Call-out History
Callouts - Posted 12:28 on Tue 13 Dec 11Sunday 11 December
The team was alerted at 1545 to attend to an incident on Ben Ime. A party was descending towards Butterbridge when a female slipped on a rock slab, sustaining lower leg injuries. An Arrochar team member raised the alarm and Strathpol and Arrochar MRTs were quickly on the scene. The fractured limb was stabilised and the casualty was stretchered off the hill to an awaiting ambulance.
Total man hours expended: 37.5
Saturday 26th November
The team was called out at 1330 following reports a kayaker had sustained a broken leg in Douglas Water gorge near Inveraray. Team members had deployed with more heading to the scene when news came through that Rescue 177 had successfully recovered the casualty.
Total man hours expended: 25
Sunday 13th November 2011
Incident 1
At 1520 the team were alerted to attend to a female with a broken ankle on the Cowal way above Lochgoilhead. The local members proceeded directly to the incident site with the body of the team responding in the vehicles from the Post. On attendance at the scene it was found in fact to be a broken lower leg and while a splint was being applied the Navy helicopter from HMS Gannet arrived on scene. The injured person was then winched into the aircraft and evacuated to hospital.
Whilst the Team were escorting the remainder of the party off the hill, a further call came in.
Incident 2
Two males had become disorientated in mist whilst descending from Ben Narnain. Using their mobile phone they had managed to contact the Police but a poor signal meant that information was incomplete. A full search plan was implemented by the Arrochar and Strathclyde Police teams and also the police helicopter. Fortunately, an improvement in the mobile signal allowed further information to be obtained and the missing pair were located in Coiregrogain with the help of light from the mobile phone and the lost persons setting alight to a home made paper torch!.
Total man hours expended 36
Sunday 30 October 2011
The team was called out at 1504 to search for a group of lost walkers on The Cobbler. Following an ascent they had become disorientated on the descent. Team members had been tasked with areas to search and were deploying when further information, mobile ‘phone communication and confirmation from Strathclyde Police’s helicopter, indicated the lost walkers had located the main path. Team members ascending the main path met the walkers and escorted them off the hill, driving them part-way in team Land Rovers to Succoth where their car was parked. The incident was concluded at 1730.
Total man hours expended: 31.5
Thursday 1 September 2011
The team was alerted at 0145 to search for a missing walker in Glen Fyne. Several team members proceeded directly from home and commenced a search after flashing lights were observed by the Strathclyde Police helicopter. The rest of the team deployed by Land Rover and joined the search.
The benighted walker was found after a search in difficult conditions- a steep very overgrown hillside-and escorted off the hill.
Total man hours expended: 59
Sunday 28 August 2011
Pagers went off just after 1700 and the team was requested to assist two walkers on The Brack. A lady and her son were in difficulty and the team proceeded up the main path. After being located both were escorted off the hill and transported to their car.
Total man hours expended: 56
Saturday 27 August 2011
The team was called out just before 1900. A walker descending the south ridge of Ben Vorlich had slipped and suffered suspected pelvic injuries. Royal Navy Rescue 177 lifted two team members up to the casualty where the injured man was packaged onto a stretcher by the RN paramedic and Arrochar team for evacuation to hospital.
Arrochar members then escorted the injured walkers’s companion off the hill
Total man hours expended: 23
Monday 1 August 2011
The team was alerted at 2200 to attend to a 69 year old female on the Cobbler. She had become exhausted during the descent from the hill and was unable to continue.
The team deployed up the main path and quickly located her. She was stretchered down the hill to a team Land Rover and after being checked by one of the team’s doctors, she rejoined her companions.
Total man hours expended: 36
Monday 18th April 2011
The team was alerted at 17:15 to assist 2 walkers near Lock Eck, who were in difficulty descending hills to the east of the Loch. The walkers were given advice on a safe descent route via telephone, and team members escorted them for the final stretch.
Total man hours expended: 24
Thursday 10th March 2011
The team leader was alerted at 19:15 following the sighting of flares in the Cobbler area. Following consultation with the local Police, a path search was organised. After a sweep of the hill access paths as far as the Narnain Boulders, the team stood down as nothing was found.
Total man hours expended: 28
Monday 21st February 2011
The Team was alerted to a walker who had slipped, sustaining a broken leg, while descending the path from Beinn Bhuidhe into Glen Fyne.
The injured person was quickly located and stabilised, before being winched into a RAF helicopter from Lossiemouth and transferred to hospital.
Total man hours expended: 42
Sunday 23rd January 2011
The team was alerted at 16:00 to search for two walkers who reported themselves as being lost on the Brack and were unable to find their way down. The Team had deployed when the lost persons were located by Strathclyde police helicopter which lifted them off the hill.
Total man hours expended: 22
Wednesday 22nd December 2010
The team was alerted at 08:40 following reports of distress lights on The Brack – variously described as flares or a flashing head torch.
The team deployed to the prospective search area, with support from StrathPol helicopter, and with Strathpol MRT on the way. As team members began heading up the path, contact was established with walkers on the hill (traced via their car), and they assured the police that all was well. The team was stood down and returned to base.
Total man hours expended: 20
Thursday 2nd December 2010
The team was alerted just after 5pm to recover a walker suffering from an injured calf muscle, in the Achallander area of Bridge of Orchy. As the team was preparing to deploy, news came in that a SAR helicopter had recovered him.
Total man hours expended: 16.5
Saturday 30th October 2010
The pagers were activated just after 18:30. Both team Land Rovers deployed to Achallander Farm, north of Bridge of Orchy to search for an overdue walker who had become separated from her companions. Arrochar, Oban, Strathpol Police, and RAF Leuchars MRT members were deployed over a wide area, covering large tracts of the Bridge of Orchy hills, to search likely areas. The teams were subsequently joined by RAF Rescue 137, equipped with Infra Red (IR) to help search in darkness.
Shortly after 10pm the missing person was located by Rescue 137, which lifted her off the hill.
Total man hours expended: 55
Sunday 24th October 2010
The pagers were activated at 18:50 following reports of a second accident on the Cobbler. The team conducted a swift path search based upon information received, however it would appear that this was a false alarm and after consultation with the police, the team stood down.
Total man hours expended: 25
Saturday 23rd October 2010
The team was alerted at 13:30 to attend to an incident on The Cobbler - a walker had slipped and suffered a suspected broken ankle. One team member already out on the hill administered initial assistance, whilst others headed for the scene. Rescue 177 from HMS Gannet lowered their paramedic to assist the casualty, and ferried 4 team members to the scene to complete a stretcher party. After packaging the casualty, he was stretchered down to Beallach a Mhaim for transfer to hospital in Rescue 177.
Total man hours expended: 51
Monday 11th October 2010
The pagers were activated at 1615 to attend to a casualty on Beinn Sgulaird, with a suspected broken leg. As the team was preparing to deploy, news came in that the injured walker had been recovered by rescue helicopter.
Total man hours expended: 15
Saturday 18th September 2010
The Team were called at 1900 to attend to a walker who had slipped whilst descending from Beinn Narnain. After some initial difficulty in locating the casualty, he was found by a path search. He had sustained a fracture to his ankle which was treated, and then he was evacuated by stretcher to the waiting ambulance.
Total man hours expended: 25
Sunday 24th August 2010
The team was called out at 0150 to assist in searching for 2 walkers on Beinn Dorain, near Bridge of Orchy. The walkers had set off late, and requested assistance after becoming disorientated. Oban MRT had already deployed team members to search for the missing pair, Arrochar team members and RN Rescue 177 remained on standby at Bridge of Orchy in case additional assistance was required. Once Oban MRT had made contact and were escorting the missing walkers back to Bridge of Orchy, Arrochar MRT was stood down.
Total man hours expended: 25
Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th August 2010
Arrochar MRT, together with other search and rescue organisations, contributed to a request for assistance from Lothian & Borders Police in the ongoing Suzanne Pilley murder investigation. The police gave a briefing to searchers in the 3 village’s community hall Arrochar, on Saturday morning, amidst a strong media presence. An extensive area was to be searched in Glen Croe, with Arrochar MRT and other volunteer Search and Rescue (SAR) teams covering specified areas, accompanied by Lothian & Borders police officers.
The Arrochar team conducted many sweeps of wooded areas. This was very different from the “routine” instead of looking for someone who wanted to be found, the teams were searching for concealed remains. Although nothing of significance to further the investigation was uncovered over the weekend, a considerable area was cleared from further police investigation.
Total man hours expended by Arrochar alone: Saturday – 180; Sunday - 64
Saturday 17th July 2010
The team was called out to attend to an injured walker on Ben Cruachan. Oban team were already on the scene and had packaged the casualty, and Arrochar assisted in carrying the casualty off the hill in a stretcher.
Total man hours expended: 31
Thursday 8th July 2010
The team was alerted at approximately 0445 to join a search for a missing 84 year old woman in the Minard area, near Inverary. The missing person had last been seen the previous evening, and local police, together with Strathclyde Mountain Rescue Team had already conducted various sweeps. The Arrochar contingent spent some time looking through local woods and at about 0900 heard shouts for help. The lady had become lost, and was in high spirits, although wet and tired. Arrochar and StrathPol teams stretchered her to an ambulance at the nearest road, and stood down.
Total man hours expended: 58.5
Wednesday 23rd June 2010
The team was alerted at 0625 to attend to a crag fast walker in Glen Fyne. Arrochar MRT commenced searching suspect gullies, and was later joined by Strathclyde police and Oban MRT members, together with Strathclyde police’s helicopter. Team members heard shouting from a narrow gully, and the police helicopter helped pinpoint the location. Arrochar and Oban team members contacted the stranded man, and lowered an AMRT member with a rope. The crag fast walker was belayed to a safe position and walked off the hill.
Total man hours expended: 53
Sunday 20th June 2010
The team was called out to search for a missing walker on Beinn Bhuidhe. The missing person's son had alerted police, after it was realised he had failed to return home from an excursion on Saturday. Arrochar MRT was joined by Oban and Strathclyde Police teams in an extensive search of the area, and the seriously injured walker was discovered by a search party in a gully above Inverchorachan. having apparently fallen from the path. Royal Navy Rescue 177 lifted the casualty to hospital.
Total man hours expended: 53
Saturday 19th June 2010
The pagers were activated at 1245, to attend an incident on Ben Vane. Several people had reported seeing a dog with head injuries near the summit, and there was concern the dog's owner may have suffered an accident as well. The team commenced a search of the East Ridge of Ben Vane. The search party discovered the injured dog, "TJ", some 100m below the summit, not far from the main path. He was suffering from head and leg injuries and was carried off the hill inside a bivi bag. The police escorted the team's Land Rover to a vet in Alexandria, where TJ's owners had arrived. He had been missing overnight, and after a search they had reported him lost. TJ was suffering from a gash to his head, and a broken rear leg.
Total man hours expended: 35
Sunday 13th June 2010
The team was busy over the weekend providing safety cover to the Lowe Alpine Mountain Marathon, this year operating from a starting point in Glen Fyne. Poor weather on Sunday meant teams were delayed by navigational challenges, and with wet conditions under-foot conditions were difficult. Team members treated a couple of minor injuries during the day.
At 1100 a runner came in, to report his companion had suffered a fall in upper Glen Fyne, near the path ascending Beinn Buidhe. Both team Land Rovers deployed, and team members searched for the casualty in the designated gully. He had fallen some 15-20 metres and suffered severe head, arm, lower leg and pelvic injuries. Rescue 177 arrived on the scene and together with the winch-man, the team packaged the casualty onto our stretcher, and he was rushed to hospital. Simultaneously, the casualty’s companion who had raised the alarm was taken to hospital by a team member for treatment of his injuries, which resulted in an overnight stay.
Man hours expended: 20
The same evening, whilst still at the Race base, the Team were notified of a single overdue pair. An air search by Strathclyde Police helicopter failed to find them and a sweep of controls to identify a search area was started. As preparations were being made to launch a full team search, the overdue competitors were picked up by Strathclyde Police Mountain Rescue Team vehicle
Total man hours expended: 28
Thursday 9th June 2010
The pagers were activated at 1910, and the team headed for Gleann Achadh, to the south of Beinn Dorain. A walker had reported he had fallen and injured his back. Strathclyde police and paramedics from the Scottish Ambulance Service were also in attendance. A short carry to the Air ambulance and he was transferred to hospital.
Total man hours expended: 32
Saturday 29th May 2010
The team was alerted at 2017 to attend to an injured walker on Beinn Narnain, whilst also being informed that Royal Navy Rescue 177 was expected to be on the scene by 2020. The casualty had suffered suspected broken ankles in a fall, and Rescue 177 was able to extract him as the team was deploying. The following day, team members located the casualty’s missing rucksack and belongings and returned them to his family
Total man hours expended: 8
Saturday 8th May 2010
The team responded to a request to search for 3 overdue walkers in the Ben More, Dunoon area. The pagers were activated at 1830, and as the team were arriving at the rescue post, or heading direct to the scene, word came in that the missing trio had been found safe and well. The team had stood down by 1915.
Total man hours expended: 14
Sunday 4th April 2010
The team along with Oban and Strathclyde police teams was called to assist a walker who had slipped on snow on Ben Cruachan. The mountaineer had been on his way to assist another person, and was injured in the fall. Two team members attended the scene and as other members were on the way, news came in that Royal Navy Rescue 177 had recovered the casualty, and the team returned to base.
Total man hours expended: 12
Saturday 27th February 2010
Pagers were activated at 1100 to attend to two walkers who were in a dangerous situation on Beinn Achaladair. The snowfields had fractured above and below the walkers, threatening to avalanche. The team deployed in both Land Rovers to Beinn Achaladair. In the meantime, Royal Navy Rescue 177 had managed to extract both walkers, and the team conferred with local police and the two men to ensure all was OK, before returning to base by 1330.
Total man hours expended: 22
Tuesday 23rd February 2010
Pagers were activated at approximately 1055. A Four person team left the post for Lochgoilhead to attend to a fallen male climber.
Lochgoilhead road was closed for resurfacing, as was the forest track. Special thanks to Matt the digger driver who quickly excavated a short section of road to get the team through.
2 Arrochar MRT members were already on the scene, and a further 3 team members arrived during the course of the rescue. The Casualty had fallen from a crag resulting in hip, leg, and ankle trauma. The Casualty was packaged onto a team stretcher, and transported to the grounds of the Lochgoilhead centre where a Scottish air ambulance helicopter evacuated him to hospital. The rescue was concluded by approximately 1300.
Total man hours expended: 35
Thursday 4th February 2010
The pagers were activated at 1845 to assist in a search for a missing 61 year old man in the Kilmelford area, south of Oban. Both team Land Rovers deployed, with additional members travelling in private vehicles. The missing person had been spotted on a local road, and Arrrochar, Oban and Strathclyde Police Mountain Rescue Teams were joined by helicopters and local volunteers, all of whom spent several hours combing the area. One Arrochar group spotted footprints of a person and dog, which may have been the missing man. After light refreshments, courtesy of the village inn, the search continued into the following day. About 0130 information was received that he had been seen and the teams moved to the relevant area. The missing person was very tired and cold, and was stretchered to an awaiting ambulance. The incident was completed by 0300.
Total man hours expended: 136
Sunday 31st January 2010
The team was alerted at 1645 to join Oban MRT on Ben Cruachan. Three walkers descending the mountain had lost their way, and found themselves in an exposed situation in icy conditions. Both team Land Rovers deployed to the corrie above the Cruachan power station. Oban team members located the walkers, and all were lifted off the hill by RN Rescue 177. After a cold, frightening experience, all were assessed by Arrochar and Oban team members and were found to be well. The team returned to the Rescue Post by 2200.
Total man hours expended: 51
Wednesday 30th December 2009
Call out at 12:45. Person avalanched in NE corrie of Beinn an Dothaidh near Bridge of Orchy.
Arrochar, Oban & Strathclyde Police MR teams in attendance at Achallander Farm. Casualty with reported leg injury was lifted by RAF Rescue 137 and transported to A & E.
A further avalanche incident was reported shortly after at Corrie Daimh, Beinn Udlaidh, Glen Orchy. Teams mobilised to Bridge of Orchy Farm and were deployed onto hill. Royal Navy Rescue 177 lifted casualty with suspect leg injury. Companion was walked off hill with MR teams.
Saturday 5th December 2009
Pagers were activated at 1440 to attend to a lady who was taken unwell with chest pains on the Cobbler Path. Team members were lifted by RN Sea King (Rescue 177), flying through thick cloud to get as close as possible to the scene. The Arrochar team deployed and transported the casualty by stretcher to the helicopter. After departure of the aircraft, the team walked off the hill, with the incident completed by 1700.
Saturday 24th October 2009
Call out at 12:30. Ben Achaladair near Bridge of Orchy. Companions to the injured person said the casualty had slipped and fallen down a rocky slope injuring his back. They tried to walk him back down but the pain was too much, so they called for rescue, leaving him and two friends with their extra clothing.
Rescue 177 helicopter was on scene by 13:30 just as Arrochar MRT joined Strathpol and Oban MRT’s at Achaladair farm.
Rescue 177 helicopter picked up the casualty and flew him to hospital.
Friday 23rd October 2009
Call out at 14:00. A walker descending from the summit of Beinn Dorain near Bridge of Orchy had become disorientated in the clouds. Strathpol MRT made contact with the walker by mobile phone and gave him a compass bearing from a lochan he had spotted, to the main footpath which soon located and walked down safely. 3 Oban MRT walked up to escort him down.
Saturday 5th September 2009
Call out at 19:00. Three women had become disorientated in the mist at Bealach a’ Mhaim. Team members deployed into Coiregrogain and approached the area from several routes to locate the missing women. They were soon recovered and walked down. The rescue was completed by 2130.
Thursday 6th August 2009
Call out at 16:00. A walker had become crag fast on the South Peak of the Cobbler. Team members were converging on the area when Rescue 177 helicopter arrived on the scene and winched the stranded walker off the summit.
Thursday 2nd July 2009
Call out at 13:00. Tornado aircraft crash in Glen Kinglass. Team was quickly recalled as RAF Mountain Rescue was called in to deal with the situation.
Thursday 7th May 2009
Call out by Strathpol MRT at 1730 to Beinn Sgulaird north of Oban.
Oban and Strathpol MRT’s were also on scene to recover a casualty with a broken leg near the top of the south east ridge.
Deteriorating weather conditions (very wet with increasing wind velocities) were causing the Sea King rescue helicopter technical problems. The Arrochar contingent, with Oban and Strathpol colleagues set off up the ridge in poor conditions.
The casualty was packaged, and in an impressive feat of flying Rescue 177 (helicopter) came in and picked him up.
Sunday 3rd May 2009
Callout at around 17:30 after the team’s monthly training day. A few were still at the Post holding a meeting, and 5 members quickly headed up the Cobbler path to attend an injured person with a suspected broken ankle.
3 other members joined later on, and the casualty was stretchered off to an awaiting ambulance.
Friday 20th & Saturday 21st March 2009
Initial request on Friday 20th from Strathpol MRT & Coast Guard to search for a missing canoeist in the Cove area of Loch Long. On Saturday further deployments (13 members) were briefed by at the CG Station, with various groups transported by the police ‘rigid raider’ to search shorelines only accessible from Loch Long.
Nothing was found although an upright canoe and a paddle had been previously recovered.
Thursday 12th March 2009
The team was alerted around lunchtime for missing person in Lochgilphead area. The recall was 10 minutes after the callout, so the team was swiftly stood down
Monday 9th March 2009
Callout at 01:00 to assist Oban & Strathpol MRTs searching for a missing person. The team proceeded to Oban hospital where the missing person, a 75 year old diabetic male, had been reported absent. For the remainder of the night and the following morning, Arrochar, Oban and Strathpol teams conducted various search sweeps.
Strathpol helicopter eventually discovered the casualty. He was evacuated to hospital and made a full recovery.
Sunday 22nd Feb 2009
Team called out at 20:00 to Lochgoilhead area for a person who was reported late returning home. Team recalled en-route after person turned up.
Sunday 8th Feb 2009
An injured hill walker had a lucky escape on Sunday when walking in the Arrochar Alps.
Whilst descending from the Cobbler a solo female hill walker slipped on hard snow and fell a hundred feet. Although suffering from several injuries she was able to raise the alarm by blowing a whistle and waving her ice axe which attracted the attention of a group of passing climbers. After rendering immediate first aid, they alerted the police of a slip and fall via a mobile phone and the Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team were mobilised at 3:45pm.
A helicopter from the Royal Navy, HMS Gannet, was unable to get to the injured person and returned to Arrochar to pick up mountain rescue team members.
Initially 4 team members were lifted, followed by a further 5 to carry more essential equipment. In rapidly failing light and deteriorating weather conditions the rescue parties managed to reach the casualty who by then was in cloud. Due to the poor visibility and limited fuel, the helicopter was unable to return to the scene and the Arrochar Team assisted by colleagues from Strathclyde police MRT and members of the public were then forced to evacuate the stretcher on foot from the incident site.
After a 2 hour carry, the injured person was transferred to a road ambulance at the Rest and Be Thankful, from where she was taken to Paisley RAH. Her injuries are not thought to be life threatening.
31st Jan & 1st Feb 2009
The weekend of the 31st January and 1st February proved to be a busy time for the Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team.
The major part of the Team was in the Cairngorms hosting an international exchange with colleagues from the South Eastern Mountain Rescue Association in Ireland. This involved joint training of the two teams in a range of winter mountaineering and rescue skills in the Coire Cas area of Cairngorm Mountain.
On Saturday, whilst preparing to start their training exercise, they were witness to a fall by a member of the public who was blown over and slid down a 200 meter icy slope to land in rocks below. The Arrochar Team immediately attended the incident and, assisted by nearby colleagues from Strathclyde Police mountain rescue team also on exercise, along with Cairngorm Ski patrol were able to offer medical assistance. A snow cat from the ski area, and the funicular railway were then used to evacuate to an awaiting RAF helicopter.
On Sunday, the Team were again active, being called out to an incident in the Bridge of Orchy area. The casualty was evacuated by RAF helicopter.
Team Leader, Mark Leyland said
‘Conditions of snow and ice in the mountains of Scotland can make for unforgiving conditions for walking and climbing. Mountaineers should always ensure they have appropriate equipment including an Ice Axe and Crampons and know how to use them