Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team

Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team Scotlands busiest mountain rescue team, based in Fort William. Lochaber Mountain Rescue team are based in Fort William, Scotland. PLEASE DONATE DIRECTLY.
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We carry out over 100 mountain rescues each year, with the majority of the rescues taking place on Ben Nevis. The team covers over five thousand square kilometres, from Creag Mheagaidh in the East, all the way out to Rum and the Small Isles in the West. Like all mountain rescue teams the vast majority of our funding is raised through donations. Find out more about us and how you could donate on ou

r JustGiving page
PLEASE NOTE LOCHABER MOUNTAIN RESCUE TEAM ARE NOT AFFILIATED TO SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE (SMR) ANY DONATION TO THIS ORGANISATION WILL NOT REACH US.

10/05/2026

1 month to go‼️🚵‍♂️🏃⛰️

In just under a month two of our team leaders Iain and Astie will be setting out to do something never completed before.

The Lochaber Round will take the pair across the vast terrain that is our rescue 'patch'. A patch that covers a huge area from Creag Meagaidh in the East, south to the Mamores, across Ardnamuchan and North into Knoydart. The route will circumnavigate this area taking in remote glens, mountain peaks and even a sea crossing!

The challenge will take them around 330km and over 11 000m of ascent on foot and by bike. In one continuous push in just 3 days!!

All of this is to showcase the amazing scenery we have here in Lochaber as well as to raise some important funds for the team.

And that's where you come in, please support them in the crazy endeavour with any spare pennies. Every little helps to motivate them to keep going and to allow us to continue to operate safely and efficiently across this vast area.

https://www.justgiving.com/page/thelochaberround

04/05/2026

We are two of the team leaders for Lochaber Mountain Rescue, a very busy team, based in the West Highlands of Scotland.
As team leaders we are very aware of the ongoing costs required, to keep the team running and operating effectively and efficiently.
Purchasing and maintaining vehicles, upgrading communications equipment, and team training are just some of the upcoming priorities.
In order to help raise these much needed funds we are taking on a personal challenge, that has been formulated to show off the best of Lochaber as well as push us to our physical limits. This challenge is bigger than anything either of us have ever tried before, and our combined age of 105, is not on our side!
The Lochaber Round will take us roughly 330km, and 11,000m of ascent on foot, and by bike. The route will travel the length and breadth of Lochaber in a circular route, from Fort William, through Moidart to Knoydart, then across to Creag Meagaidh, before returning to Fort William via Corrour, the Grey Corries and Ben Nevis. We are attempting to complete this 3 days.

Whilst we will be completing this challenge as a pair, we will also be relying on the support of our team, and friends for logistics, and to help us survive!
We are grateful for anything you are able to donate to motivate our training, help us complete the challenge, and support the ongoing operation of Lochaber MRT.

Spring has well and truly arrived here in the Highlands and it’s great to see lots of folk out enjoying the weather. It...
01/05/2026

Spring has well and truly arrived here in the Highlands and it’s great to see lots of folk out enjoying the weather. It’s also made it a busy week for the team with three call outs in three days.

On Tuesday & Wednesday the team attended two separate incidents involving falls from the CMD arête.

Team members, including some who were diverted from their sunny rock climbing in Glen Nevis, were quick to mobilise for potential uplift but fortunately Coastguard Rescue 853 who was able to airlift the casualties to safety.

Yesterday the team were called to assist with a medical emergency on the lower part of Ben Nevis. The casualty was assessed by our team medics before being carried by stretcher down the mountain to our awaiting ATV.

As always we are grateful for the support of R853 🚁 and wish all the casualties a speedy recovery.

If you’re heading out this bank holiday weekend remember to pack your suncream and be aware that despite the warm temperatures there is still consequential snow on some of the higher mountains.

Scottish Mountain Rescue

05/04/2026

Winter's not over! The team's Easter weekend got going with a callout at 1pm on Saturday, for 2 cragfast climbers on Ledge route. Team members deployed to the north face as the snow started coming down heavy. Once the climbers were located, a small party traversed across, and assisted them back to safe ground.

At 7pm as the hill party made their way back down, a further 2 separate callouts came in for lower leg injuries in Knoydart. Rescue 853 attempted to reach the casualties but Storm Dave hampered their efforts.

Due to the deteriorating conditions, and the casualties both being equipped for being out over night, it was decided to wait for the weather to ease and return in the morning.

The team assembled early Sunday morning, and received information that the first hill party had made their own way out overnight. The team then headed to Strathan ready for a long walk out, and stretcher carry back. Fortunately Rescue 851 managed to reach the second hill party and airlift them to the awaiting team members, who then drove them back to their vehicle.

Many thanks to R853 and R851 for their support and we wish a speedy recovery to the injured walkers.

Happy Easter from LMRT! ⛑️🍫

As a voluntary organisation, we rely on donations to enable us to provide our services 24/7/365 to those in need. If you would like to support us then please visit our JustGiving page to donate:

https://www.justgiving.com/lmrt/donate

Scottish Mountain Rescue

Last week saw a continuation of our busy spell with the first callout on Monday evening. Team members headed on Ben Nevi...
17/03/2026

Last week saw a continuation of our busy spell with the first callout on Monday evening. Team members headed on Ben Nevis to assist a pair of cragfast climbers who were stuck below the cornice in Gardyloo Gully.

Saturday afternoon we assisted a walker who had taken a fall from the Càrn Mòr Dearg Arête. Two team members were able to head off as a hasty party, getting a good way towards the CIC hut via ATV, and provide initial casualty care and stabilisation whilst the rest of the team mobilised and Coastguard Rescue 851 was tasked to assist 🚁

With team members heading to this shout, another call came in for a climber who had fallen a significant distance in the region of Zero Gully, Ben Nevis. After initial assessment of this casualty with multiple traumatic injuries, it was deemed more appropriate for R851 to be diverted to uplift them for onward transport to hospital with R948 able to mobilise and recover the first casualty from the Càrn Mòr Dearg Arête incident.

On Sunday afternoon, we were tasked again to assist a missing walker with very little information to go on apart from some pictures. After some initial investigation we headed out towards Sgurr Mhurlagain, North of Loch Arkaig where the walkers car was found. With assistance from R853 (as their first SAR tasking out of the new Oban base) the walker was quickly found and transported off the hill.

As ever, we wish all casualties the best in their recovery and offer thanks to the crews of R851, R948 and R853 for their assistance.

As a voluntary organisation, we rely on donations to enable us to provide our services 24/7/365 to those in need. If you would like to support us then please visit our JustGiving page to donate:

https://www.justgiving.com/lmrt/donate

LMRT ⛑️

Scottish Mountain Rescue

Call-out numbers triple!! 🚁⛑️It’s been another busy weekend for the team with a further two late night callouts taking u...
09/03/2026

Call-out numbers triple!! 🚁⛑️

It’s been another busy weekend for the team with a further two late night callouts taking us to total of 45 shouts already this year. That’s three times as many as this time last winter!!

Friday evening saw the team going to the aid of two crag fast climbers in the Handrian’s Wall area of Ben Nevis. A bright night aided proceedings as did a lift to and from the summit from Coastguard Rescue Helicopter R851 and everyone was shortly back at base by midnight.

Last night saw a late call for another crag fast pair this time on Tower Ridge. The two climbers made a valiant effort to get themselves off the ridge under the guidance of our team over the phone but despite some progress felt unable to safely continue. 5 team members were ready to be uplifted in the early hours of the morning to go to their aid but due to several other ongoing incidents it wasn’t until 7am that a helicopter was available to assist. Massive thanks to Coastguard Rescue Helicopter R936 who flew all the way from Wales! With their help the team were soon at the summit and able to reach the climbers and bring them to safety. Getting back to base just in time for lunch.

We are already heading for our busiest year ever and as a voluntary organisation your support is vital to keep resources afloat and enable us to provide our services 24/7/365 to those in need. If you would like to support us then please visit our JustGiving page to donate:

https://www.justgiving.com/lmrt/donate

LMRT ⛑️

This weekend has been an exceptionally busy few days for the team with 7 callouts.Thursday, Friday and Saturday saw the ...
01/03/2026

This weekend has been an exceptionally busy few days for the team with 7 callouts.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday saw the team out continuing search efforts for missing climber Brian Mcgillicuddy. With teams searching the less frequented and technical ground on Ben Nevis, at around 11:50am on Saturday, human remains were found. Whilst the remains have yet to be formally identified, the family of Harvey Christian, 42, reported missing from the Fort William area in January 2023, has been informed.

With teams still spread across Ben Nevis, we received a call to assist an unwell walker on the mountain path. Thankfully with Glencoe MRT having their ATV at Half Way Lochan we were able to utilise it to transport the casualty back down to the North Face carpark, saving a further stretch on limited resources.

At around 14:30, we received a call to assist a pair of fallen climbers in the vicinity of Number 2 Gully. With Coastguard Rescue Helicopter R851 quickly on scene, they were able to deploy a winch paramedic to assess the casualties and treat them for onward transport to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.

With all team members having made it back to base, been fed, watered and headed home for some well earned sleep, another call came in at 22:45 to assist four cragfast climbers in Glovers Chimney, Ben Nevis. Coastguard Rescue Helcopter R199 was able to uplift 6 team members to Half Way Lochan where they continued on foot with technical equipment to the top of Tower Ridge. With the weather looking less than ideal, a rope system was setup to retrieve the four climbers back up to the top of the ridge. After a cold night out, team members made it back to base at 12:35 this afternoon - another night shift on Ben Nevis!

Whilst this rescue was taking place on Saturday night, another two calls came in, one for two overdue climbers in the vicinity of Aonach Beag and another for a hypothermic walker near Meanach Bothy who had fallen in the river. Thankfully R851 were able to retrieve all of them to safety whilst the team were dealing with the Tower Ridge callout.

We’d like to offer a huge thank you to Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team, Skye Mountain Rescue Team SCIO, Kintail Mountain Rescue, Oban Mountain Rescue Team, Search & Rescue Dog Association (Scotland), SARAA - Search and Rescue Aerial Association, Police Scotland Northern and Strathpol MRT, as well as members of Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team and Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team for all the invaluable support. Big thanks to Coastguard Helicopter Crews from R851, R948, R199 and to Scottish Ambulance Service EMRS helicopter crew for their support.

As a voluntary organisation, we rely on donations to enable us to provide our services 24/7/365 to those in need. If you would like to support us then please visit our JustGiving page to donate:

https://www.justgiving.com/lmrt/donate

LMRT ⛑️

Scottish Mountain Rescue

Extensive searches have continued today to trace Brian Mcgillicuddy, 64, missing after failing to return from a planned ...
22/02/2026

Extensive searches have continued today to trace Brian Mcgillicuddy, 64, missing after failing to return from a planned climb on Ben Nevis on Thursday, 19 February, 2026.

He was last seen around 8.30am that day at the CIC Hut and may have been planning on climbing Orion Face Direct.

Brian is described as 6ft 1ins tall, of slim build, with short grey/white hair. When last seen, he was wearing a white climbing helmet, a dark blue jacket, white jeans and blue and red gaiters.

We’d like to thank Glencoe MRT, Oban MRT, Police Scotland (Highland and Strathclyde), SARDA, SARAA, RAF Kinloss and Coastguard R851 for the significant effort today.

Anyone with any information, no matter how small it may seem, could greatly assist our search teams and is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 3544 of 19 February, 2026. Facebook messages may not be monitored.

LMRT ⛑️

Scottish Mountain Rescue

Yesterday was a reminder of how quickly a day in the mountains can change. With clear skies and great conditions, many o...
18/02/2026

Yesterday was a reminder of how quickly a day in the mountains can change. With clear skies and great conditions, many of our team were out enjoying the snow and skiing. By early evening there were three simultaneous rescues, concluding at 0730 this morning.

The incidents involved a well-equipped walker who felt unable to proceed whilst descending from Ben Nevis via the ‘Red Burn’, a pair of climbers 'crag fast' on Tower Ridge, a challenging winter climb on the North Face of Ben Nevis and a pair of climbers 'crag fast' on the West face of Aonach Mor.

With challenging flying conditions, the Coastguard helicopter R851 was able to rescue the pair from Aonach Mor. Unfortunately, they were unable to access the other casualties. Two team members were deployed by helicopter to find and assist the walker off Ben Nevis, whilst nine team members, with technical rescue equipment were deployed to the summit to perform an eight-hour technical rescue.

Whilst yesterday started as a beautiful day, gale force winds in the evening and through the night moved large quantities of snow around the mountain. This made the technical rescue especially challenging and in the time between these two rescues, there was a significant avalanche in the ‘Red Burn’ area with the debris crossing the mountain path.

We urge all those heading into the mountains to check the relevant weather and avalanche forecasts before heading out, along with the conditions they are likely to encounter on their chosen objective.

As ever, we would like to thank the crews of the Coastguard rescue helicopters for their skill and dedication in helping us to help those who need us.

Days and nights like this highlight the dedication, resilience, and professionalism of our volunteer team. Members step away from their own plans, their families, and their rest to ensure others return home safely. We’re immensely proud of every individual who played their part over the last 24 hours - you’ve earned an extra sugar in your tea today!

As a voluntary organisation, we rely on donations to enable us to provide our services 24/7/365 to those in need. If you would like to support us then please visit our JustGiving page to donate:

https://www.justgiving.com/lmrt/donate

LMRT ⛑️

Scottish Mountain Rescue

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Glen Nevis Business Park
Fort William
PH336RX

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