Mountain peak fall man 'to keep climbing'

Adam Potter: "Every now and then I would go over a cliff"

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A climber who survived a 1,000ft (305m) fall from a mountain peak says he is planning to return to the hills soon.

Adam Potter, 36, from Glasgow, plummeted down the near-vertical eastern slope of Sgurr Choinnich Mor near Ben Nevis after losing his footing.

He was later airlifted to hospital by helicopter but was found to have suffered only minor injuries.

Rescuers later described his survival as "quite incredible".

Mr Potter told BBC Scotland he could remember the start of his fall and the moments before he landed.

Start Quote

It was just a little slip which led to a lot more slips... but I could slip on the doorstep at home”

End Quote Adam Potter

"I was slipping down on ice and snow and I tried to lose some speed at that point but it was very difficult - my speed gathered pace very quickly," he said.

"But then every now and then I would go over a cliff edge and any speed I had lost immediately came back because I was just free-falling at that point.

"And then I would hit more snow, another slope, so I would go with that slope for a while and then go over another cliff...and it went on and on.

"I was just wanting to stop really. I wasn't thinking about any life experiences or anything like this - there was no life flashing in front of my eyes - I just needed to slow myself down.

"Towards the end, there was this section where I had almost lost all my speed, which was great - but it also meant I could actually see the next cliff I was about to go over. And when I did go over that, I was a bit fearful for my life."

Looking at map

Mr Potter said he ended up resting against a rock. A rescue helicopter crew from HMS Gannet at Prestwick said they found him standing looking at a map when they arrived at the scene.

"I got knocked out and when I came to, I'd lost a bit of my memory so I wasn't sure where I had got to on that day so I was trying to work out where I was and how I'd got there," he said.

Mr Potter added that he felt well, apart from some cuts and bruises and three "minor fractures" to his back.

Asked if would go back to the mountains soon, he replied: "Yes, hopefully very soon. I was hoping to go again next weekend but I think that will be cancelled. But maybe in a few weeks - I'll see how the injuries go.

"It was just a little slip which led to a lot more slips... but I could slip on the doorstep at home," he added.

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