Ogwen Valley MRO

A boulderer sustained a suspected fractured spine after falling seven metres onto mats in Ffos Noddyn (Fairy Glen) near Betws-y-Coed. Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation attended and immobilised the casualty before evacuation to hospital. The post also covers two separate incidents on Tryfan the same night involving stranded climbers.

Outcome: casualty immobilised and handed to Welsh Ambulance Services; two climbers on Tryfan rescued by rope system; three further casualties on Tryfan west face evacuated by Coastguard helicopter

A young man fell approximately 200 feet from the rocky slopes of Glyder Fawr in North Wales during a climbing trip. Following the incident, mountain rescue teams were involved in recovering his body from the area.

Outcome: Fatality

A seven-hour rescue operation was conducted in Eryri after a walker sustained leg and ankle injuries following a 10-metre fall on Tryfan. Mountain rescue teams performed a complex technical rope rescue to safely bring the injured individual down the mountainside.

Outcome: Casualty treated and handed over to ambulance service

A walker was seriously injured when a large boulder collapsed onto their leg whilst descending Pen Yr Ole Wen in Eryri. Companions administered first aid and alerted emergency services; the walker was airlifted by Coastguard helicopter to hospital in Liverpool.

Outcome: casualty airlifted by Coastguard helicopter to hospital

A person with a serious injury was airlifted by Coastguard helicopter from the north side of the Ogwen Valley near Llyn Ogwen and flown to Aintree Hospital in Liverpool. Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue and Coastguard teams coordinated the rescue and helicopter landing at a nearby field adjacent to the hospital.

Outcome: casualty airlifted to Aintree Hospital by Coastguard helicopter

A climber collapsed at Mannod Quarry in the Crafnant Valley while drytooling with a companion. Despite CPR and rescue efforts by the companion, paramedics, and Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team, the climber could not be revived. The body was recovered and handed to police.

Outcome: casualty died despite CPR and rescue efforts

A mountain rescue team successfully assisted a family of four who were stranded on Pen yr Ole Wen due to difficult wintry conditions. The group was guided back to safety by five rescuers after they found a steep rock section too dangerous to pass in the fading light.

Outcome: All safe and recovered

A body was discovered in Coed Bryn-Engan woodland near Capel Curig in Snowdonia on 23 October. Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation, assisted by North Wales Police and Welsh Ambulance Service, recovered the body and transported it to a private ambulance. Few details about the deceased have been disclosed.

Outcome: body recovered and transported to private ambulance

A walker wearing shorts was rescued from below the summit of Tryfan in Eryri during Storm Amy, which brought wind gusts of 86 mph. A technical rope rescue was required to lower the casualty to safe ground in difficult conditions caused by the storm. The rescue team noted the incident was avoidable, as the walker had ignored forecasts and weather warnings.

Outcome: rescued by technical rope rescue and walked off the mountain

A solo walker wearing shorts became stranded below the summit of Tryfan during Storm Amy on 3 October 2025, when wind gusts reached 86 mph. Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation team members navigated difficult terrain and high water flows to reach the casualty, provided warm clothing, and lowered him by rope to safe ground.

Outcome: casualty given warm clothing, lowered by rope, walked off mountain uninjured

A walker died from cardiac arrest while descending Tryfan on 23 August 2025, despite resuscitation efforts by mountain rescue and other walkers. The same weekend, two climbers who became stuck on the Pinnacle Rib route were rescued via technical rope rescue from a height of 100 metres and safely descended.

Outcome: casualty died; two climbers rescued

A paraglider experienced a significant problem with their wing and made a hard landing near Moel Wnion in Snowdonia on 21 July 2025, sustaining serious injuries. The casualty managed to call for assistance and was treated by Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation team members before being airlifted by Coastguard rescue helicopter to Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital.

Outcome: casualty airlifted by helicopter to Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital

A climber fell approximately three metres while descending Y Gulley in Snowdonia early on Saturday morning after a 12-hour climb, suffering a serious head injury despite wearing a helmet. The casualty was evacuated by Coastguard helicopter and airlifted to hospital; the post also covers several other rescues over the same Bank Holiday weekend.

Outcome: casualty airlifted by Coastguard helicopter to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor

A walker died after falling from a ridge at Y Gribin in the Ogwen Valley, Snowdonia. The Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team, with assistance from the Coastguard helicopter and an off-duty RAF mountain rescue member, responded to the incident but the casualty did not survive their injuries.

Outcome: casualty died from injuries sustained in the fall

A solo scrambler died after falling from the main face of Glyder Fach on 10 May. Mountain rescuers attended and assisted in recovering the casualty by helicopter. Team members also provided assistance at a fatal road collision on the A5 near Capel Curig while returning from the mountain rescue operation.

Outcome: casualty deceased; body recovered by helicopter

Two walkers were rescued from Tryfan in Eryri over the weekend of 26–27 April. On Saturday, a walker fell and lost consciousness, sustaining suspected spinal injuries and requiring helicopter evacuation to hospital. On Sunday, another walker fell between boulders and suffered a suspected fractured forearm, being assisted down the mountain and then making their own way to hospital.

Outcome: casualties evacuated; one by helicopter to hospital, one assisted down and self-evacuated to hospital

A 10-year-old boy fell approximately 33 feet on Tryfan in Snowdonia on 20 April 2025, sustaining leg and hip injuries. He was airlifted to hospital by Coastguard helicopter with assistance from an Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation trainee. The incident occurred during a period of elevated rescue activity on Tryfan, which accounted for a significant proportion of call-outs in the region that year.

Outcome: casualty airlifted to hospital by Coastguard helicopter

Two women died in separate mountain accidents in Eryri National Park within ten days. On 16 February, a woman slipped on grass while descending Glyder Fach and fell approximately 32 feet; her partner fell while attempting to assist her. On 22 February, a 28-year-old woman fell about 65 feet while ascending the north ridge of Tryfan; bystanders with climbing equipment and team members provided immediate assistance including CPR, but neither casualty survived.

Outcome: both casualties died from injuries sustained

Two women died in separate falls in Eryri within a week. The first occurred on Glyder Fach on 16 February when a walker slipped on grass and fell approximately 10 metres; her companion fell whilst attempting to help and sustained injuries but survived. The second occurred on Tryfan's north face on 22 February when a climber fell 20 metres into steep terrain; passers-by and mountain rescue personnel attempted resuscitation but the casualty could not be saved.

Outcome: both casualties died; first casualty's companion sustained fractured wrist and head injuries and was evacuated

A walker suffered a badly broken femur after slipping above Twll Du in Eryri and was winched to safety by HM Coastguard helicopter in dense cloud conditions. The Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue team provided medical support including pain relief and a traction device before the casualty was flown to Ysbyty Gwynedd. The post also reports two additional incidents the same weekend: three walkers stuck on Tryfan (one with panic attack) who were safely descended, and two walkers with injuries from falls on Glyder Fach.

Outcome: winched to safety by Coastguard helicopter and airlifted to Ysbyty Gwynedd for treatment

Two groups of walkers required rescue from the Glyderau range in Snowdonia on 18 November during severe winter conditions with temperatures at -9C. Both parties were poorly equipped; one had mistaken a mobile phone heat map for an actual footpath. All casualties were safely rescued by Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation.

Outcome: both groups rescued safely by OVMRO

Ogwen Valley mountain rescue team attended an incident on 12 July involving a party of four walkers who became stuck in the waterfall gully area on the north ridge of Tryfan after one member experienced a panic attack. The team located the group approximately 600 feet from the summit and assisted them back to the main path and down to the road. The team has noted an increase in similar panic attack incidents on Tryfan and has issued guidance to visitors about the mountain's navigation difficulties and exposure.

Outcome: group assisted off mountain

A walker died after falling from the south ridge of Tryfan in Snowdonia on Friday evening, 7 June. Emergency services including the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation, RAF Mountain Rescue Service, and Maritime and Coastguard Agency responded, locating the casualty by helicopter. Despite the rescue effort, the casualty had not survived the fall.

Outcome: casualty died; body recovered by technical rope rescue and helicopter evacuation

A body has been recovered from Pen Yr Ole Wen on Eryri as part of the ongoing search for missing walker David Brookfield, who had been missing since January 2024. Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team located and recovered the body following a report from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Outcome: body recovered from mountain

Two walkers became stranded on Glyder Fach in February during heavy snow and poor visibility after descending the wrong route with an injured companion. Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue located them by following footprints in the snow and safely evacuated both casualties to their base, with one requiring rope assistance due to injury.

Outcome: both walkers evacuated safely by OVMRO

A 14-year-old boy fell 20–30 metres in a gully on Tryfan in Eryri on Sunday evening. Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team and HM Coastguard conducted a six-hour rescue in darkness, locating the conscious teenager on the west face and airlifting him to Alder Hey Children's Hospital.

Outcome: casualty airlifted to hospital

A 23-year-old climber became trapped on an icy ledge on Tryfan in Snowdonia in sub-zero conditions with vertical drops surrounding him. Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation, police, and a Coastguard helicopter responded, and he was rescued to safety before darkness fell. The rescue is featured in a new BBC documentary series about North Wales mountain rescue operations.

Outcome: casualty winched to safety by helicopter

A man fell approximately five metres while attempting to jump between Tryfan's Adam and Eve rocks on the summit, sustaining head and spinal injuries. He was rescued by Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue with assistance from Maritime and Coastguard Agency helicopter and winchman, then airlifted to hospital for treatment.

Outcome: casualty evacuated by helicopter to Ysbyty Gwynedd

A 26-year-old walker from North Yorkshire went missing on the Carneddau and was found dead on steep ground below Llech Ddu spur on Carnedd Dafydd after a search involving mountain rescue, police, and coastguard helicopter. The post also describes a separate incident on Tryfan where a 58-year-old man suffered a head injury attempting to jump between rock formations and was evacuated by helicopter to hospital.

Outcome: body recovered; casualty evacuated by helicopter to hospital in separate Tryfan incident

A climber died after falling from Gribin Ridge in Snowdonia when a handhold broke away during a climb with two companions on Saturday. Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation and a coastguard helicopter attended the scene, and recovery continued until Sunday lunchtime.

Outcome: fatality

A walker departed from Pen-y-Pass hostel on Snowdon on Wednesday and was reported missing on Thursday morning. Mountain rescue teams and the coastguard helicopter located his body on Bristly Ridge, Glyder Fach, after he had fallen approximately 200 feet. The casualty was recovered and stretchered down the mountain.

Outcome: body recovered

A woman slipped while descending Tryfan after scattering her father's ashes on the summit and became stranded on a narrow ledge 300ft above a drop for over three hours. A 12-person mountain rescue team and helicopter were deployed in a seven-hour operation to locate her using mobile phone GPS and extract her by abseil. She sustained bumps and bruises but no serious injuries.

Outcome: casualty abseiled to safety by rescue team, sustained minor injuries

A hiker sustained serious injuries after falling from a gully on Tryfan's North Ridge and was airlifted to hospital by Coastguard helicopter. The same day, Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue also assisted a walker with an ankle injury at Llyn Cowlyd and a casualty with a leg injury in a quarry in Deganwy.

Outcome: airlifted to Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital by Coastguard helicopter

A 25-year-old man died after falling approximately 60 metres from the rock face in West Gully on Glyder Fach in Snowdonia on Sunday 30 January. Emergency services including Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team, coastguard helicopter and North Wales Police attended the scene; the casualty was found unconscious and pronounced dead. The fall may have been caused by rockfall, and rescue teams worked in deteriorating weather to recover the body and assist the casualty's climbing partner and two other climbers who had witnessed the incident.

Outcome: casualty died at scene; body recovered by rescue teams after 10 hours

Two climbers were injured when one slipped and fell on top of the other while descending a waterfall gully on Tryfan in Snowdonia. Both men fell approximately 3 metres; the more seriously injured casualty was airlifted to hospital by coastguard helicopter, while the second casualty walked off the mountain with assistance.

Outcome: more serious casualty airlifted to Ysbyty Gwynedd; second casualty walked down with help

Mountain rescue teams in Snowdonia have responded to a significant increase in callouts, with teams highlighting a rise in unprepared walkers attempting routes on Snowdon and Tryfan. Recent rescues include a man evacuated by helicopter after sustaining a serious thigh fracture on Tryfan, and several other assistance calls for inadequately equipped visitors.

Outcome: casualty with broken thigh bone airlifted by helicopter and evacuated by stretcher

A walker in his late 30s from Greater Manchester slipped on wet rocks on Tryfan's South Gully and sustained serious injuries including possible broken ribs and femurs. Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue, assisted by RAF Mountain Rescue and a Coastguard helicopter crew, conducted an eight-hour operation to locate and evacuate him by stretcher to an awaiting road ambulance.

Outcome: casualty evacuated by stretcher to road ambulance after eight-hour rescue operation

A walker suffered head injuries after falling 30 feet down the North Ridge of Tryfan while walking with his father. Fourteen rescuers from Ogwen Valley mountain rescue and a coastguard helicopter attended. The casualty was evacuated by helicopter and taken to hospital.

Outcome: evacuated by coastguard helicopter to hospital

A 35-year-old climber fell 650ft from Crib Goch ridge in Snowdonia on Sunday and was rescued by three mountain rescue teams in severe weather; he suffered a broken leg, shoulder, wrist and severe cuts and was airlifted to hospital. Separately, four university students were rescued from high on Tryfan in an 11-hour overnight operation after becoming stuck near Grooved Arete in horrendous conditions, and a fifth member of their party was found after becoming lost.

Outcome: climber with serious injuries airlifted to Liverpool hospital; four walkers rescued by helicopter and team; lost climber found by search group

A 56-year-old walker died following a fall on Tryfan mountain in Snowdonia on 27 May 2019. He was discovered by a fell runner the following morning and recovered by Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team with RAF Mountain Rescue Service assistance. The coroner recorded provisional cause of death as chest and head trauma from the fall.

Outcome: casualty deceased, recovered from mountain

A solo female hiker was found dead on Glyder Fawr in Snowdonia after being reported missing. She was recovered from an upper cliff in the Ogwen Valley and is believed to have slipped and fallen. The woman was well-equipped and had been sending messages to friends before the incident.

Outcome: casualty found dead and airlifted to hospital

A walker in his 40s became cragfast on the steep West Face of Tryfan after making a navigational error while descending the North Ridge on New Year's Eve. He was safely winched to safety by Maritime and Coastguard Agency helicopter and taken to base for debrief and warming.

Outcome: winched to safety by helicopter, uninjured

A male walker, thought to be in his 20s or 30s, fell approximately 30 metres to his death on Tryfan while attempting to descend a gully on Heather Terrace. He was discovered by a woman and her three teenage sons at around 16:00 BST. Mountain rescue believe he slipped while trying to find a route around rock steps that make the gully impassable.

Outcome: casualty died from injuries sustained in fall

A walker in his late 50s died after slipping and falling down the south gully on Tryfan in Snowdonia while descending with his daughter. A nearby rock climber provided immediate first aid and alerted emergency services, but the man was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital. The post also reports a separate incident the previous day involving a walker with a foot injury who was successfully rescued and evacuated by helicopter.

Outcome: casualty died

Two walkers were injured on Y Gribbin ridge between Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach after dislodging a large rock. A male walker was knocked unconscious and trapped by the rock, whilst a female walker suffered a knee injury. Both were evacuated by Rescue 936 helicopter in difficult flying conditions and taken to hospital.

Outcome: both casualties evacuated by helicopter to Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital

Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue team rescued a flock of sheep stranded by flood water, ferrying them to safety in a dinghy in difficult weather conditions. One ewe died during the rescue operation, while surviving sheep were carried across stiles and transported to a nearby veterinary practice.

Outcome: sheep rescued by dinghy; one ewe died, survivors taken to veterinary care