Four who ignored warnings rescued on Carrantuohill

DESPITE warnings not to go onto snow-covered mountains without proper equipment, four people had to be brought to safety from Carrantuohill by the Kerry Mountain Rescue Team (KMRT), late on Saturday night.

Two separate groups, including two Irish men and two Eastern European men, were unable to come down from the treacherous Devil’s Ladder and the rescue team was called out at about 4.30pm.

Two of the men became alarmed after taking what was described as “long slide” when approaching the ladder on their descent from the summit.

Fortunately, two experienced climbers who were on mountain at the time went to the assistance of the four and stayed with them until the 20-strong rescue party arrived.

Ropes were used to bring the uninjured hill walkers down the mountain.

The operation was completed shortly before midnight. On January 4, the KMRT issued a strong warning to people through the media not to venture onto the mountains – where conditions are described by experienced climbers as “Alpine winter mountaineering” – without the necessary equipment

The KMRT also erected signs on approaches to Carrantuohill highlighting dangers posed by snow and ice on the hills and urging hill walkers not to go onto steep ground without ice axes and crampons (spiked footwear for use in snow and icy conditions).

However, according to KMRT spokesman Damien Courtney, the four people at the centre of weekend operation did not have winter mountaineering equipment.

“They were lucky to meet two experienced mountaineers when they got into difficulty.

The main risk was hypothermia in the extremely cold conditions,” he added.

“It was harsh and very, very cold up there with a severe wind chill.”

The KMRT said people not properly prepared for winter conditions had slipped to their deaths on Kerry hills in recent years. Hill walkers were warned of the risk of avalanches and deceptive snow drifts in mountain gullies.