Two Injured In Scottish Avalanche

Two climbers were avalanched yesterday in Coire an Sneachda in the northern corries of Cairngorm according to a report on the BBC Scotland news site.

One of the pair is reported to have suffered 'serious leg injuries' in the accident which happened at 'about 3000 feet' at 1315 GMT. The other climber had head injuries. Both were airlifted to hospital in Inverness by a helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the avalanche was triggered by a climber above tunnelling through the cornice at the top of the route.

The incident occurred despite a relatively moderate grade 2 avalanche risk forecast from the Scottish Avalanche Information Service - www.sais.gov.uk - which issues daily projections as well as climbing condition reports from five major Scottish winter climbing areas.

Todays projected hazard is 'considerable' (grade 3) in both southern and northern Cairngorms, but the incident underlines the need for climbers to be able to assess local snow conditions. The avalanche forecast, while invaluable, isn't infallible.

Stop Press Nonsense

In its inimitable style, the Scottish Daily Record has reported the incident today under the headline 'AVALANCHE AGONY OF FATHER AND SON'. The climbers were apparently climbing a 'snow-blocked corrie' and 'managed to struggle through tonnes of snow to the surface'.

'The drama' says the paper, 'happened on the Cairngorm Plateau, as the climbers tried to tackle the Northern Corries near Aviemore.' The report also names the route concerned as Jacob's Ladder and quotes another climber who had 'just reached the top of the 3000ft peak' and triggered the avalanche when the cornice collapsed behind him.

Full weird report here.