Mountain rescue team cautions festive climbers

HILL walkers and others planning to head for the mountains during Christmas and the new year period were yesterday urged to take extreme care.

Carrantuohill, in Kerry, has become a magnet for people during the festive season and has also been the scene of fatalities at this time of year, especially in bad weather.

The Kerry Mountain Rescue Team, which regularly responds to calls for help from climbers in trouble, warned about Christmas being an accident-prone time on the hills.

Team spokesman Brendan Coffey said: “Winter mountaineering and hill walking are serious undertakings. They are not to be embarked upon lightly, or carelessly.”

He described Carrantuohill as a “specifically challenging and dangerous” mountain.

Mr Coffey said lack of navigational skills was the biggest contributor to mishaps.

The team advised people to:

* Get a weather forecast and if it’s unfavourable pay heed to it.

* Plan their route carefully.

* Start and finish early as daylight is now greatly reduced.

* Don’t exceed the abilities of a group in regard to endurance, or navigation.

* Know where they are and how to get to their intended target, safely.

* Let somebody know of their intended route and stick to it.

* Carry enough and appropriate equipment, including warm, non-alcoholic drinks, a torch, plenty of food and spare clothing.

* Be wary of wet, slippery and icy conditions.

* Don’t assume they will have mobile phone coverage.

* Don’t go to the hills alone.

Comprehensive safety advice is available on the website, www.kerrymountainrescue.ie