A group of five walkers set off from their home in Yorkshire to climb Scafell in the early hours of the morning, only to get lost and report themselves near hypothermia and waist-deep in snow later that day.
Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team said they were contacted at 9.23am yesterday (January 5) by Cumbria Constabulary about the party of five.
The information came via an iPhone emergency satellite message so further information was initially quite limited.
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Later, an exact location was obtained, but it was in a remote area in Upper Eskdale.
Further information received via another message indicated that one person was also ill, and another had injured his ankle.
They had misnavigated off Scafell Pike summit, attempting to return to Seathwaite, a spokesperson from Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team said.
They added: “The team leader swiftly made a full callout and asked an advance party of two to make their way as quickly as possible to the location.
“A coastguard helicopter from Prestwick (Rescue 199) also responded quickly.
“The assumption at this stage was that the walkers had been lost since the previous afternoon.
“Further iPhone emergency messages indicated the party was moving down the valley towards the road, although for a time it was unclear whether this was the whole group or just one or two people.
“Thankfully the advance party had not travelled too far when they met up with the party of five walking out.
“All were safe and able to complete the journey to the road and then to a local hostelry, where they could organise a taxi back to Borrowdale. “
Upon debrief it was found that the group had set off from Harrogate at midnight, arrived at Seathwaite and then set off on their walk at 4am.
They made the summit of Scafell Pike but then found themselves lost at Upper Eskdale cold, wet and in danger.
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The mountain rescue team spokesperson said the walkers were not properly equipped for full winter conditions on the high wells and at times they were waist deep in snow.
They added: “To their credit, they fully acknowledged their misjudgement in this attempt and were humble and thankful for the help, fully aware this could have ended with a much worse outcome. “
Thanks again to the support from Coastguard helicopter Rescue199.