Rescued, girl who climbed Ben Nevis in shorts
A walk too far: Sara Albone was found in a blizzard at the summit
MOST walkers who tackle Britain’s highest mountain at this time of year equip themselves with a stout pair of boots, warm, waterproof clothing and even an ice axe.
So Sara Albone was more than a little reckless when she decided to tackle Ben Nevis in shorts and trainers and carrying just a selfie- stick. On top of that, she didn’t tell anyone where she was going.
Miss Albone, 28, from Brighton, was spotted on the summit in blizzard conditions, disorientated, soaking wet and showing the first signs of hypothermia.
Four climbers scaling the North Face of the 4,411ft mountain saw the drenched and frozen figure and came to her rescue.
But the weather was so bad it was impossible to bring in a rescue helicopter, so the group had to walk down off the mountain.
The climbers huddled around in an effort to warm her up, and one of the men sacrificed some of his dry clothes for her.
Last night, as Miss Albone issued an apology for her actions, mountain rescue experts described her attempt to climb the peak as ‘irresponsible’ and ‘ridiculous’.
The weather at Fort William, Invernessshire, was around 9c (48f) when Miss Albone set off on her climb up Ben Nevis on Saturday. But as she ascended the weather conditions deteriorated the higher she rose.
Cloud and rain moved in on the mountain and visibility dropped. High winds brought an added wind chill and as the temperatures plummeted to around -15c (5f) she began to suffer from the early stages of
‘I knew I was underprepared’
hypothermia. Hypothermia can develop quickly and victims can become disorientated and die. Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team leader John Stevenson said they received a call from the climbers.
They were urged to take her down from the mountain as ‘quickly as possible’ because it would take rescuers too long to get to the summit to help.
Mr Stevenson said: ‘It’s still a full blown winter up there just now. On Saturday night it could have been about -15c with the wind chill. It’s just ridiculous going up there dressed like that and it’s freezing up there – and being irresponsible means others have to go out of their way to help.’
Miss Albone admitted she had a lucky escape. In a heart-felt apology, she said: ‘All the people i nvolved were i ncredibly brave and ki nd and went beyond the call of duty to help when most people would tell you to go on alone.
‘I think if it had not been for these guys I could have died. I got to the top but started feeling really dizzy and I could not feel my own body.
‘I started feeling like I was a bit drunk and got to a point where I could not walk any further.
‘The experience has really highlighted to me the need to always pack items that are essential for mountain climbing. If it was not for the guys that helped me Ben Nevis would have definitely been Ben Never.’
Miss Albone was on a mountain biking tour when she spontaneously decided to climb the mountain.
The competitive cross-country runner apologised to her rescuers on an online climbing forum for being totally unprepared for her adventure and insisted that she was going on a mountaineeri ng course as soon as she returned home .
In a post she said: ‘I was such a massive p**** and I’m so sorry. Not only do I Never ever want to put myself or anyone else in that sort of situation again – I also would like to be able to help someone the way you all helped me. No ice pick/poles/shelter any of the things that are appropriate for climbing.
‘Just the stuff I had packed for the weekend and a stupid selfie stick. I kind of knew I was underprepared, and didn’t actually intend on getting to the top. I just sort of thought, “oh I’ve got this far – it’s not too bad – let’s carry on”.
‘You’ll be pleased to hear I’m booking myself in for a mountaineering course.’
Louis Lander-Deacon, one of the climbers who went to her rescue, said: ‘ The conditions were absolutely terrible. I am sure that if she had not bumped into us she might have died.’
Ben Nevis has proved deadly for even the well-prepared. An English couple died on the peak on Valentine’s Day after being hit by an avalanche. Experienced climbers Rachel Slater, 24, and Tim Newton, 27, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, were found buried in deep snow – 15 minutes’ walk from the safety of their tent.