Mountaineering club pays tribute to members

An Teallach Mountaineering Club, who lost three members in the avalanche tragedy in Glencoe on Saturday have issued a joint press release with the Mountaineering Council of Scotland, paying tribute to their friends and also emphasising where walkers and climbers can go to get weather and avalanche risk information.

A spokesman for the An Teallach Mountaineering Club said, “The members of the ATMC are very saddened by this terrible accident and the loss of our friends Eamonn, John and Brian. Our thoughts are first and foremost with their families and all other friends at this difficult time to whom we offer our sincere condolences.

All three men had been members of the club for many years and were experienced mountaineers. They were all great guys, good company and were wonderful supporters of the club. They had a love of the mountains and their sense of fun and friendship made a significant contribution to the life of the club. They had attended club events all over Scotland.

John and Eamonn had made regular trips with the club to the Dolomites in Italy. Their loss is a great blow to this small club and they will all be sorely missed and remembered with a great deal of affection by all in the club. The members would also like to thank the fantastic efforts of the mountain rescue teams, helicopter crews, police and everyone else involved in Saturday’s events.”

David Gibson, Chief Officer of the MCofS said, “ATMC is an active club with a 20-year history of climbing and mountaineering across Europe, and although small in numbers, a very sociable club, and one that has contributed much to Scottish mountaineering and the MCofS.

This was the most serious Scottish avalanche incident in recent years and is a blunt reminder of the fickle nature of Scotland’s snow and avalanche conditions. Mountaineering and climbing are activities with a risk of injury or death and avalanches are one of the hazards that may be encountered on the hills. However, it is important to recognise that thousands of people were out on the Scottish hills on Saturday and that the vast majority had a safe and enjoyable day.

Mountaineers and climbers develop self reliance through experience. It is essential that individual experience is further informed about avalanche and weather conditions through the specialist information and advice which is updated daily and freely available to all.”

David Gibson urged climbers and walkers to use the SportScotland Avalanche Information Service and the Mountain Weather Information Service to inform their decisions on when and where to walk and climb.