Trip Reports, News & Mountain Conditions for the Sierra Nevada » accidents

After the snow the avalanche dangers are high in the Sierras

admin — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 09:56:27 +0000

After 3 or 4 days of fresh snow the avalanche dangers are high in the Sierra Nevada. Yesterday an accident in the eastern area showed how fragile the snows are at present. Advice is to keep to easy angled slopes and away from steep ground until consolidation occurs.

Yesterday, 29th January 2011, between 13:00 and 13:30, there was an avalanche in one of the couloirs of the northeast face of the “Pico Buitre”, in the municipality of Abla (Almería). It carried down two mountaineers. One of them was buried five feet deep, the other was partially buried to the waist. One could break free and then followed the rope that bound them together. It took twenty minutes to dig up his friend and luckily he was still alive. The consequences: the buried guy had severe hypothermia and a severe sprain in his left knee. The two were evacuated to Almeria Airport. Thanks to two climbers in the area who selflessly gave up their mountain day to help and make phone calls.

Two Serious Accidents this Weekend in the Sierra Nevada

admin — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 17:48:44 +0000

The mountain rescue team from the Sierra Nevada have been called to two seperate incidents today in the Sierra Nevada.

The first rescue was reported in the Monachil area when a woman who was climbing fell into a ravine of 50 foot in depth in the San Juan River valley. She was part of a party of four women when she had lost her crampons. The injured woman is reported to have taken a serious blow to the head but is stable.

The second incident was at 11am this morning when a man fell from ice in the Corral del Veleta. The injured, who was accompanied by two other people, fell about 60 feet and suffered head injuries.

So far this year there has been 99 rescues in the Sierra Nevada mountains with a total of 12 dead and 62 wounded. These figures show that there are many people who head out unaware of the dangers. Crampons are a must from this time of year even though you are in sunny southern Spain!

Another accident at Paso de los Machos

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 08:40:34 +0000

On the 13th August yet another fall from the narrow snow and ice covered trail by the Paso de los Machos, in the Sierra Nevada, resulted in a call out for the emergency services. The man, whose age and identity were not disclosed, suffered head injuries and bruises and open wounds to different parts of the body. He had to be rescued by helicopter and was taken to hospital in Granada.

The Paso de los Machos in the winter is a notorious blackspot for avalanches. After the mega snowfalls of last winter hard packed snow still remains. This can be very hard and ice in the mornings. A fall here can be very dangerous as the recent spate of accidents has shown. Great care required (take crampons!).

The photo below shows mountain bikers crossing the trail carrying bikes. What is not shown is the steep drop below the trail which ends in a rock field.

Crossing the Paso de los Machos mid-August

More info in spanish at
[www.laopiniondegranada.es]
[www.ideal.es]

Still plenty of snow remaining above 2800m

admin — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:21:00 +0000

The Sierra Nevada still has some old snow remaining, unusual for this time of year. Particularly affected is the section SE and below the col de Cariguela and the traverse to Paso de los Machos. By the time you reach Loma Pelada little remains. Also the north side of the Tajos de la Virgen ridge needs some care.

Below the col de cariguela

Before 10am/11am the snow is hard underneath a soft top surface and care should be taken. I would still take crampons to speed and assist progress if you are venturing in these areas. If you don’t believe me have a look at these photos taken yesterday courtesy of Aisman on Nevasport.

There have unfortunately been accidents already. See “Another accident in the Sierras in a fall from los Machos on steep snow” last month.

The route into the Coral de Veleta should also not be undertaken if not properly equipped with crampons and ice axe.

Paso de los Machos

As a matter of interest there are still plenty of local granadinos that have been learning to ski in the past couple of weeks. Access is easy for the ski centre and fun can be had on numerous sledging slopes!

Another accident in the Sierras in a fall from los Machos on steep snow

admin — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 11:57:17 +0000

Although we are in mid-June, the Sierra Nevada, as previously reported, has lots of snow and many objective dangers remaining from the last winter. Yet another accident occurred yesterday in the Cerro de los Machos area. The utmost care is required as the accident occurred in a zone of steep, consolidated and possibly icy snow.

Steep snow slopes in the Sierra Nevada

A group of 17 people from Ciudad Real and equipped with crampons, were en route to the Refugio Poqueira. Intended route was Veleta, col de Cariguela, Los Machos, Caldera and Mulhacen. Then down to the refuge via the Rio Mulhacen.

There was an accident when one of the group (Victoriano Corral, 46 years of age) lost control and slid down a slope of about 20m, in the vicinity of Los Machos. The incident occurred on the morning of Saturday 12th June at 12’15. The group leader alerted the rescue services and they in turn arrived at the scene and evacuated the injured man to Pradollano.

Six people from the group returned to the ski resort and the 10 others continued on to the refuge, to return to Capileira as bad weather is expected.

The condition of the wounded man did not appear to be serious (just fracture or injury to both ankles!).

Mountaineer dies after falling into a crevasse on Veleta

admin — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 07:19:22 +0000

A mountaineer aged 45 died yesterday morning as a result of injuries sustained after falling into a crevasse in the area of the Corral de Veleta in Güéjar Sierra (Granada).

The Coordinator of Emergency Services received a call at 8.25 am in the morning when he was alerted to the accident. The emergency Services and Mountain Rescue and Intervention (Sereim) de la Guardia Civil de Granada were mobilised and went to the scene of the accident where the man was found dead.

At the moment the huge amount of snow over the winter has left wide deep crevasses. Most unusual for the Sierra Nevada. The Coral de Veleta is difficult to access so a helicopter also responded. The man had already died when the rescue services got to the scene and recovered the body which as taken to Granada, where an autopsy will be preformed to determine the specific causes of death.

22 mountaineers have died in Spain so far this year

admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 07:18:01 +0000

The two British mountaineers who died yesterday in the Pyrenees near Huesca, bring to twenty-two the number of people killed this year mountaineering in Spain.

The accidents are:

- January 10. La Guardia Civil found the bodies of three climbers from Navarre who had disappeared the previous day in the area of La Collarada, Villanúa (Huesca), after they were caught and buried by an avalanche. Those killed were the brothers Domingo and Santiago Eugui Martinicorena, 39 and 32, and his brother, Unai Pérez Isasi, 38.

- 22 January. A couple die on Puigmal-Queralbs (Girona), in the eastern Catalan Pyrenees, after falling from a height of 300 meters. The bodies were found on the French side of the mountain.

- 23 January. A 42 year old woman dies after falling into a ravine in northwestern face of Pico Espigüete in Cardaño de Abajo (Palencia).

- 25 January. A 42 year old climber dies as a result of injuries sustained the previous day while climbing in the area of Castellet (Alicante).

- 26 January. The two brothers, Juan José Rodrigo, 35, and Daniel, 26, resident in Bilbao, died when ice climbing on the south side of Pico Curavacas, located near the town of Glaziers (Palencia).

- 2 February. Mountaineer dies after being buried by an avalanche on the peak of La Collarada in Huesca, Canfranc.

- February 14 . Swiss climber dies, aged 24, after falling from a height of six meters while climbing along the “Caminito del Rey” , El Chorro (Málaga).

- 26 February. Mountaineer dies 35 years after an accident near canteras de Atxarte.

- 28 February. A woman dies in fall down a slope in the Sierra de Gredos (Ávila).

- 28 February. Mountaineer dies aged 19, coordinator of a caving group, after falling down a drop in Mondragón (Guipúzcoa).

- March 2. Mountaineers Mamnuel GC Juan Palencia, 34, and Alberto FL, 35 years, died when ice climbing near the Circo Anillo in the Pyrenees (Palencia).

- 29 March. JASB mountaineer dies, aged 50, in a ravine in the Sierra de Gredos, in the municipality of Candeleda (Ávila).

- April 6. A climber died after hitting his head after falling down the barranco del Arroyo de Alhori in Jerez of the Marquis (Granada).

- 16 April. Mountaineer dies Biscayan, buried by an avalanche, when he was climbing near Torre Santa de Enol (Asturias). He suffered a drop of between 150 and 300 meters.

- May 16. A climber, native of Barakaldo (Vizcaya), dies near Torre Santa de Enol, in the Picos of Europe (Asturias), having been buried by an avalanche of snow.

- 19 May. Two British climbers killed in the Pyrenees after falling from a snowfield located near the Pico de Frondiellas , in the municipality of Sallent de Gallego (Huesca).

Paying for rescue in the Sierra Nevada in cases of negligence

admin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:00:36 +0000

Rescued trekkers and climbers are to be charged the cost of recovery if they are found to have acted in what is deemed to be an unreasonable or negligent way, say the spanish government. This is to be implemented from the beginning of October 2009.

According to the government………” they advise you to check the weather, the guidebooks and maps. Leave route details, use appropriate equipment and alert 112 in case of difficulties. You must also be hydrated, and if you are cold, do not stop walking”!

Great advice that then?

A firefighter or rescuer is to be charged at €30 an hour and helicopter rescue at €2270 an hour. According to the rescue services, between 1 January and 15 September they made 365 rescues in the mountains.

Ok. All well and good, but what is to be deemed “unreasonable” or “negligent” is not clear. This is where the grey area exists. To my knowledge every mountain “accident” or “incident” normally involves some form of human error. According to the report the rescued must pay the cost of the rescue from places described as “dangerous”! How do we therefore define “dangerous” ground?

Sure, there are people out there who climb Mulhacen without suitable clothing or even maps and have not consulted weather forecasts. There are others who are suitably equipped, prepared and trained, who are just unlucky because of a slight misjudgment of conditions. Where does the charge start and end?

This sounds like the beginning of an alpine like charging system? Will you have to provide an insurance cover note before the helicopter will pick you up? Is this just another form of tax collection?

Much more clarification is required. Until then bump up your rescue insurances!