UKH

Following two rockfall-related accidents in the same Cairngorms corrie in just two days, Mountaineering Scotland have issued a safety warning to climbers and scramblers. Some suggest that loose rock is becoming more of a problem as a result of recent weather patterns.

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In reply to UKC/UKH News:

Does anyone seriously believe geology, weathering, erosion, dynamism, climate is unchanging?
Change and destruction is normal in mountains - they are trying to get to the sea.
DC

In reply to UKC/UKH News:

I'm amazed someone 'only' has a serious head injury after being hit by a 2mx2m bit of rock. They are seriously lucky to be alive (although extremely unlucky to have been hit in the first place).

In reply to SuperLee1985:

It says hand injury, not head....

In reply to Dark-Cloud:
oh... thanks.

In reply to UKC/UKH News:

There's always been loose rock in these corries. I recall loose blocks back in the eighties. I don't doubt that climate change will affect our mountains in ways which we possibly can't predict. At the same time I think incidents like this are now highlighted instantly with social media when similar things have been happening for years but were never instant news and were never 'reported' as there weren't the channels to do so.

In reply to yesbutnobutyesbut:

Good point, though I think Fingers Ridge has got a lot less stable the last couple of years. I'm sure I remember it being fine in 2010

In reply to UKC/UKH News:

Look, I think it's pretty clear who is responsible for this. There have been vandals who steal stakes, scrawl their names on the rock and place bolts for decades now, they have just moved on to balancing precarious blocks on popular trad routes recently.

In reply to henwardian:

Heal quickly Ron and the other accident victim.

In reply to UKC/UKH News:
Ironically there were two completely separate incidents during the weekend both involving experienced local climbers aware of the loose rock and both parties taking much more care than normal on routes they are very familiar with.
Both incidents could easily have been much more serious to leader and seconds and would have involved significant risk to the rescue team who were constantly under-fire from loose material.
Currently the stability of the rock is much more suspect than normal with some large pieces from the previous rockfalls ready to fall and increasing the risk further.
The first incident was on Fingers Ridge on Saturday and the second on Pygmy Ridge on Sunday.
From what I've seen and heard this not just normal erosion of the big rounded granite blocks and slabs that have been sitting there for decades but involved fresh shears on what appeared to be sound rock.
Speculation on why the rock is loosier nowadays or in the past or due to climate change is neither here nor there.
The fact is it is currently more dangerous to climb or to use the walking paths below these areas.