TWO climbers survived a 16-hour overnight ordeal stranded in the Cairngorm Mountains by sharing the one survival bag they had with them.
The pair got lost when darkness fell and were forced to dig a small snow cave for shelter from the Arctic conditions.
But during the night, their makeshift refuge collapsed on top of them.
They were soaked through, but managed to squeeze themselves into a bivvy bag, and rescuers said that probably saved the men’s lives.
They also ate nuts and a cereal bar to maintain their energy levels.
Tom Riddelsdell and Matthew Beals were delayed on a technical rock climb and by the time they got down from the cliff-face it was dark and they became disorientated.
Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team leader, Willie Anderson, said: “They were soaked when the snowhole collapsed. They had just one bivvy bag between them so they both had to get into it.
“It probably saved them from hypothermia. If they did not have a bivvy bag, it would have been a different story.”
The two mountaineers, who both live in London, were climbing on Stag Rocks at Loch Avon, deep in the mountains.
However, their ascent was slower than they expected and they decided to abort without completing it.
Then a rope got stuck during their descent, forcing Mr Beals to climb back up to dislodge it. That delayed them further and by the time they reached the bottom, it was dark.
Despite walking part of the way up a nearby gully, the two men decided to stay put for the night and used their small shovels to dig a snowhole.
Mr Riddelsdell, 27, a software developer from the Isle of Wight, said: “It was pitch black and we couldn’t see the gully. We didn’t want to get lost on the plateau so we decided to dig in.”
He added: “It was windy enough to knock you over. It was blowing very hard.
“We couldn’t believe the efforts of the rescuers. We massively appreciate it. They are heroes and legends.”
Mr Beals, a 28-year-old financial analyst from Preston, said: “It was fine when we were digging the hole but when we got into it and into the bivvy bag, that was a bit scary.
“It was dripping wet and we could hear the winds howling and the spindrift.”
In the morning they set off up Coire Raibert, above Loch Avon, towards the ski centre on Cairn Gorm. Members of the rescue team caught up with them at the distinctive cairn near the plateau, known as The 1141, and the two exhausted and cold climbers were given a lift on a piste basher to the ski car park, where they were given cups of coffee.
The men’s two climbing companions, who had walked down earlier, raised the alarm on Wednesday evening when they failed to return.
Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team was alerted at around 7.30pm but, after receiving a text message from the men saying they were taking shelter, the search was postponed until morning.
The team was joined by Braemar and RAF Lossiemouth rescue teams at first light. Seven members of the Cairngorm team were airlifted into the Loch Avon area, where they checked the Stag Rocks and the Shelter Stone for signs of the men. Member Willie Ross said they saw evidence of spontaneous avalanches in the area, triggered by the sheer weight of the snow.
As Mr Riddelsdell and Mr Beals were being picked up yesterday, more walkers were heading into the Cairngorms. Snowsports were cancelled as strong winds prevented the railway and tows could not run safely.