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A mountain rescue recalls the risks of the mountains for people from Madrid
Two young people from Madrid were trapped by snow and ice on Pico Dos Hermanas. The Guardia Civil launched a night-time operation to rescue them. The incident puts the focus on the safety of those seeking getaways in the mountains.
The latest rescue in the Segovian mountains once again highlights the importance of planning weekend getaways from Madrid carefully. Two young people, a 19-year-old woman from Madrid and a 20-year-old resident of Rivas-Vaciamadrid, became trapped by snow and ice on Pico Dos Hermanas, one of the routes most frequented by hikers looking to escape the urban pace.
The alert reached 112 in the early hours and, within minutes, the Guardia Civil de Segovia activated the mountain rescue protocol. Specialists from the Mountain Rescue and Intervention Group, based in Navacerrada, travelled to the area known as ‘Los Claveles’, where fog, ice and the slope made any movement difficult. The young people, without suitable equipment for those conditions, could neither move forwards nor backwards.
The rescue team used short-rope and short-pitch techniques to reach them and guarantee a safe evacuation. Finally, both were taken to Puerto de Navacerrada, where a relative collected them in the early hours. Fortunately, both were in good health, although the scare and the experience will serve as a warning to those planning similar routes in these days of changing weather.
The Guadarrama mountain range, especially on the Segovian side, is one of the favourite destinations for people living in Madrid who seek nature less than an hour from the city. However, the weather can change within minutes and turn a simple excursion into a risky situation. The Guardia Civil rescue teams, based in Navacerrada, know the terrain well and act quickly, but insist on the importance of finding out about route conditions and always taking suitable equipment. Madrid is already beginning to move in that direction, with more hikers paying attention to recommendations and the weather forecast before setting out.