Rescuers warn walkers to equip

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Mountain rescue teams in North Wales are urging climbers to be wary in snowy conditions.

Rescuers have said it was lucky more walkers did not die during blizzard conditions on Snowdonia's mountains.

Walker Gwyn Norrell, 27, from Shrewsbury, died and two other men fell at the same spot on Snowdon on Saturday while four others needed help.

One of the fallers used his torch to help guide the rescue helicopter, which had thermal imaging equipment, towards him as he clung to the cliff face.

Mountain rescuers said too many of the walkers were poorly equipped.

On Saturday, a RAF rescue helicopter battled "blizzard conditions" to rescue the two men who had fallen, as well as two women who were in the same group.

"They were some of the most challenging conditions I've faced in two and a half years with the rescue force," said pilot Flight Lieutenant David Moran.

Treacherous weather conditions were experienced on Snowdon Fall man is 'lucky to be alive'

A combination of the weather and turbulence meant the helicopter's winchman Ed Griffiths could not be seen by winch operator Glenn Holmes, as he was lowered 200ft (60m) to the casualties.

"It was around freezing but with wind chill it would have been around minus 20 to 25," Flt Lt Moran added.

He said the walker who had fallen suffered chest injuries and was flown nine miles to Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital at Bangor.

The helicopter then returned to winch the other walker, who was not injured but had fallen around 400 ft (121m), along with another man and woman from the same group.

Ian Henderson from the Llanberis Mountain Rescue team said it was "lucky" that not more people had fallen in the treacherous conditions on the mountain.

A photograph of Clogwyn Coch on Sunday shows the conditions

Saturday's rescues began when a member of the Llanberis Mountain Rescue team came across two women at the top of Clogwyn Goch on the Llanberis path up Snowdon, said Mr Henderson.

"They told him two of their party had fallen," he said.

"Simultaneously three climbers who had been climbing in Clogwyn Du'r Arddu heard cries for help and found one of the injured guys at the bottom of the cliff.

"While they were treating him they found the dead man, just yards away from where two brothers were found last week."

The body of Mr Norell, from the Snailbeach area of Shrewsbury, was found five days after the discovery of the bodies of Christopher McCallion, 29, and brother James, 35, from the south west of England.

Mr Henderson said there were a "particular set of conditions" in the area near the railway line which was leading to difficulties.

The group of four did not have ice axes or crampons, he said.

Ogwen Valley

"They are lucky to be alive as they could all have fallen," he added.

Ogwen Valley Mountain rescue team were also called out to two separate rescues on Saturday.

A man from Windsor, Berkshire, slipped 200ft (60m) whilst scrambling down Bristly Ridge on the Glyder, and was "very, very lucky" only to suffer a minor head injury, said team member Chris Lloyd.

As the injured man was being walked down the mountain another call came in about a woman walker who had slipped and broken her ankle.

"It was dark by that stage and two of the team set off half a mile to Cwm Idwal where the 28-year-old woman from Manchester had slipped.

"We administered first aid and pain killers and then carried her by stretcher down the mountain to a waiting ambulance," he said.

Both walkers could have avoided their accidents if they had been properly equipped, he added.

"Neither had crampons or ice axes and whilst the snow is soft off the beaten track, on the paths it is compacted and hard and you need crampons.

"I don't think either accident would have happened if they had been wearing them," he added.

North Wales Police are appealing for walkers to avoid dangerous mountain walks.

A spokeswoman said the the climber who died, Gwyn Norrell, was an "experienced" walker who was in the area by himself.

He had not been reported missing.