In the news

At around 2:20 p.m. on Sun 5th August, call-handlers from Aberdyfi Search & Rescue Team were made aware of a man and his 13 year-old daughter who had become crag-fast on Pencoed Pillar in the Cader Idris range near Dolgellau.

The pair had set out to scramble up Pencoed Pillar on Cader Idris, but the route they took became increasingly challenging, and, at about 2/3 of the way up the climb, they became unable to move either up or down.
Given the age of the child and the challenges of the location, a request for assistance was placed with the Coastguard Helicopter R936. Already airborne for training, the aircraft was quickly on scene, but having visually located the pair, and given that they were not in any immediate danger, it was considered that a winch rescue was too risky an option. Instead, the aircraft picked up four Team volunteers and crag-rescue equipment and flew them to Pencoed Pillar to start rigging the crag for a rescue. R936 the left the scene to refuel and on return a further 10 mountain rescue volunteers along with more technical kit was uplifted to the crag topHaving established anchors and belay positions, a rescuer was lowered to the waiting casualty party. The two climbers were raised to the belay position, then a short scramble took them to the Minffordd Path at the top of Pencoed. The pair were then walked off the hill down the south ridge. The last rescuers were safely off the hill by 10:20 p.m.
Team volunteer Graham O’Hanlon helped coordinate the 8 hour operation to reach the pair. Within the Team are groups of people who choose to specialise