Rare Moutain Rescue in Scotland

[Raven]

Not alot of climbing rescue stories out of Scotland, but here's one with a good ending...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41334296/ns/world_news-europe

 

[Raven]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jan/30/climber-found-standing-up-scotland

A few more details and a nice pic of Scotland's mountains near the fall.

This guy is really lucky.

 

[Scotzman]

Wow that is pretty amazing! Hard to imagine surviving a 1000' fall.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Found standing up and reading a map, with only some cuts and bruises. But, his last name is Potter, which probably explains everything.

 

[Creag Nan Drochaid]

Topograhy Sgurr Choinnich Beag

I visited the Guardian website. Their photo is almost certainly taken from Carn Mor Dearag 1223m west to the summit plateau of Ben Nevis 1344m. That would make the next peak across Glen Nevis Mullach nan Coirean 939m, or perhaps Stob Ban 999m to its left. Cannot be sure.
In any event, Sgurr Choinnich Beag 963m is a few miles east of the photo, the third Munroe of a ridge that runs SE then E on the north side of the Water of Nevis. The OS map Outdoor Leisure 38 (Ben Nevis and Glen Coe) shows the south and southeast aspect of this hill have but few crags above a long and relatively smooth slope. The west to north to east aspects have steep crags that drop to a rocky coire, or ravine. If Mr. Potter bounced off a few low crags on his way to rolling or sliding down the smooth slope, especially if it had fresh snow, then his great good fortune and medical condition are more understandable and less miraculous. All the same, he is most exceeding lucky.
The smily face is Mr. Potter at home in Glasgow.

 

[pedxing]

Thanks for those stories Raven.

I found some brief video on the guy - apparently in the hospital.

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/224559-...ain-and-is-found-standing-up-reading-his-map/

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Hey Raven, Creag, et al.,

Here is a link that my brother sent me, which may have more info on the location?

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/303074#ixzz1CXX8z7S1

 

[Creag Nan Drochaid]

I do not know how I thought Mr Potter fell off Sgurr Choinich Beag when the story is he fell from Sgurr Choinich Mor, the next peak along the ridge. Escaping death would be surprising enough, but being almost unscathed is indeed miraculous.

 

[Raven]

Creag, Dr. D, PedX - thanks for the additions. Details are much better in these links. He did break his back in three places I saw...but wow.

"Glanced off the outcrops" kept coming up. Sounds really ugly.

This story has some similarities to last (?) winter's King Ravine incident where the hiker, unable to arrest above the ravine, slid ever faster over the headwall, ended up at the bottom, and apparently was able to walk out after calling in his own rescue. That had to be close to a 1000' fall as well depending on where he stopped.

Edit: just saw the link in the other (now-closed) thread to the above referenced story - 1500' fall...