"My buddy only asked me two days ago if I wanted to climb Snowdon," says Rafal Glowacki, a student from Coventry who is visiting the mountain to mark the end of the summer holidays. "I made the choice and took up the challenge - maybe I'll work with Ben Nevis next."
Covered in a light summer drizzle and its summit lost in a halo of mist, Wales' highest mountain is a sight to behold. It's also easy to get to and conquer - so no wonder Glowacki and hundreds of thousands of hobby hikers like him flock here.
With an estimated 700,000 people visiting the summit every year, Snowdon is "by far the most visited mountain in Britain, probably in Europe, possibly in the world," says Dr Rich Griffiths, chairman of the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team management committee .
That's up from about 500,000 before the pandemic. Despite covering the smallest proportion of all UK mountain rescue units, the Llanberis team are the busiest.
"Last year we responded to 234 calls, and we were physically involved on 180 of those," Griffiths explains. "So far this year we've done 215 jobs and my stats guy thinks we'll end the year around 270."
The center of the operation is a former church hall in the village of Nant Peris. Against one window are cards from rescuers expressing their gratitude. Equipment, ropes and harnesses are attached to the walls for easy access.
Griffiths admits the team has outgrown the building. In a side room with three computers, coordinators keep an eye on the team's location - and the people who need to be rescued. There are phone numbers for local police officers, firefighters and even the mountaintop cafe, and huge maps of the region.
A third of calls do not require a full rescue. These are cases where people have strayed from the path and become lost. "Normally our dispatchers can locate them via GPS," says Griffiths. "We can usually send them back to a path quite easily."
The remaining two-thirds of calls are split between those who have gotten into trouble and are too scared to move, and those who are injured or sick. Fatalities due to cardiac arrests and trauma are rare, with about six such incidents occurring each year.
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"If someone is in distress they call 999, speak to the police control room and request mountain rescue," Griffiths explains. "The police take some basic information, then we have ten coordinators who supervise and carry out the work. One of them will pick it up, investigate and decide whether we should deploy. When we do, we all get a text that says "Team to Nant," and we all come together here. We come in, get the right gear and hit the road.
From the first call to the final rescue it usually takes about 3-4 hours. But in heavy snowfall or complicated scenarios it may take 8-10 hours.
The mountain rescue team consists of volunteers from all walks of life. Griffiths is an A&E consultant and one of four doctors, but there are also builders and scaffolders. In total the team consists of 55 people, who do everything from coordinating rescues to managing vehicles and fundraising (Llanberis Mountain Rescue is a charity that needs around £100,000 a year).
"We are fortunate that we do not have to intervene on every case, which would be unsustainable," he explains. "It's almost unsustainable as it is now."
A few factors are driving demand for Snowdon's rescue team to skyrocket. "We saw a huge increase in visitor numbers during that first Covid summer, and that has remained at higher levels," Griffiths explains. "More and more people have realized that the British outdoors is available to them and are enjoying it. They are adopting a healthier lifestyle and seeing more of the countryside, which is positive. The downside is that we are a lot busier."
The other factor, he says, is social media.
Searching for 'Snowdon' on TikTok brings up hundreds of videos featuring the mountain, while the hashtag #snowdonia has been used 1.2 million times on Instagram. It means you can expect a line for selfies at the top, but has also created new dangers.
An eye-catching 'natural infinity pool' on the Llanberis Path became a social media sensation a few years ago, and people still regularly get lost trying to find it, or fall along the way. The demand for perfect sunset photos to share online has led to more people on the mountain at night.
"Our nightmare is the Dinorwig quarry, just down the road," says Griffiths. "It has become a TikTok sensation because there are tunnels and 150-year-old ladders. There is an old railway line where the quarry beneath it collapsed, leaving it hanging over a cliff. It was known as the 'Bridge of Death' until the track also collapsed. Now people sit on the farthest rail at a height of 50 meters. We are waiting for the day when an incident occurs."
Griffiths believes social media gives a false impression of the reality of walking. "What people don't realize is that although they see Snowdon on social media looking sunny and beautiful, most days it is in the cloud. It's colder and wetter than it seems. Even on a nice day down here it will probably be cold and wet at the top."
On my own hike up the mountain, I meet many people who have been lulled into a false sense of security by what they have seen online. "I expected it to be easier," admits Emily Roberts from Staffordshire as she heads up with her friend Daniel Hartle, both keen runners. "It is a tourist place and a lot of people come here. But it does require a high level of fitness."
The Baker family, daughters Alicia and Tash and parents Dawn and Darren, from near Suffolk, made the climb with their two dogs. For them, climbing the mountain was the highlight of their North Wales holiday. "We are far from experienced mountain climbers," says Dawn near the summit. "It's hard work, but worth every step."
Stories of people climbing Snowdon in outrageous outfits have gone viral (one teenager climbed the mountain wearing only Superman underwear and became unwell), but most people who end up needing help don't make stupid decisions, they're just inexperienced.
"City dwellers come up and are surprised by the rocky ground, the variable weather and that mobile reception is not always good," Griffiths explains. "People do their best. They usually wear walking shoes and a jacket. But maybe not. Maybe they didn't buy enough food or water. Those are the people who get into trouble.
"This year has been manic. We often had more than one call at the same time. Our record was eight jobs happening simultaneously. When that happens, we review it. We'll see what they can do to help themselves until we get to them."
What is the answer? Griffiths believes more people should consider hiring a guide to climb the peak. "Many Europeans consider hiring instructors and guides if they are new to something, but Brits don't," says Griffiths. "I promise you that if you go up there with an instructor, you will have a better day, have more fun, be safer and learn more."
Ultimately, the situation on Snowdon leaves Griffiths conflicted. Despite all the difficulties and exhaustion mountain rescues face, he's glad more people are discovering the outdoors. "I'm not the mountain police, I don't want to stop anyone who wants to climb from enjoying it," he says. "I just want to make sure they can do this safely."