Remote Control Rescue
Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 10:22 pmRoute was something like this
Set off from Aberdeen at 2.40am as I was just finished work (got in 2 hrs sleep) to meet Cesar at Fersit to walk The Easains we planned for a 9am start thinking we should have plenty daylight in that, David moves quick I just try keep up, weather was to be good in the morning and start changing around 13.00, so hoping to get some views too.
Still heavily snowing as leaving Aberdeenshire roads were not great until after Huntly and a few miles from Dufftown snow drift making this the worst of the drive over, I parked up at lay-by for turn off too Tulloch station as it started snowing again to have another sleep here, texted David to met here and see what the road to Fersit is like a bit later ( tip from Scoob & Fi ). Managed to get a asleep once I figured out how to get alarm from going off leave key in ignition
.
Woke about 8.20am and started to get gear on, wasn’t that much snow on the roads, soon Cesar passed no flew by and just spotted me as he did , after saying our hello's, we drove for the parking space near An Dubh Lochan and were ready for the off within 10 mins, soon we were climbing over the fence and decided to take direct route up to Creag Fhiaclach and head along ridge towards Meall Cian Dearg, as we walked towards it discussing what way to get over this big nose, we were after reading that there was a path to the left but this was not visible for the snow, its fairly steep climb up this part just below the nose and we took off to the right just below the crags with Coire Laire to our right, as we made our way across we could see where we wanted to get too just below Coire Shomhairle, but it didn’t feel right walking across this section of snow and both decided it wasn’t safe so returned to other side looking down onto Loch Treig, found a section to climb up with one part needing extra care, soon we were up onto the broad ridge with Stob Choire Mheadhoin in front of us smiling again but knew this was after taking an extra bit of time and energy on we went taking a few photo's with the Grey Corries to the west and Sgriodain to east with Chno Dearg.
The weather gave us some good views so far, but that was about to change as got to the first summit we could only see a few feet in front of us, took our snaps of top and moved onto next one as we knew the snow and wind had slowed us down a lot now and wanted to be walking off the ridge before darkness, at the bealach saw where the route off was as described from my Munro book by SMC, Coire Easain was like walking up a wall not sure if it was a good thing not being able to see the top, but now energy was really sapped little bite to eat and away again doesn’t take long to descend off this one.
Back at the bealach we had a look at SMC's route off but it was just a cornice all the way round so this was a no, had a look to the right towards LochTreig, but since neither had read about a route off this side decided against it although it did look inviting. We headed back over Mheadhoin down other side and started walking up over top that I think was 948m after this weather had really changed for the worst and so when we started walking on level ground thought we were heading back in right direction I had GPS out and following the arrows as we couldn’t see a few feet either side and weren’t sure if we were close to the edge, at this stage battery goes so quick switch and try to take up path again but we seemed to be rising again and sure we should have being on level ground.
The weather was so bad now we decided to take cover under bivvy shelter and see if it changes and we can figure out our location, as bags were outside I had to get change of gloves and when outside can only be described as blinding not just the wind but the whiteness, my first experience of this, came in and said we wont be going anywhere in that, the little red seat slides I had were torn away from bag away from sight in seconds, which would have being good shovels.
Decision made to contact help, I rang Spiderwebb who i knew was walking in Laggan and he moves so slow knew he'd be still about the area
. He said he would contact LMR and make his way to our cars and at this time Cesar was ringing wife to let her know his situation, and if she could get us a number for a MR,when she rang back said to ring 999 and ask for MR, as Cesar was speaking to them LMR rang my phone after being contacted by Spider, so we were both trying to talk with this howling wind and bivvy shelter going like the clappers with no one getting any info. LMR said they would contact my phone as it was getting a better signal, what they wanted to know was anyone injured, how we were for clothing suitably geared out, enough food and water, they knew weather was bad but wanted to know how serious, my reply was, we're getting battered here, he said yeah it sounds it. Last question what’s your position, damn, we weren’t sure, but gave out where we thought we were but said we not 100% and as it turned out we weren’t too far away from it, right, he said, we'll ring back when we make a decision as what to do. In the meantime try dig a hole north, I didn’t want to leave the shelter, every ten minutes we looked down and our legs were white from the knees down with the snow blowing up underneath the bivvy. Now I could see my phone starting to get wet under the screen and then start flickering eventually it packed in, Cesar with only 26% battery live left was reassuring Becky that he be ok ( she only worried about ya 
)
LMR when couldn’t contact my phone got Cesars and told us to prepare for a night up there as they couldn’t come up without knowing exact location in those conditions, which is understandable, so as we were sorting ourselves out we got another text to turn on GPS on phone and click link in text message, this located our exact location, LMR then rang back to tell us to follow compass due north and this will take us into glen, but we thought it might have being leading us to where we were earlier in the day, LMR reassured us it was a safe route off.
It was if they pressed a button on the remote-control and somewhere energy came back into the body, we packed up, torches on and following compass off the hill, down through the deep snow eventually we could start making out the landscape, some how the near full moon was getting through the dark clouds. We made our way back towards the cars, walking just beneath Creag Fhiaclach to get to the Loch, by now i was falling every few steps and wanted to just lie down and sleep, Cesar encouraging me to keep going, every step felt like knee deep bog, I told him to go ahead a few times but he refused each time, so when we got nearer the cars he went on to try drive up a bit nearer me, I stopped took some more food, and last few steps in me managed to get to road where police 4x4 was waiting with Cesar in the back. Police dropped us back to car took a few details and when we stepped out Spider was there to meet us.
We went into Roybridge to try get some food but a tad late, quick drink then back into cars to head our own way each just wanting to get home or some sleep. As I drove home had to stop before Laggan and again near Grantown of Spey to sleep getting about 5 hrs between both stops arriving back in Aberdeen just after 8am.
Would just like to thank Dave Webb for contacting LMR and for making his way up the hill to try and get us off there
.
LMR for staying in touch with us through the hours up there, always looking for a solution to get us off there and not stopping till they did
Cesar for having the energy to keep himself going plus giving me the encouragement to keep going too
All the walkers we know who were rooting for us out there for a safe return, was nice to read all the comments next day
Both of us will take a few lessons from this, in a way I'm glad to have experienced this, the main reason that LMR didn’t have to come out onto the hill, but realise we used up there time, which maybe could have being used assisting someone else or another MR team.
Am sure Cesar might want to add something that I have missed out on, could write loads more about this but finger tips are still numb after the experience.
Set off from Aberdeen at 2.40am as I was just finished work (got in 2 hrs sleep) to meet Cesar at Fersit to walk The Easains we planned for a 9am start thinking we should have plenty daylight in that, David moves quick I just try keep up, weather was to be good in the morning and start changing around 13.00, so hoping to get some views too.
Still heavily snowing as leaving Aberdeenshire roads were not great until after Huntly and a few miles from Dufftown snow drift making this the worst of the drive over, I parked up at lay-by for turn off too Tulloch station as it started snowing again to have another sleep here, texted David to met here and see what the road to Fersit is like a bit later ( tip from Scoob & Fi ). Managed to get a asleep once I figured out how to get alarm from going off leave key in ignition
.Woke about 8.20am and started to get gear on, wasn’t that much snow on the roads, soon Cesar passed no flew by and just spotted me as he did , after saying our hello's, we drove for the parking space near An Dubh Lochan and were ready for the off within 10 mins, soon we were climbing over the fence and decided to take direct route up to Creag Fhiaclach and head along ridge towards Meall Cian Dearg, as we walked towards it discussing what way to get over this big nose, we were after reading that there was a path to the left but this was not visible for the snow, its fairly steep climb up this part just below the nose and we took off to the right just below the crags with Coire Laire to our right, as we made our way across we could see where we wanted to get too just below Coire Shomhairle, but it didn’t feel right walking across this section of snow and both decided it wasn’t safe so returned to other side looking down onto Loch Treig, found a section to climb up with one part needing extra care, soon we were up onto the broad ridge with Stob Choire Mheadhoin in front of us smiling again but knew this was after taking an extra bit of time and energy on we went taking a few photo's with the Grey Corries to the west and Sgriodain to east with Chno Dearg.
The weather gave us some good views so far, but that was about to change as got to the first summit we could only see a few feet in front of us, took our snaps of top and moved onto next one as we knew the snow and wind had slowed us down a lot now and wanted to be walking off the ridge before darkness, at the bealach saw where the route off was as described from my Munro book by SMC, Coire Easain was like walking up a wall not sure if it was a good thing not being able to see the top, but now energy was really sapped little bite to eat and away again doesn’t take long to descend off this one.
Back at the bealach we had a look at SMC's route off but it was just a cornice all the way round so this was a no, had a look to the right towards LochTreig, but since neither had read about a route off this side decided against it although it did look inviting. We headed back over Mheadhoin down other side and started walking up over top that I think was 948m after this weather had really changed for the worst and so when we started walking on level ground thought we were heading back in right direction I had GPS out and following the arrows as we couldn’t see a few feet either side and weren’t sure if we were close to the edge, at this stage battery goes so quick switch and try to take up path again but we seemed to be rising again and sure we should have being on level ground.
The weather was so bad now we decided to take cover under bivvy shelter and see if it changes and we can figure out our location, as bags were outside I had to get change of gloves and when outside can only be described as blinding not just the wind but the whiteness, my first experience of this, came in and said we wont be going anywhere in that, the little red seat slides I had were torn away from bag away from sight in seconds, which would have being good shovels.
Decision made to contact help, I rang Spiderwebb who i knew was walking in Laggan and he moves so slow knew he'd be still about the area
. He said he would contact LMR and make his way to our cars and at this time Cesar was ringing wife to let her know his situation, and if she could get us a number for a MR,when she rang back said to ring 999 and ask for MR, as Cesar was speaking to them LMR rang my phone after being contacted by Spider, so we were both trying to talk with this howling wind and bivvy shelter going like the clappers with no one getting any info. LMR said they would contact my phone as it was getting a better signal, what they wanted to know was anyone injured, how we were for clothing suitably geared out, enough food and water, they knew weather was bad but wanted to know how serious, my reply was, we're getting battered here, he said yeah it sounds it. Last question what’s your position, damn, we weren’t sure, but gave out where we thought we were but said we not 100% and as it turned out we weren’t too far away from it, right, he said, we'll ring back when we make a decision as what to do. In the meantime try dig a hole north, I didn’t want to leave the shelter, every ten minutes we looked down and our legs were white from the knees down with the snow blowing up underneath the bivvy. Now I could see my phone starting to get wet under the screen and then start flickering eventually it packed in, Cesar with only 26% battery live left was reassuring Becky that he be ok ( she only worried about ya )LMR when couldn’t contact my phone got Cesars and told us to prepare for a night up there as they couldn’t come up without knowing exact location in those conditions, which is understandable, so as we were sorting ourselves out we got another text to turn on GPS on phone and click link in text message, this located our exact location, LMR then rang back to tell us to follow compass due north and this will take us into glen, but we thought it might have being leading us to where we were earlier in the day, LMR reassured us it was a safe route off.
It was if they pressed a button on the remote-control and somewhere energy came back into the body, we packed up, torches on and following compass off the hill, down through the deep snow eventually we could start making out the landscape, some how the near full moon was getting through the dark clouds. We made our way back towards the cars, walking just beneath Creag Fhiaclach to get to the Loch, by now i was falling every few steps and wanted to just lie down and sleep, Cesar encouraging me to keep going, every step felt like knee deep bog, I told him to go ahead a few times but he refused each time, so when we got nearer the cars he went on to try drive up a bit nearer me, I stopped took some more food, and last few steps in me managed to get to road where police 4x4 was waiting with Cesar in the back. Police dropped us back to car took a few details and when we stepped out Spider was there to meet us.
We went into Roybridge to try get some food but a tad late, quick drink then back into cars to head our own way each just wanting to get home or some sleep. As I drove home had to stop before Laggan and again near Grantown of Spey to sleep getting about 5 hrs between both stops arriving back in Aberdeen just after 8am.
Would just like to thank Dave Webb for contacting LMR and for making his way up the hill to try and get us off there
.LMR for staying in touch with us through the hours up there, always looking for a solution to get us off there and not stopping till they did
Cesar for having the energy to keep himself going plus giving me the encouragement to keep going too
All the walkers we know who were rooting for us out there for a safe return, was nice to read all the comments next day
Both of us will take a few lessons from this, in a way I'm glad to have experienced this, the main reason that LMR didn’t have to come out onto the hill, but realise we used up there time, which maybe could have being used assisting someone else or another MR team.
Am sure Cesar might want to add something that I have missed out on, could write loads more about this but finger tips are still numb after the experience.
I'd recommend getting ski goggles too! 
