As with callouts 70 & 71 last Saturday, this relatively straightforward callout turned into something much more complex.
It was a beautiful clear & cold day on Kinder, perfect for a walk. Two well equipped and experienced walkers had come up from Edale to enjoy the scenery. Unluckily, one of them slipped on a patch of ice around The Woolpacks and sustained an ankle injury. We were asked to assist. This should have been a straightforward locate, treat & evacuate operation. But, low numbers because of it being mid-week, and the sub-zero temperatures made things more difficult.
As usual, Kinder 1 went to Edale Cross in our Landrover and then deployed by foot along the Southern Edge path to the casualty site. We were struggling to have numbers for a Kinder 2 party to take the stretcher, and we didn’t have sufficient people for the long stretcher evacuation. We were also concerned about the sub-zero temperatures (mountain weather forecast was ‘feels like’ -9 degrees at 600m) and hypothermia. We therefore asked for assistance from the Coastguard S92 rescue helicopter and from our colleagues at Glossop MRT.
Our new Landrover was fantastic at getting up the icy track but unbelievably had another puncture (different wheel) and so was stuck at Edale Cross. Our older vehicles couldn’t make it up the track past the ice at Stoney Ford. Kinder 2 plus Glossop MRT walked up the track to Edale Cross ready to provide stretcher evacuation if needed.
K1 arrived at the casualty site and provided pain relief and splinting, along with shelter and warming. The S92 helicopter arrived shortly afterwards. We used the S92 stretcher and carried the casualty into the helicopter. She was flown down to Barton Airfield and then transported by ambulance to Salford Royal Infirmary.
The casualty’s friend and a passing walker who had stopped to help were both walked off to Edale Cross and down to a waiting vehicle at Stoney Ford.
Unfortunately, as we were executing the evacuation, the driver of our Mobile 3 slipped on the ice whilst opening the gate at Coldwell Clough and sustained a lower leg injury. She was in too much pain to hobble back inside the vehicle and had to lie on the ice to wait for help. Fortunately, she had her phone with her and called our base control. Glossop MRT were on their way down in their vehicles and they quickly arrived at Coldwell Clough. A second KMRT party was deployed from base. We were able to give significant pain relief, splint the leg and evacuate our colleague to base. She was helped into her car and her husband drove her to A&E (which was faster than waiting for an ambulance at base). It seems that she sustained a broken tibia and fibula – a very painful injury and a reminder of the risks MR members take in providing our rescue service.
Our original casualty party were now at base and we gave them a lift to Edale to pick up their own cars.
We have now completed the same number of calls as last year’s record breaking total and significantly more than our usual 40-50 calls a year. A testament to the commitment and dedication of all our MR volunteers.
Our best wishes go to our casualty at the Woolpacks and our injured colleague. We hope you’re both fit and well again soon. Also, many thanks to our colleagues from Glossop Mountain Rescue Team and Coastguard Rescue 912.
Kinder Mountain Rescue Team is staffed by volunteers who give their time free of charge and is funded entirely by public donations.
https://www.justgiving.com/kmrt
– Time: 15:30
– Type: Mountain Incident
– Location: The Woolpacks, Kinder Scout
– Team members: 17 plus Glossop MRT and Coastguard Rescue 912
– Duration: 4.75 Hours
– Volunteer hours on this incident: 80.75 hours
– Total callout hours in 2025: 4336.5 hours
