Glencoe avalanche victims named

A PROFESSIONAL mountain instructor was named yesterday as one of the two men who died after being swept 1,500ft down a mountain by an avalanche last week.

Chris Walker, 29, ran his own instruction school from Keswick in Cumbria. He had successful ascents of alpine routes and Himalayan peaks to his name.

He ran courses in all aspects of mountaineering, including rock climbing and scrambling, navigation and Scottish winter.

Mr Walker and companion Robert Pritchard, 37, from New Malden, Surrey, were hit by a massive wave of snow on Curved Ridge at Buachaille Etive Mor in Glencoe last Wednesday.

A third man in the group escaped being engulfed by the avalanche and got off the mountain with the help of another group of climbers.

Mr Walker and Mr Pritchard fell over a ridge after the snow under their feet gave way. The men had changed their route off the summit as they thought it would be safer. Their bodies were recovered by the Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team.

Two other climbers rescued the third member of the group, leading him to safety further down the mountain.

The names of the victims were not announced until next of kin had been informed of the tragedy. A Northern Constabulary spokeswoman said yesterday: "The families request that their privacy be respected at this very sad time."

At the weekend two Scottish skiers survived being swept 2,000ft down a mountainside in Glen Coe.