Climber lost in blizzard rescued from Scottish mountain range
The climber became separated from their group during a snowstorm in the boulder field of the Coire an t-Sneachda, Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team said.
Sunday 31 December 2023 17:07, UK
A climber was rescued from a Scottish mountain range after getting lost in blizzard conditions.
Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team (CMRT) said the climber became separated from their group during a snowstorm in the boulder field of the Coire an t-Sneachda on Friday.
Temperatures were around -3C at the time, according to the Met Office.
According to the CMRT, the climber was "very cold and suffering from exhaustion".
"Unable to walk due to exhaustion, after some rewarming, we packaged the climber onto our stretcher using blizzard blankets and heat pads and carried them out to our Can-Am [off-road vehicle] that was waiting in Coire Cas," the rescue team said in a statement.
Everyone was "safe and back at base" by 10.30pm, according to the rescue team.
The Cairngorms - a mountain range in the eastern Highlands of Scotland - have seen heavy snowfall and temperatures below freezing throughout December.
Earlier this month, a team from CMRT rescued a climber who was injured after getting caught in an avalanche in the Coire an t-Sneachda.
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The Coire an t-Sneachda - translated from Scottish Gaelic to English as Corrie of the Snow - is a high mountain corrie located within the Cairngorms.
Located near the Cairngorm ski centre, it is a popular destination for rock and ice climbers.
However, it has been the site of several deaths, including in 2007 when five climbers died from falls or exposure to adverse weather within a two-month period.
CMRT is made up of 40 volunteers and relies on public donations to fund their work - dealing with around 45 call-outs each year.