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

dixiefly · 09-01-2010 11:02AM #1

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 · 09-01-2010 11:08AM

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

Cookie_Monster · 09-01-2010 11:09AM

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 · 09-01-2010 11:13AM

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 · 09-01-2010 11:14AM

That would be me foooked.

Cookie_Monster · 09-01-2010 11:16AM

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

That would be me foooked.

Walk_carefully_to_da_hills

09-01-2010 11:19AM

It makes sheep shágging more of a challenge.

Tactics come into play.

Cookie_Monster · 09-01-2010 11:21AM

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 · 09-01-2010 11:27AM

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 · 09-01-2010 11:29AM

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 · 09-01-2010 11:30AM

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

Cookie_Monster · 09-01-2010 11:30AM

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

09-01-2010 11:31AM

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

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

racist

TheIrishGrover · 09-01-2010 11:32AM

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

Cookie_Monster · 09-01-2010 11:33AM

Deleted User wrote: »

racist

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

Cian92 · 09-01-2010 06:45PM

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 · 09-01-2010 06:47PM

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

ColmDawson · 09-01-2010 06:49PM

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

Morlar · 09-01-2010 06:54PM

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 · 09-01-2010 07:06PM

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 · 09-01-2010 07:13PM

Faithless wrote: »

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

Make sure and wear plenty of protection.

Faithless · 09-01-2010 07:36PM

testicle wrote: »

Make sure and wear plenty of protection.

Yeah, I'll have to wrap up tonight.

galwayrush · 09-01-2010 08:10PM

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 · 09-01-2010 08:23PM

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

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

drunken_munky52 · 09-01-2010 09:57PM

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

dixiefly · 10-01-2010 03:10AM

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 · 10-01-2010 03:26AM

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 · 16-01-2010 12:28AM

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 · 16-01-2010 12:35AM

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 · 16-01-2010 12:42AM

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 · 16-01-2010 12:56AM

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

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

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