Mountain rescuers say social media influencer posts have helped fuel a rise in unprepared visitors to Snowdon after Llanberis Mountain Rescue recorded 59 call-outs in August — its busiest month ever. The team warns routes such as the exposed Crib Goch ridge are being underestimated in short videos and photos. Rescue organisations urge proper fitness, the right equipment (including crampons or an ice axe in winter), and the willingness to turn back when conditions are unsafe.
Influencer Posts Linked to Record Snowdon Rescues as Llanberis Team Records Busiest Month
The narrow knife-edged ridge of Crib Goch on Snowdon is one of the UK's most dangerous Grade One scrambles, but rescuers say influencers' images can make it look like 'just another route to the summit' - James Osmond/Getty Images
Mountain rescue volunteers have warned that social media content from influencers is helping to drive a surge in unprepared visitors to Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), after Llanberis Mountain Rescue recorded its busiest month on record.
59 rescues in August — the team said it attended 59 call-outs in August alone and is on course for roughly 440 rescues across 2026, almost double the number from four years ago. Snowdon, at 3,560ft, is the highest peak in England and Wales and sees around 600,000 visitors a year.
Crowds of people line up to reach the summit of Snowdon, where there were reports of scuffles and queue-jumping last month as hot weather brought record visitor numbers - Andrew Lloyd/Alamy Stock Photo
Rescuers say an increasing number of people are attempting routes that require experience, skills and proper equipment while arriving with little or no preparation. A particular concern is the knife-edge Crib Goch ridge: what appears in a short video or photo to be an easy route can actually be an exposed Grade 1 scramble that becomes dangerous in poor weather.
“What it doesn't show is how intimidating that ridge can be in cloud, rain or strong winds or how quickly a manageable situation can become a serious emergency,” the Llanberis team said.
Volunteers described prolonged rescues in darkness and severe weather, treatment of serious injuries and heat-related problems, assistance to people stranded on hazardous terrain, and responses to tragedies involving people and animals. Around 18% of last year’s call-outs were for missing persons.
A coastguard helicopter from Carlisle was called in to airlift a casualty from Snowdon to hospital as Llanberis mountain rescue team dealt with a large number of emergencies - Freelance Photos North Wales
Why social media matters
Nick Phillips, communications director at Mountain Rescue England and Wales, said that “social media and primarily the influencer community on TikTok and Instagram” has, by and large, contributed to more young, underprepared walkers attending the mountain. He welcomed people getting outdoors after the pandemic but warned that many set out without the necessary knowledge or equipment.
Advice For Visitors
Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park and rescue teams urge visitors to take personal responsibility: assess your fitness, carry appropriate kit, and be prepared to turn back. The park stresses a high level of fitness and appropriate equipment in all seasons — crampons or an ice axe are essential in winter — and warns that conditions can change rapidly.
During recent hot weather, record visitor numbers led to long waits for the summit and reports of scuffles and queue-jumping. Rescue teams say they want people to enjoy the mountains but to do so safely and respectfully.
Key message: Enjoy Snowdon, but respect the mountain — understand the route, carry the right kit, and know when to turn around.
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