Avalanche In Glencoe

Bidean nam Bian (the 3 sisters): a munro with many routes of varying complexity. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

Snow has been falling heavily across the vast majority of the UK for the last few days so avalanche risks have been higher than normal. Just yesterday a group of 6 (3 men 3 women) climbing Bidean nam Bian were hit by an avalanche that killed 4 of them and left the 5th with a serious head injury. It is believed that the group were descending from a peak on the south side of the valley (near Church Door Buttress) when the snow covered slope they were climbing on (possibly a slope of Stob Coire nan Lochan) broke away and sent 5 of them hurtling down the mountain in ice and snow. The alarm was initially raised by two members who were not part of the party who found a body. However, the male survivor later alerted the police that there were still more people missing. A major search operation by Glencoe Mountain Rescue to find the bodies was soon launched in response to this, which later managed to find all of the bodies.

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Although this kind of thing is a rare event, it does highlight that although our mountains may not be anywhere near the tallest in the world, those climbing them can still encounter the same difficulties difficulties as those climbing much higher peaks.

At the moment we would advise you to stay off of the higher peaks until the snowfall stops and even then to be aware of the increased avalanche risk due to the thaw. 

Our thoughts are of course with the families of the dead and we wish the injured party member a swift  recovery.