‘Exponential’ rise in mountain rescues threatens to overwhelm services as social media fuels risk
Visitors to UK mountain issued severe warning
- Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team, the busiest in the UK, is experiencing an unsustainable rise in callouts on Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), partly attributed to social media trends.
- The team recorded 33 rescues in October and 22 in November, with a third of these incidents involving unprepared young men under 24 on the challenging Crib Goch route.
- Jurgen Dissmann, Chair of LMRT, warned that winter conditions make routes like Crib Goch extremely dangerous, often underestimated by climbers lacking experience or proper equipment.
- Dissmann highlighted a concerning increase in fatalities in Snowdonia, surpassing the usual annual figures, and expressed fears that the team may soon be unable to cope with the exponential rise in incidents.
- A TikToker, Nathan Buru, shared his near-fatal rescue from Crib Goch after underestimating the severe weather, emphasising the critical importance of preparedness and realistic self-assessment.