dance about this. They made the lads out to be couple of hippie snowboarders who hadn't a clue!
Some years ago a bunch of Dublin teenagers went for a wild camp in the Wicklow Mountains and were reported as missing, when in fact they were just having a great time in the woods. They were all walking home the next day, wondering why there were so many emergency vehicles racing up and down the road, along with a hefty media scrum, and no doubt they were a bit surprised to discover that they were the subject of the search. Anyway... that didn't stop the media from filming one of the 'rescuers' running to a vehicle while carrying a 'victim' in his arms, wrapped in silver plastic! Fills up a gap in the news... all harmless fun... the only casualty being the truth!
A great read and a great result. Thanks to Paddywacker for posting it here.
I'm particularly interested in their comments regarding what went wrong and why. These chaps have given an honest account and there are lessons there for us to take away with us. Thanks for for being so open lads.
Also, I've always wanted to be a hippy snowboarder but I'm 55 now; have I left it too late?
Edited to thank Paddywacker and to correct my grammer!
Fabulous work by the MRTs - in light of the other threads - it's a simple truth, it CAN happen to YOU no matter how experienced you are. A sobering story.
Whilst I applaud the fact that the guys have written pretty frankly about their ordeal.
However the fact remains what a PAIR OF IDIOTS . This incident was completly avoidable, The idea as expressed by Jezz "it CAN happen to YOU no matter how experienced you are" is complete tosh. Its not rocket science to carry the right kit especially when faced with the worst conditions in an area for many years! We as mountaineers must always concider the concequences of what we do at all times. Sadly in my view selfishness and macho ness have taken far to bigger hold. getting to the top means nothing if you dont get home safe.
"complete Tosh"? The point I'm making is that you can't take the attitude that it WON'T happen to you, which is why you always need to plan properly, because no matter how experienced you might think you are, it CAN happen to YOU, so make sure you minimise risk - you can't eradicate it. I'm only on here cos I had an experience recently and am stuck at home for 2 months and found the site. I planned well and got myself off the hill, but my broken leg is because I went through a snowhole and landed awkwardly. I didn't expect that to happen to me after a great day's climbing. No machoness there, believe me.
As a member of the FBI mountaineering club I find it quite interesting that Houdi7 would use a small photograph as a navigation aid, if this is the case I feel that he should probably not be on a mountainside and be better off playing tiddly winks where he would not endanger his life and indeed the guys who would have to rescue him !
First swamp donkey (apt name) and then this from the Curved Ridge thread. Looks as if Renta-mob have arrived.
Four at maximum word count too!
