DMRT issues warning to walkers following successful mountain operation

A five member hasty team were deployed to Errigal on Monday afternoon after a hiker got separated from his colleagues in dense fog.
The party had ascended the trail from the car park on the Dunlewy road in good walking conditions but on reaching the first of Errigal’s twin summits heavy fog was sweeping in. One man got separated from his colleagues on the narrow, single file, col between the summits.
Inadvertently he drifted in near whiteout conditions down the North Face but luckily at one point got mobile coverage and a 999 contact was established with our Incident Controller. He maintained contact with the stricken party and during breaks in the dense fog established he was on the North face and slowly navigated him downwards.
The hasty team deployed were re-directed to that side of the mountain where they located the man and reunited him with his friends.
The Donegal Mountain Rescue Team says the case serves as a warning to all that irrespective of experience a sudden change in weather can herald great danger.