Should Hill Walking in Mountaineous Areas Be Banned Until Further Notice?

dixiefly

Considering the current weather conditions and the pressure on our emergency services I was wondering whether all hill walking in mountainous areas should be banned until conditions improve?

After all we need our emergency services to assist people that are in outlying areas and also people getting injured getting about their daily activities. While hill walking in these conditions would be a nice sport it also has the potential pitfall of causing injury and for people getting lost.

pljudge321

And how do you propose we stop people hill walking, beyond building some sort of enormous fence.

Cookie_Monster

NO not at all.

Best kind of weather to be out in. If I had a 4x4 I'd be up in Wicklow somewhere today without question.

If you know what you are doing its no more risky than any time of the year to be in the mountains. If not then or course you shouldn't be up there, ever.

TBH you are more likely to fall and injure yourself on icy, compacted streets than snowy uncompacted paths in the hills.

brummytom

Nahh.. if people are stupid enough to go up on to the mountains without things like the right footwear, then they deserve anything that happens to them.. (it'd be almost as moronic as those idiots who decide to walk on a lake) but if people go up there equipped and know what they're doing, then it's fine.

Run_to_da_hills

That would be me foooked.

Cookie_Monster

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

That would be me foooked.

Walk_carefully_to_da_hills

It makes sheep shágging more of a challenge.

Tactics come into play.

Cookie_Monster

rarnes1 wrote: »

It makes sheep shágging more of a challenge.

Tactics come into play.

Finally sheep being white have an advantage, camoflague, I'd hate to be a black one these days :pac:

Black Dog

It is unfortunate that these extreme, but very pretty, conditions attract the fools who wouldn't dream of going for a walk on a nice sunny summer day.

It is very unfair of these people to endanger the rescue teams who have to go out to sort out their mess.

Experienced walkers would know when it is time to say such conditions are beyond me and I'll go another day.

ravydavygravy

I heard any current mountain rescue callouts have mainly been to deal with guy getting cars stuck trying to drive up to see the snow - not hillwalking.

Dublin-Wicklow Callouts: http://www.dwmrt.ie/callouts/index.html
Glen of Imaal News: http://www.wicklowmountainrescue.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=36&Itemid=106
Kerry Callouts: http://www.kerrymountainrescue.ie/scroll/scroll00s-2.html
Donegal Callouts: http://www.donegalmrt.ie/documents/online_editable_page.php

I haven't been out myself, but some of my friends have - given that they are seasoned walkers, many with winter experience in Scotland or the Alps, I don't think they are likely to cause any issues (no more than any experienced walker).

The bigger issue would be people with no clue heading into the hills - just because they look nice doesn't mean thay won't harm ya! Thankfully, there doesn't seem to be too much of this going on...

Dave

CreepingDeath

There should be a rescue fee... maybe €1,000 plus any costs, including helicopter fees etc...

Cookie_Monster

Wicklow Mountain Rescue have already said they will not respond to calls in certain areas due to the weather, Sally Gap being one.


This is the way to do it, let people go if they want but make it clear there will be absoluty no support as it will endanger the rescuers live to too great an extent

Cookie_Monster

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Finally sheep being white have an advantage, camoflague, I'd hate to be a black one these days :pac:

racist

TheIrishGrover

No. But there should be a ban against rescuing these fools.

Cookie_Monster

Deleted User wrote: »

racist

breedist would propably be the correct term under the circumstances
fecken PC brigade :mad:

Cian92

No, of course there will be an eejit with no equipment go up, but many of us have experience in alpine conditions. I for one would love to go hiking and am quite able in these situations.

Faithless

I'm off to the Wicklow mountains for a late night ride.

ColmDawson

If I hadn't gone up the hills, I wouldn't have got these.

Morlar

I dont think it should be banned but if people go unprepared and as a result need to be rescued then they should have to pay towards the cost of their decision.

Run_to_da_hills

CreepingDeath wrote: »

There should be a rescue fee... maybe €1,000 plus any costs, including helicopter fees etc...

Fees should be based on stupidity, ie more for those that dont bring mobile phones or tell people where they are going. €1000 wouldn't even lift a helicopter off the ground.

testicle

Faithless wrote: »

I'm off to the Wicklow mountains for a late night ride.

Make sure and wear plenty of protection.

Faithless

testicle wrote: »

Make sure and wear plenty of protection.

Yeah, I'll have to wrap up tonight.

galwayrush

Call it bravery, or stupidity, let them do it, if they get into trouble, tough.
I think it's stupitidy,and the world can do with a few less stupid people.:pac:

Tchaikovsky

I motion that banning should once again take precedence over common sense.

Moooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

drunken_munky52

People in Ireland would like to think they are on Everest, climbing our little hills in this weather.

dixiefly

http://news.eircom.net/breakingnews/17099688/?view=Standard

Four walkers who got into difficulty on Carrantuohill in Co Kerry have been rescued.

The men called for assistance after they were unable to get down the mountain due to the adverse weather conditions.

Up to 25 volunteers from the Kerry Mountain Rescue team are now bringing the men to safety.

Kerry Mountain Rescue spokesman Damien Courtney said the group are uninjured.

df1985

if people are experienced enough let them at it.

what next? you're not allowed go to the beach because the waves are too big?? enough of a nanny state as it is!

kflynn

hello! im new here and cant post a new thread, we are actually planning on doing carrauntoohil on tuesday my father is very experienced and got me boots waterproof trousers and a jacket, anyways im actually looking for a nice hostel to stay in on monday night?

starbelgrade

kflynn wrote: »

hello! im new here and cant post a new thread, we are actually planning on doing carrauntoohil on tuesday my father is very experienced and got me boots waterproof trousers and a jacket, anyways im actually looking for a nice hostel to stay in on monday night?

Try the Killarney Park Hotel. It's not quite hostel prices, but well worth the 5 stars.

kflynn

thank you! but we actually want to stay in a hostel, we will meet other hikers and i looked online and saw a place called sugan hostel, i thought it looked gorgeous open fires and everything like a real old house but its not open in january! any other place?

Capt'n Midnight

TBH they didn't ban little old ladies walking to mass/shops.
Think of how much the hip replacements will cost.

imeddyhobbs

pljudge321 wrote: »

And how do you propose we stop people hill walking, beyond building some sort of enormous fence.

Referendum.

hmmm

TBH why stop with hillwalking? We should stop everything that could be dangerous in Winter, such as driving or leaving your house. What about all those people walking about without hats? They are clearly a nuisance to themselves and to our health service, they should be locked up. I've also noticed a lot of people are driving cars in this weather, that too is an activity that should be banned.

Don't get me started on people using their feet to walk on slippy icy pavements, when it is much safer to slither along like one of the lizard people. Idiots.

Capt'n Midnight

hmmm wrote: »

Don't get me started on people using their feet to walk on slippy icy pavements, when it is much safer to slither along like one of the lizard people. Idiots.

Ah now in fairness lizard people don't slither along on icy pavements, it's too cold for them.

imeddyhobbs

Why do people post threads asking should they ban things?
Who are they and how can they ban things?

Celly Smunt

communists.

You know those hippy types that wear t shirts that have "legalise everything" written on the front? It seems some sort of counter movement has been started against them. I can just picture the OP wearing a "ban everything" t shirt.

Valmont

Of course a "ban walking in the mountains" thread would turn up in AH...

Magenta

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Fees should be based on stupidity, ie more for those that dont bring mobile phones or tell people where they are going. €1000 wouldn't even lift a helicopter off the ground.

At least you'd be easy to find, I bet that tinfoil hat reflects the light beautifully. :pac:

brightkane

Deleted User wrote: »

"legalise everything"

ban everything else - on the back of said teeshirt

Borneo Fnctn

What about hill walking in hillous areas?

Capt'n Midnight

Deleted User wrote: »

You know those hippy types that wear t shirts that have "legalise everything" written on the front? It seems some sort of counter movement has been started against them. I can just picture the OP wearing a "ban everything" t shirt.

BANANA" Defined: "build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything".

Forest Master

imeddyhobbs wrote: »

Why do people post threads asking should they ban things?
Who are they and how can they ban things?

It's called 'hypothetical'. I think you'll find most forum topics are based on hypothetical situations - it provokes, y'know, discussion! :rolleyes:

NathanKingerlee

Try the Railway Hostel, www.killarneyhostel.com. Both the Sugan and the Railway are great places and are right beside the Train/Bus Station.

kflynn

thank you!

994

dixiefly wrote: »

Considering the current weather conditions and the pressure on our emergency services I was wondering whether all hill walking in mountainous areas should be banned until conditions improve?

After all we need our emergency services to assist people that are in outlying areas and also people getting injured getting about their daily activities. While hill walking in these conditions would be a nice sport it also has the potential pitfall of causing injury and for people getting lost.

How would you ban it, anyway? Call an emergency meeting of the Dáil to pass a Bill making it illegal to go over 300m above sea level when it's snowing? What's the penalty?

CreepingDeath wrote: »

There should be a rescue fee... maybe €1,000 plus any costs, including helicopter fees etc...

Cue people lost in the mountains thinking "I can't afford to call 999" and dying.