The two men were rescued from Tryfan's East Face. Photo: Alex Beamer
Two men were rescued from a 3,000ft Snowdonia mountain after spending more than five hours stuck on rocky ground.
Rescuers had to scour all four sides of Tryfan in visibility of only 10m before they found the pair on the East Face where they had strayed on to a climbing route.
Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation was alerted by police yesterday about 3.45pm after the men, from the south of England, called for help.
Chris Lloyd of the team said: “The team leader was able to get one brief telephone call to the two men, enough time to ascertain that they were in danger if they continued their descent but not enough to determine which part of Tryfan they might be on.
“Tryfan was immersed in cloud, almost down to the road. Further attempts to contact the two men, of retirement age, failed.”
The team split into small parties across the mountain as light failed.
The cragfast walkers were found about 9pm on the East Face, below Belle View Bastion and Terrace Wall.
Mr Lloyd said the pair strayed on to rock-climbing areas while trying to make their way off the mountain via the North Gully.
“This is easily done and members of Ogwen Valley MRO frequently find themselves in this area to bring people to safety,” he said. “Previously, there have been fatalities in this area because people can see the footpath on Heather Terrace just a few but treacherous metres below.”
He said the men were well equipped and had tackled the scramble up the North Ridge.
“When they came to the North Tower towering into the mists, they wisely opted for the Eastern Traverse, an easier scramble along the tops of the rock climbs, which leads to the North Gully and then to the summit,” he said.
“Once they arrived into the cloud filled amphitheatre of the upper reaches on the North Gully, they decided to escape from the mountain down the gully.
“While this gully looks a well used route, it can only be safely descended if people escape to Little Gully about one third down the gully.
“If Little Gully is not found, the route comes to an abrupt halt with a 10m drop. People are easily tempted onto the grassy ledges which lead onto the rock climbs on the East Face.
“And this is where the two men had found themselves.”
The two men were given a safety rope and led up the North Gully and down Western Gully to safety ad arrived at the team’s base across the A5 from Tryfan, at about 10.30pm.
