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| Ben Nevis climbers come together to aid search for missing couple | |
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| As treacherous weather conditions and plummeting temperatures continue to hamper the search for two climbers missing on Ben Nevis in the Scottish Highlands, one of the last people to see the couple has described how the tragedy has galvanised the climbing community. | As treacherous weather conditions and plummeting temperatures continue to hamper the search for two climbers missing on Ben Nevis in the Scottish Highlands, one of the last people to see the couple has described how the tragedy has galvanised the climbing community. |
| Patrick Roman – who last saw Rachel Slater, 24, and Tim Newton, 27, on the path from their camp by the Charles Inglis Clark memorial hut on the north side of Ben Nevis at 12.03pm on 13 February – told the Guardian: “In 14 years of climbing, I’ve never come across this kind of response.” | Patrick Roman – who last saw Rachel Slater, 24, and Tim Newton, 27, on the path from their camp by the Charles Inglis Clark memorial hut on the north side of Ben Nevis at 12.03pm on 13 February – told the Guardian: “In 14 years of climbing, I’ve never come across this kind of response.” |
| The Lochaber mountain rescue team (LMRT) posted on Facebook early on Sunday morning, describing conditions on the mountainside as “still very wild with high winds and snow”. LMRT reported that it had escorted two hillwalkers lost on the summit of Ben Nevis down to safety overnight, and said that the search for Slater and Newton, from Bradford in West Yorkshire, would be reviewed later in the morning. | The Lochaber mountain rescue team (LMRT) posted on Facebook early on Sunday morning, describing conditions on the mountainside as “still very wild with high winds and snow”. LMRT reported that it had escorted two hillwalkers lost on the summit of Ben Nevis down to safety overnight, and said that the search for Slater and Newton, from Bradford in West Yorkshire, would be reviewed later in the morning. |
| Despite hazardous conditions, LMRT conducted ground searches on Saturday morning with 26 team members and a search dog, but made no positive sightings. Investigations focused on the Coire Na Ciste area, including under Carn Dearg Buttress, below Waterfall Gully and both Castle gullies. Observations were also made of the north face of the mountain. On the summit on Saturday, the temperature was recorded at -6C (21.2F), or -19C with the windchill factor. | Despite hazardous conditions, LMRT conducted ground searches on Saturday morning with 26 team members and a search dog, but made no positive sightings. Investigations focused on the Coire Na Ciste area, including under Carn Dearg Buttress, below Waterfall Gully and both Castle gullies. Observations were also made of the north face of the mountain. On the summit on Saturday, the temperature was recorded at -6C (21.2F), or -19C with the windchill factor. |
| As Roman explained, it was like “searching for a needle in a haystack. When you try to break even the north face up into all the ridges and buttresses, there is an infinite amount of ground. The direction that I saw them walking in was down the path towards the car park, perhaps to cross the river and head for the cliffs, or a bunch of climbs on the Castle area.” | As Roman explained, it was like “searching for a needle in a haystack. When you try to break even the north face up into all the ridges and buttresses, there is an infinite amount of ground. The direction that I saw them walking in was down the path towards the car park, perhaps to cross the river and head for the cliffs, or a bunch of climbs on the Castle area.” |
| Roman, who had been in contact with the Lochaber team, said that LMRT was following a dedicated discussion thread on the UK Climbing website, where other climbers familiar with the ground were suggesting possible search areas. “It has resonated a lot with the climbing community,” Roman said. “These were two young people – life partners, not just climbing partners – and people are genuinely trying to help. We are particularly bad in the UK at discussing accidents and trying to learn from them.” | Roman, who had been in contact with the Lochaber team, said that LMRT was following a dedicated discussion thread on the UK Climbing website, where other climbers familiar with the ground were suggesting possible search areas. “It has resonated a lot with the climbing community,” Roman said. “These were two young people – life partners, not just climbing partners – and people are genuinely trying to help. We are particularly bad in the UK at discussing accidents and trying to learn from them.” |
| Roman added that he was not surprised that the pair, who he believes were climbing on Ben Nevis for only the second time, did not leave behind a note of their planned route. “I’m not surprised that they didn’t leave a route, nor that it has been brought up by non-climbing people. Especially in winter, climbing is much less clear: you go on to the mountain and find that some routes are not in condition, or there’s another party just started and you don’t want to hang around, and you don’t have mobile reception to alert anyone that plans have changed.” | Roman added that he was not surprised that the pair, who he believes were climbing on Ben Nevis for only the second time, did not leave behind a note of their planned route. “I’m not surprised that they didn’t leave a route, nor that it has been brought up by non-climbing people. Especially in winter, climbing is much less clear: you go on to the mountain and find that some routes are not in condition, or there’s another party just started and you don’t want to hang around, and you don’t have mobile reception to alert anyone that plans have changed.” |
| Roman’s former partner Amy Rudge was killed in a climbing accident on Aonach Beag, a peak just east of Ben Nevis, 11 years ago; she slipped on exposed ground and fell more than 800ft. He resented the suggestion from some members of the public that climbers were wilfully taking risks. “The idea that there is an element of risk is part of the appeal. But the idea that climbers are adrenaline junkies is wrong; we’re not doing it for the adrenaline buzz. In my experience, the only time you feel that is when something has gone wrong.” | Roman’s former partner Amy Rudge was killed in a climbing accident on Aonach Beag, a peak just east of Ben Nevis, 11 years ago; she slipped on exposed ground and fell more than 800ft. He resented the suggestion from some members of the public that climbers were wilfully taking risks. “The idea that there is an element of risk is part of the appeal. But the idea that climbers are adrenaline junkies is wrong; we’re not doing it for the adrenaline buzz. In my experience, the only time you feel that is when something has gone wrong.” |
| Describing Sunday’s weather as increasingly hazardous with a risk of avalanches, Police Scotland said the families of the missing climbers would continue to be informed of search plans, and appealed for any further information from people in the Ben Nevis area last weekend. | Describing Sunday’s weather as increasingly hazardous with a risk of avalanches, Police Scotland said the families of the missing climbers would continue to be informed of search plans, and appealed for any further information from people in the Ben Nevis area last weekend. |
| “There have been a number of reports from other climbers and hillwalkers of their own movements between Friday 12 February and Sunday 14 February, and while not all of these reports will have been sightings of Tim and Rachel, this information does help to build a positive line of inquiry as to areas considered for future search operations.” | “There have been a number of reports from other climbers and hillwalkers of their own movements between Friday 12 February and Sunday 14 February, and while not all of these reports will have been sightings of Tim and Rachel, this information does help to build a positive line of inquiry as to areas considered for future search operations.” |