A GWYNEDD mountain rescue team's busy year continued with its 100th call out.
Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team are 14 callouts ahead of the total for this time last year. Spokesman Chris Lloyd said that the numbers of callouts had put the team's 50 volunteers and their employers under strain.
"They have to give up home life and sleep to go and rescue people," he said. "A lot of companies are struggling in this day and age and to have team members leave in the afternoon on a regular basis or come in the morning exhausted does put a strain on the system."
The team's 100th call out came at 8pm last Friday when two men became lost in cloud while walking from Carnedd Dafydd to Pen yr Ola Wen near Bethesda.
The men, one aged 30 and one in his mid 20s, were found on rocky and slippery ground near the edge of Nant Ffrancon after the mountain rescue team saw the light from their torches.
The team were could not reach the men because of the dangerous conditions.
An RAF Valley 22 Squadron helicopter was called to winch the men off the mountain.
"It was amazing flying so close to rocks and with the cloud level up and down all night," he said.
The men, both of Birmingham, had no map and the battery in their GPS system was flat.
Mr Lloyd said: "They had torches and that made a bit of a difference, but if they had a map and followed it they wouldn't have been where they were."
He said that climbers should have the waterproof clothing and footwear.
Mr Lloyd added that they should also take a torch, whistle, batteries for GPS systems, a first aid kit and emergency food supplies.