Number in series 59; Year of publication 1966 - Fell and Rock ...

248 LAKE DISTRICT MOUNTAIN ACCIDENTS, 1965
sliding down the intervening snow slopes until brought up
short at the Bannerdale wall. He collected only a few bruises
and was able to make his own way home to avoid the ignominy
of appearing on the official list.
It is necessary to realize the limitations of the deductions
one is tempted to make from statistics of the kind provided
in the report. The increase in the number of incidents
recorded over the past five years may or may not be real. It
certainly cannot be as great as the figures would seem to
indicate. The increased availability of teams, increased public
awareness of their existence, and the more efficient recording
of their work all tend to make the recorded accident rate more
nearly approximate to the actual rate. The rise of the former
does not necessarily indicate a commensurate rise of the latter.
Some recorded calls do not even involve the teams in proceeding
far on the fells or even in leaving the collecting point.
A very common case is that of the lone walker, surprised by
the shortness of the winter's day, failing to return to his
lodging by his announced time. A decision as to whether to
search or not, and if so, when, involves worrying discussion
between police, relatives and team leaders. Radiocommunication
has made an enormous difference to this
problem, and the decision to send a team out onto the fells
can now be taken much more readily in the knowledge that
they can be quickly recalled if, as so often happens, the
missing person turns up shortly after search zero hour.
Such cases swell the statistics, but conversely many climbers,
worthy of the help of rescue teams, extricate themselves often
with considerable personal inconvenience and danger. Could
it be that fear of unwanted press and radio publicity sometimes
acts as an unfortunate deterrent to a call for aid One
example of the self-rescued is the climber who was so impressed
with the head injuries of a casualty he helped to carry
down in North Wales, that he bought himself a crash helmet
on his way to Westmorland. Leading up Curving Gully,
Hutable Crag, he was struck on his head by a boulder 'the
size of a football' sent down by the party above. He reversed
the climb, carrying with him the boulder to prevent it falling
on his second, and the pair then made their way, over three
miles, back to civilisation where examination revealed a
considerable splitting open of scalp as well as practically
complete destruction of helmet. It is to be hoped that, as
well as buying a new helmet, he will in future refrain from