Scotland's busiest mountain rescue group handled 9 fatalities this 12 months as extra folks took to the hills with the tip of the coronavirus lockdown.
In only one five-day interval in early March, Lochaber Mountain Rescue Group - which covers the UK's highest peak Ben Nevis - had 12 callouts and recovered 26 casualties.
Sadly three of those shouts resulted in deaths. Amongst those that misplaced their lives this 12 months was 28-year-old Samuel Crawford from Newtownards, County Down, Northern Eire, who plunged 1000 toes to his demise on Ben Nevis throughout a day when greater than 20 different folks - together with a gaggle of troopers - wanted rescuing from the 4413ft excessive mountain.
Religious Christian Mr Crawford had been married simply 18 months and his spouse was anticipating their first baby. Different notable rescues included volunteers who went to assist a drained diabetic struggling in darkness on the Ben, however ended up rescuing a stunning seven folks - all with out a single head torch between them.
Rising temperatures additionally nearly definitely saved the lives of two climbers who plunged greater than 1300 toes on the UK's highest mountain.
For the pair landed in smooth snow on Ben Nevis the place solely days earlier there was probably deadly hardened ice. However the two climbers - certainly one of whom walked away unscathed - had been described by rescuers as "very fortunate".
They had been roped collectively once they each plunged in Inexperienced Gully. Although one of many males miraculously escaped with few accidents, the opposite obtained a number of damaged bones.
Nonetheless Donald Paterson, deputy group chief of Lochaber MRT, mentioned probably the most memorable rescues of the 12 months got here in August - and as rescues go it was definitely dogged.
The group had been referred to as up Ben Nevis to convey again an enormous exhausted canine that refused to budge within the warmth. Maggie, a 35kg Turkish Akbash canine, had sore paws and refused to go additional when the trio of walkers she was with started their trek again down Ben Nevis.
The three girls from the North of England tried to hold her however needed to admit defeat on the mountain. Lochaber Mountain Rescue obtained the pet again by 1am, after a day that noticed 4 different callouts.
Mr Paterson mentioned: "It was definitely an uncommon rescue. The canine had given up and the women had been struggling to assist it down. It had a number of cuts to its paws, however I feel with the warmth and soreness it determined it wasn't going any additional."
A stretcher celebration, full with a casualty carer and rooster stick treats, was dispatched to help Maggie, who was 4 years outdated.
The ladies managed to hold her midway down Ben Nevis the place they met the group. Maggie was secured to the stretcher and transported the remainder of the way in which by the group at midnight.
"The homeowners had been struggling and would definitely have been up there all night time in the event that they did not get any help," mentioned Mr Paterson.
"I didn't anticipate the group to exit for an animal, however they insisted. They had been tremendous eager. We had a greyhound that had fallen down a gorge on Ben Nevis a number of years in the past, however this definitely takes the biscuit - or moderately the Bonio.
"Folks must be ready for the circumstances - which may change shortly on the Ben - and that goes for pets as effectively."
The group handled 112 emergencies final 12 months. In 2020, they solely handled round 80 rescues, reflecting intervals of travel-restrictive lockdown. Ben Nevis normally attracts 160,000 people-a-year.
"The fatalities had been notably tragic and poignant and we ship our condolences once more to their households and mates," mentioned Mr Paterson. "We're again to pre-pandemic numbers of rescues and the numbers are proper up there with our highest totals.
"Most had been to Ben Nevis and most are to people who find themselves coming down and are drained and endure minor falls and so forth. In truth most calls outs to the Ben are to half manner down and under. Folks can underestimate how tiring the stroll is.
"It was the standard slips and journeys more often than not, however loads of ankle accidents this 12 months. Some folks had been effectively ready and simply unfortunate - others weren't. There was poor footwear and different inappropriate gear utilized by some."
The group now have 4 drones and skilled operators, which is changing into an important software in mountain rescue.
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