A PROMISING student who froze to death on a Scottish mountain range last year died pursuing his passion, a local court heard. Former Alton College student Richard Hardy loved the great outdoors, and felt at home in the Highlands having moved to Aberdeen University last summer. But tragically, the harsh climate of Britain's most mountainous region was also his undoing, as the 18-year-old died of hypothermia after encountering sub-arctic conditions on the Cairngorms last November. The inquest took place at Alton Magistrates Court last Friday, where a verdict of accidental death was recorded. Speaking during the hearing, his parents, David and Julie Hardy, told coroner Andrew Bradley that Richard was "full of energy," and a very athletic person. "He just loved the outdoors and the mountains," said his mother, at the hearing. "He said to us after moving to Aberdeen that he felt at home up there, and he was having a wonderful time. It's just a shame it wasn't for longer." The tragedy struck on November 20, when Richard and 23-year-old graduate, Graeme Cooper, set out to climb the northern corries of Coire an t- Sneachda, the sixth highest mountain in Scotland, near Aviemore. The two young climbers were members of the University's Lairig Mountaineering Club, and had travelled to the area with eight other members. However, the duo went out alone and the alarm was raised by the rest of the team at 7-30 pm, when they failed to report back to the lodge where the group was staying. By the time the two climbers had set out earlier that afternoon, the weather was already deteriorating, and the eventual blizzard conditions saw a ground search of the are started by Cairngorm Mountain rescue team, assisted by an RAF rescue helicopter from Lossiemouth. However, worsening conditions forced the serach to be called off. The search was restinstated at 8-45 am the next morning, when a team of over 30 rescuers, dogs and a helicopter scoured the range trying to find the duo. The pair were eventually found separated and lying unsheltered on the hillside between 10-45 am and midday. Richard was discovered barely alive with a body temperature of 14C, but was pronounced dead after being airlifted to Raigmore Hospital, Inverness. The coroner's report also stated that the Alton man was less-equipped than his fellow climber and the other eight members of the mountaineering club, and was not wearing windproof trousers. According to local authorities on Speyside, this winter has been one of the worst in terms of casualties, and the same mountain has claimed the lives of five climbers over the past four months.
