Idiots in the mountains

[pepecat]

I went up Snowdon at the end of October one year. It was cold, drizzly, and once we got up on the ridge from the Glaslyn side, we were into the cloud and the wind was hurtling across the ridge. Six of us went up, all wearing walking clothes / full waterproofs / walking boots etc. Saw loads of people on the way up wearing just jeans and trainers, looking like they'd strolled in off a high street somewhere. They can't have come off the train cos that's the other side of the mountain!
The weather wasn't great anyway that day - you'd have thought that would be a clue that it would be worse the further up the mountain you got.....

 

[Judderz]

I did Striding Edge in Oct 2010, (<<see avatar), this was my first time, and probably went over-prepared, as in my rucksack was a thermal fleece, thermal coat etc and ended up taking them off as was hot as hell (even for October), but the amount of people who not prepared, guys in sandals/trainers, kids jumping and running along the edge with no consideration of the dangers to themselves or others.

 

[sunnyjim]

I remember quite a few years ago a couple of mountain bikers proudly recounted in an article in one of the main MTB magazines their doing Aonach Eagach with their bikes. A rather stupid thing to try you might think as there is no cycling whatsoever to be had but nowhere near as stupid as the authors proud telling that having looked at the price of climbing ropes, he'd gone and bought himself a washing line at a fraction of the price to rope up with.

Finest of mountaineering traditions- remember Whymper's 'stout sash line'. Not recommending it, you understand.

 

[DCLane]

We're doing 3 Peaks of the UK in 24 hours in July - the kit list is looong. Anyone not prepared isn't going - I can understand why.

 

[doctornige]

Dad and I were once laughed at by a relative for over preparing for Snowdon. Years of experience in Scotland proved to be worthwhile when the mist dropped on the summit.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

We're doing 3 Peaks of the UK in 24 hours in July - the kit list is looong. Anyone not prepared isn't going - I can understand why.

Good luck with that. That's a tough challenge.

When I started climbing/scrambling/hiking about 40 years back my kit list was huge. Now it is very short, just essentials. Light equals fast and speed is a massive asset in the hills esp' if things take an unexpected turn for the worst.

 

[DCLane]

Good luck with that. That's a tough challenge.

Thanks - they're concerned that we could be caught out. However, drivers will be taking us to each peak. It'll be tight, but we should make it.

 

[Piemaster]

I wonder how anyone survived before 'thermal' and 'technical' clothing was invented for the hills. Wasn't there something about kilts?

 

[snorri]

I wonder how anyone survived before 'thermal' and 'technical' clothing was invented for the hills. Wasn't there something about kilts?

I wonder how we survived on boats as youngsters, it all seems comparatively easy now to cope with cold and wet.

 

[Globalti]

I've been enjoying this thread and thinking how good it is that the great British tradition of bumbling incompetence is being kept alive.

Britain managed to dominate huge swathes of the world despite being grossly incompetent so it can't all be bad.

 

[Arjimlad]

I was up at Patterdale Hall last week - lovely to see the snow but there was no way the kids, Mrs and myself were going to venture up beyond Keldas on some of the snowy/foggy days...

 

[mcshroom]

I've been enjoying this thread and thinking how good it is that the great British tradition of bumbling incompetence is being kept alive.

Britain managed to dominate huge swathes of the world despite being grossly incompetent so it can't all be bad.

I'm all for British people bumbling along, but the number of call outs the MRTs get up here is getting ridiculous. The poor volunteers in the MRTs are spending more and more time escorting people from fells who are underprepared and often using smartphones as maps.

 

[HLaB]

My uncle used to be in the mountain rescue up north (he's from Lochinver), I don't think he ever complained about it but i think my Aunt did He'd be away all night searching for somebody/s and they'd be tucked up in a warm bed just never bothered to tell anyone they were OK.

 

[classic33]

We're doing 3 Peaks of the UK in 24 hours in July - the kit list is looong. Anyone not prepared isn't going - I can understand why.

Is it North - South or South - North.
Take it at a steady pace & its do-able.

 

[DCLane]

Is it North - South or South - North.
Take it at a steady pace & its do-able.

The aim is Ben Nevis 6am Sat, Scafell Pike 5pm Sat, Snowdon 2am Sun - so North-South.

It should be OK and we're going through some training as well.