An inquest has opened into the death of a woman who fell while climbing on a mountain in Snowdonia earlier this month. Samantha Jane Orton travelled to Snowdonia on June 2 to climb Glyder Fach with a friend.
The short hearing was told that Mrs Orton, of Cringle Road in Manchester, fell three to four metres into a crevice on the Chasm Route shortly after taking to the mountain at 1.30pm. The 55-year-old was with her friend, who had travelled to Snowdonia separately to climb the mountain.
Kate Sutherland, assistant coroner for North Wales east and central, heard at Ruthin County Hall that attempts were made by Mrs Orton's friend and subsequently the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team to assist the fallen climber. She was then winched onto a coastguard helicopter and taken to the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue base in Capel Curig where she was sadly pronounced dead.
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Mrs Orton's friend was assisted on her way down the mountain and was supported by members of the mountain rescue team at the base thereafter. The cause of death of Mrs Orton, who was formally identified by her husband, was withheld pending inquest. The inquest was adjourned to a future date yet to be fixed, North Wales Live reported.
In a statement released earlier this month, Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue said: "The second callout of the day came at 2.30pm to reports of a fallen climber on Glyder Fach. A lead climber took a fall on Chasm Route and was reported as unconscious, nearby climbers moved to help and the coastguard helicopter winched the casualty but sadly she had not survived.
"The climbers then assisted her partner back down the climb to waiting team members and she was looked after at base. The team's thoughts are with the casualties' family, friends and climbing partner, the team would also like to thank the assisting climbers for all their help."
