Missing Mountain Biker on Helvellyn

The Team was contacted by Cumbria Police following a report that a man was possibly in trouble on Helvellyn. He had been reported missing by his wife who had been tracking his progress from home and noticed that his position hadn’t changed for a few hours.

Contact was made with the informant and it was established that the man was out on his bike with his black labrador. The police located his vehicle in Grasmere where he had been staying. The Team requested the assistance of Search Dogs, Keswick MRT and LAMRT to search the various routes up to the location close to the summit of Helvellyn being communicated by the man’s phone.

Low cloud and high winds prevented the Coastguard Helicopter from joining the search. At about 01:00 hours, battling atrocious weather, Patterdale and Keswick Team Members managed to find the man’s bike and phone close to the edge of the summit plateau. However, there was no sign of the man or his dog. At around 01:30 hours, with conditions deteriorating, the difficult decision was made to call off the search until first light.

The last party cleared the fell at about 03:30 hours. Day 2 At 08:00 hours members from Cockermouth, Penrith, Kirkby Stephen and Patterdale Teams resumed the search. A rope system was set-up to enable them to descend the headwall to facilitate a search of the area where the man was suspected to have fallen. In the late morning it was confirmed that the dog had been found alive and well on a ledge.

Shortly afterwards the man was located, and it was confirmed that he had died as a result of the injuries sustained in his 180 metre fall. The casualty was recovered and transported back to Patterdale Base to be handed over to Cumbria Police.