Climbing event to aid Glencoe Moutain Rescue Team

View of Glencoen looking down the glen. Picture: Ian Rutherford

The emergency service workers help hikers every year who run into difficulties up some of Scotland’s highest peaks, and they are looking to improve operations by building an extension to their base station.

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That is where the Scottish Mixed Masters can help. The indoor climbing competition, held at The Ice Factor in Kinlochleven, will see up to 70 of the country’s finest climbers arriving for the event, including competitors as young as 13 years old.

Co-organiser Kevin Shields said: “The Scottish Mixed Masters looks set to once again attract some of the country’s leading climbers to Ice Factor Kinlochleven. We plan to have a youth, men’s and women’s category and I’m also hoping we can attract some para sport climbers.

“It will be good fun, a great craic and benefit the Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team. Three good reasons of many to make the journey on 1 November to Ice Factor to compete or spectate.”

John Grieve, Team Leader of Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team, added: “We are currently trying to raise approximately £50,000 to fund an extension to our base in Glencoe Village to securely hold all of our equipment for rescues. This follows the theft last year of some our equipment from a remote store.

“Glencoe Mountain Rescue conducted almost 80 rescues in 2013 and this year we’ve already been involved in forty. Therefore, we are very pleased to get support from a local company like Ice Factor Kinlochleven, a facility that’s also used quite a lot by our members. Any money coming in to Glencoe Mountain Rescue from the Scottish Mixed Masters at Ice Factor will be greatly appreciated.”

In November 2013, Ice Factor’s Festival of Ice attracted almost 70 climbers and raised over £2,000 for the charity Climbers Against Cancer.

The funds from this year’s event will also help replace some of the Glencoe Moutain Rescue Team’s equipment that was stolen last year.

• The Scottish Mixed Masters will take place on November 1. More information can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/scottishmixedmasters