Man falls 1000 feet and survives.

Climber tumbles 1,000 down rocky mountain... and is found by rescuers on his feet reading a map

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 3:00 PM on 30th January 2011

A climber who fell over 1,000ft (305m) down a extremely steep and craggy mountain was found by rescuers standing up and reading a map.

The climber, who was lucky to survive the plunge, was found by helicopter crew when they flew to the scene to search for him.

The 35-year-old had just climbed to the summit of the 3,589ft (1,094m) Sgurr Choinnich Mor  which is situated five miles (8km) east of Ben Nevis, when he lost his footing and fell down the slope of the mountain at around lunchtime yesterday.

1000 ft plunge: The climber, a man from Glasgow fell over 300m down a steep and craggy mountain in Scotland but was found standing up and reading a map

Just 35 minutes after the accident  a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter from HMS Gannet in Prestwick, Ayrshire, which was already airborne for training arrived at the scene expecting to find the man in severe trouble. 

Lieutenant Tim Barker, part of the rescue crew said: 'He is lucky to be alive.

'It's hard to believe that someone could have fallen that distance on that terrain and been able to stand up at the end of it, let alone chat to us in the helicopter on the way to the hospital.

'Really an amazing result - I have to say, when we got the call and realised the details of where he'd fallen, we did expect to arrive on scene to find the worst-case scenario.'

The man who had been climbing with a group of 24 others was located by the rescue team when members of the team pointed to their companion's direction as the helicopter flew by. 

A paramedic was winched down to check on the Glasgow man, who appeared to be unscathed beyond some superficial cuts and bruises and a minor chest injury,

He was said to be 'shaking from extreme emotional shock and the sheer relief at still being alive'.

Location map: The climber fell down Sgurr Choinnich Mor which is located to the East of Fort William in Scotland 

The man was found at 2,600ft (792.5m), making his fall almost 1,000ft (305m) from the summit.

Lieutenant Tim Barker, the crew's observer, said: 'We began to hover-taxi down the slope and spotted a man at the bottom, standing up.

'We honestly thought it couldn't have been him, as he was on his feet, reading a map. Above him was a series of three high craggy outcrops.

'It seemed impossible. So we retraced our path back up the mountain and, sure enough, there were bits of his kit in a vertical line all the way up where he had obviously lost them during the fall.

'It was quite incredible. He must have literally glanced off the outcrops as he fell, almost flying.'

He was winched on board the helicopter and then transferred to the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow.