Caelan Blades, 16, a Functional Skills English and Maths student and former pupil at Mount Carmel RC High School, embarked on a hike up Helvellyn with his friend, Rowan earlier this year.
Setting off at 6am in fine weather, the pair were eager to reach the top. However, after over an hour of walking, the conditions began to deteriorate. As they approached the top, they encountered snow and strong winds.
On their descent, they noticed that most hikers were still heading upwards, despite the worsening weather.
Among the climbers, Caelan spotted a woman struggling, her hands gripping the rocks for support. She appeared to be slipping on the snow and ice. Caelan said:
“A man with her explained that she’d had a panic attack. He had to move her legs for her because she was so scared, he said he wanted to carry on to the top. I tried to talk to them, but I had to shout over the wind.”
Recognising the danger, Caelan and Rowan stepped in to help. They guided the group to a safer area where they could talk, offering food and extra equipment.
Taking charge, Caelan began leading the group down the mountain. He said:
“I tried to make the best path I could. I stayed ahead to catch anyone if they slipped. The woman also had a dog on an extendable lead. I offered to carry the dog, but she insisted on picking it up herself.”
The descent was slow and cautious, taking around 35 minutes in stages. They paused at Red Tarn, a safer section of the route, before continuing down.
Once at the bottom, Caelan and Rowan advised other hikers with inadequate equipment to reconsider their climb, hoping to prevent further incidents.
After completing the climb, Caelan shared his adventures on Facebook which caught the attention of the media. Caelan said:
“I didn’t think it was that much of a big deal at first, but then I posted it on Facebook and got invited to mountain rescue base and BBC Breakfast.”
Caelan’s actions that day have boosted his confidence significantly. His tutor Joanne said:
“We are so proud of Caelan and his achievements with us, I met him 18 months ago and the progress he’s made in that time is massive.
“What he did that day is so inspiring, it isn’t a big deal to him because it comes to him so naturally, but he saved people’s lives.”
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