Father-of-Two Dies in 100-Foot Fall During Everest Training Climb
An inquest ruled Adrian McAnarney's death accidental after he fell on a treacherous Snowdonia route while preparing for a Mount Everest base camp trek.
A father of two died after falling approximately 100 feet from a mountain ridge in Snowdonia while training for a climb to Mount Everest base camp, an inquest has heard.
Adrian McAnarney, 57, had traveled from County Down, Northern Ireland, with a group of seven friends, known as the Sunset Seekers, for a hiking expedition. The group took a ferry from Dublin to Holyhead, North Wales, for the trip.
The incident occurred in August on the Crib Goch to Snowdon route, characterized by a narrow ridge with steep, rocky slopes on either side. According to a statement from fellow hiker Fiona Mawhinney, she had been walking with McAnarney on the Miner's Path while their other friends proceeded to Crib Goch. McAnarney reportedly indicated they needed to ascend, and they moved along a goat track. Ms. Mawhinney stated she saw McAnarney reach for a large stone before he lost his footing and fell onto a slab.
The fall continued down the mountain, resulting in fatal injuries. Ms. Mawhinney described screaming McAnarney's name and calling for an ambulance. She attempted to follow him to provide assistance but was prevented by an off-duty police officer due to the dangerous conditions.
The Llanberis mountain rescue team, along with a rescue helicopter, responded to the scene, but McAnarney was pronounced dead at the rescue base. A post-mortem examination revealed that he died from multiple crush injuries.
Assistant coroner Sarah Riley concluded that McAnarney's death was accidental. "My conclusion is therefore one of accident," Riley stated.
McAnarney, a joiner and part-time boat attendant, was an experienced hiker with a passion for the outdoors. His wife, Monica McAnarney, confirmed his plan to climb to Mount Everest base camp in November, a mission that was intended to raise funds for the Northern Ireland Hospice charity.
Friends recalled McAnarney as a regular hiker in the Mourne Mountains and noted that he had previously climbed Kilimanjaro for a hospice charity three years prior.
Tributes described McAnarney as an "absolute gentleman" and a "true gentleman with a pure passion for hiking." He is survived by his wife, two sons, Jack and Charlie, and his siblings.