Climbers winched off Tryfan after losing route on Grooved Arete

Two climbers were rescued from Tryfan in Eryri (Snowdonia) on Saturday 3 October 2026 after they lost their way on the Grooved Arete route and could not continue as darkness fell, Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation said.

The climbers had torches and were properly equipped but asked for help to get down, the team said.

Ogwen Valley MRO said it had limited numbers of available members and, because of the location, asked the Coastguard rescue helicopter to assist.

"The winchman/crew were able to extract the climbers from the mountainside and drop them off at Oggie Base," the team said in a post on its website.

The call-out lasted three hours and 16 minutes and involved eight team members, according to the post.

Tryfan

Tryfan is a mountain in the Ogwen Valley in Eryri, forming part of the Glyderau group. At 917.5 metres, it is the fifteenth-highest mountain in Wales and was voted Britain's favourite mountain by Trail magazine, according to the source. (Wikipedia)

The team

Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation responds to incidents across the Ogwen Valley, Glyderau and Carneddau mountain ranges in northern Eryri, according to its website. It recorded 188 call-outs in 2025, according to the Mountain Rescue England and Wales annual review. (Mountain Rescue England and Wales, Ogwen Valley MRO)

Staying safe

Anyone needing help in the hills should dial 999 or 112 and ask for the police, then mountain rescue, giving their location and details of the incident, according to Mountain Rescue England and Wales. It also advises people to fully charge their phone before setting off and to register for the emergencySMS service. (mountain.rescue.org.uk)

Earlier call-outs in Gwynedd

• Walker rescued from Bochlwyd steps after ankle injury

Read Ogwen Valley MRO’s original post on its website.

Sources

1. Incident 175: Tryfan, East Face (Grooved Arete) Ogwen Valley MRO
2. Tryfan Wikipedia
3. MREW Annual Review 2026, incident figures January to December 2025 Mountain Rescue England and Wales
4. Ogwen Valley MRO website Ogwen Valley MRO
5. In an emergency in the hills, dial 999 or 112, ask for the police, then mountain rescue. mountain.rescue.org.uk
6. If you have hearing or speech difficulties, you can register to contact 999 by text by sending the word register to 999 and following the instructions sent. mountain.rescue.org.uk