Two hikers who were rescued after becoming lost while attempting to climb England’s highest mountain during “treacherous winter conditions” are believed to have stranded a hotel where they spent the night following the seven-hour operation, the non-profit organization responsible for rescuing them said.
“We avoid judging those we rescue, but find it difficult to understand when those rescued benefit from the hospitality of our supporters in the valley,” the Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team wrote in a Facebook post last week.
It was explained that after the two men were safely rescued from Scafell Pike in an “avoidable” situation on December 29, the manager of the Wasdale Head Inn “kindly agreed to stay up and give them snacks and a room.”
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Scafell Pike has an elevation of 3200 feet.
Although the men were offered a 35% discounted room rate, which they agreed to pay at the time but said their money was not theirs, they left without paying their bill, the rescue organization claimed, adding that the organization felt forced to pay it for them.
Rescuers with the Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team walking Scafell Pike December 29. (Wasdale Mountain Rescue team)
“Disappointingly, in the morning they did not thank the hotel for its efforts, asked for further reductions in costs, pushed hard for breakfast and asked if they could arrange transportation to get them out of the valley,” the nonprofit claimed. “The response was: sorry, no extras and please transfer money when you can.”
The nonprofit also said the men did not return the two flashlights that were missing from the team after the rescue.
Additionally, they said the phone number given to the hotel manager to contact the men did not work.
The nonprofit said the men still have not repaid the $178 bill, although the post generated so much goodwill that Good Samaritans gave more money than they owed to the inn, which the group said will “go directly to the team’s operating costs, which exceed £100,000 annually.”
Scafell Pike in 2024. (Richard Baker/In photos via Getty Images)
The team said they tried to contact the men about the money and flashlights and to return a stool that one of the men had left in one of the team’s vehicles, but heard nothing.
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“This post will hopefully prompt the two young men to pay off their debts,” the team wrote, adding that they left a QR on the post to facilitate payment. “They could also reflect on the kindness shown to them that evening by the staff at Wasdale Head Inn and our own team of volunteers following their eventful visit to Cumbria.”
The team concluded the message by explaining that their volunteers are unpaid, and “we never charge a fee, but donations are always appreciated. Particularly to help towards our significant capital and operational costs, and even some of our more unusual but rare losses of £130.”
The manager of the Wasdale Head Inn agreed to let the men stay overnight at a reduced rate, but was never paid. (Google Maps)
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In a comment below the post, the hotel thanked the team for “handling this incident in their usual professional manner, and to our staff who stayed up to care for the starving and frozen hikers when they were brought in around 2am.
“Thankfully, this is the first time in living memory (45 years or more) that the rescued have behaved like this, but the outpouring of support and donations for the team from so many people more than makes up for this one selfish episode.”
