Two Hikers Need Rescue

The rescue on Scotland's Sgurr Fiona on February 24 was a "very long and extremely technical" operation involving four different volunteer teams: Dundonnell, Assynt, Police Scotland Mountain Rescue Teams, and the RAF. Poor visibility and strong winds grounded a Coastguard helicopter, forcing rescuers to reach the man, who had taken a wrong turn, on foot. Navigating ice and rock falls, it took rescuers until 11:30 p.m. to even locate the stranded hillwalker. The operation to secure him with ropes and walk him back to safety took until the following afternoon, nearly 24 hours after he initially became stuck. This incident occurred just five days after a 58-year-old man died on the same mountain, following a search for his group of three. In the Adirondacks, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers frequently respond to rescues involving hikers who are unprepared for the conditions. Common factors include lacking essential gear like lights for night hiking or proper traction for icy trails. A recent tragedy highlighted these dangers when a 21-year-old hiker from New Jersey died from hypothermia on Mount Marcy around February 12. She had fallen off the trail into deep snow and, though she called for help, rangers took six hours to reach her due to the conditions. Her dog was found alive and hiked out to safety. Hypothermia is a primary threat in such conditions, as cold, wet, and windy weather causes the body to lose heat faster than it can produce it. Early signs can include confusion, stumbling, mumbling, and uncontrollable shivering, which can progress to a lack of shivering as the condition worsens. A 2020 report noted a surge in search and rescue missions in the Adirondacks, with the 230 missions by late October surpassing the annual totals for each of the previous 10 years. A retrospective study of Adirondack rescues found that in over half the search missions, the victims had little to no experience with their planned activity.