Cragfast Scrambler on Striding Edge

Cumbria Police alerted the Team to a woman in her mid-50’s with an underlying medical condition who had become cragfast while scrambling with her partner on Striding Edge. After a brief phone conversation with her partner, it was clear that she would require stretcher evacuation.

Due to the casualty’s location, at the far end of the Edge, part way up the exit ramp onto Helvellyn, and the woman’s condition, the assistance of an HMCG helicopter was requested. As darkness fell, Team Members started the climb to the casualty’s location. The rescue helicopter made several attempts to access Red Tarn but low cloud and the lack of wind prevented it from gaining access, so the helicopter returned to its Caernarfon Base.

Team Members reached the woman and her partner at about 18:30 hours. They assessed her condition, packaged her in a stretcher and lowered her down the south east edge of the Helvellyn headwall. Once at the bottom the stretcher was carried, sledged and wheeled around the tarn and then down to Greenside Mines.