In a remarkable display of mountain savvy and compassion, two teenage ice climbers became unlikely rescuers for a group of woefully underprepared adult hikers on one of England's most treacherous ridges. The incident unfolded on January 10th on Helvellyn, the third highest peak in England, located in the Lake District.
The Unlikely Rescuers
Caelan Blades, aged 16 from Blackburn, Lancashire, and Rowan Kay, 15 from Settle, North Yorkshire, were engaged in a serious ice climbing expedition. The pair were scaling an icy gully on Helvellyn, having just begun their descent from the summit, which stands at 3,117 feet. Their intended route was taking them across the notoriously hazardous Striding Edge, a jagged rock arête known for its sheer drops and challenging conditions even in summer.
A Disturbing Discovery
During their descent, the teenagers encountered a group of five adults who were visibly struggling. The hikers, mostly in their late twenties, were dressed entirely inappropriately for the conditions, wearing jeans and trainers with no proper mountaineering equipment. Astonishingly, they had even brought a dog along for the walk on this perilous terrain.
Caelan later recounted his shock, stating: 'We were seeing more and more unprepared people as we came down and then Rowan pointed this group out to me. I was extremely shocked, we couldn't believe what we were seeing, they didn't have any correct clothing or equipment.'
Decision to Intervene
The situation became more urgent when the boys realised that professional rescue resources were already stretched. An air ambulance and coastguard helicopter were busy conducting another rescue operation on Swirral Edge, which leads to the opposite end of Helvellyn's summit. It later emerged that a man in his seventies had tragically died after collapsing on the mountain that same day.
Thankfully, the teenage climbers were properly equipped with ice axes and crampons - spiky attachments for hiking boots that provide essential grip on icy surfaces. Caelan's father, an experienced hiker, was waiting at the mountain's base, having instilled proper preparation in his son.
The Rescue Operation
Phone footage captured by Caelan, who documents his climbing exploits on TikTok, shows the dramatic rescue unfolding in the snowy wilderness. The video clearly shows two helicopters engaged in operations on other parts of the dangerous ridge while the teenagers took matters into their own hands.
One teen can be heard shouting: 'This is why you should wear your proper gear, people.' He then asks: 'Is everybody okay?' to which a weak voice replies: 'Yes.'
The unprepared adults can be seen climbing cautiously along the ridge, with one person carrying the dog in their arms. 'We're going to have to escort all these people now,' one of the boys says in the footage. 'They've got a dog, no boots, no crampons, no ice axe.'
Navigating to Safety
The rescue operation required careful planning and execution. The teenagers helped carve out a path down the mountain face, steering the group away from the perilous Striding Edge. They escorted the hikers down in a zig-zag pattern toward Red Tarn below, with Caelan leading from the front so he could catch anyone who slipped.
Another climber on the mountain revealed they had been assisting one woman from the group for approximately twenty minutes. The woman, who had no gloves, was experiencing a panic attack while stumbling along the snowy ridge, still holding her dog.
Communication Challenges
Adding to the difficulty, Caelan noted that when he and Rowan asked the adults if they were aware of their location or needed clothing or water, they received no response - the hikers didn't appear to understand English. One woman in particular was constantly slipping on the icy snow, highlighting the extreme danger of their situation.
Further Encounters
After successfully guiding the initial group down to Glenridding village within half an hour - where all parties shook hands before the grateful adults departed - the teenagers encountered three additional groups of badly prepared hikers along Striding Edge.
'None of them had ice axes or crampons and we were warning them not to do Striding Edge,' Caelan reported. 'Some of them said they didn't even have torches.' He emphasised that even in less icy summer conditions, Striding Edge presents significant dangers to climbers.
Motivation and Recognition
The teenage rescuers explained that they wanted to assist the struggling group to free up professional rescue teams for more serious emergencies elsewhere on the mountain. Their actions did not go unnoticed - the Patterdale mountain rescue team later thanked the boys for their efforts and even invited them to their headquarters.
Rowan was particularly firm in his assessment, insisting that the hikers should never have attempted to scale that section of Helvellyn given their complete lack of preparation and appropriate equipment. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of proper planning, equipment, and respect for mountain environments, especially during winter conditions.
