Hiking in inadequate clothing

Due to the pandemic, more people have been spending time outdoors this winter - but some do so in unsufficient clothing and need rescuing.

On Sunday afternoon, a young couple went hiking from Pec pod Sněžkou to the Sněžka mountain, dressed in sneakers and sweatpants. They did not have spare clothes, headlamp or a flashlight, and chose a path for ski mountaineers which crosses an avalanche slope. Then it got dark, the pair got stuck in the snow and called for rescue.

When the rescuers found them, they were completely exhausted and had severe hypothermia. The water they brought had frozen. Members of the mountain service gave them new clothes, a drink and energy candies to stimulate the organism.

A similar thing happened on Sunday in the Beskydy Mountains. Around noon, a man and a woman set off from the Šance dam along the yellow hiking trail to the top of Lysá hora. About a kilometer from the top, they decided to return - but chose a different path. Gradually, they encountered deep snow and by sunset, they did not even know if they were still on the path.

The couple had a charged phone with them - but none of them were able to work with a maps app, so after calling the rescuers, they were unable to give their location. Fortunately, their phone had position tracking turned on, so the mountain service managed to locate them.

When the rescuers arrived at the scene, they found out the man was wearing sweatpants and the woman sneakers. They were stuck in a creek bed, exhausted and hypothermic.

According to the rescuers, these cases are quite common, especially this winter, when many leisure activities are being restricted because of the pandemic. They warn people should not overestimate their strength, wear adequate clothes, and definitely stay on the marked paths.