Would you let a young person climb a mountain in this weather?

[Zebradoodledo]

Opinion needed. 17yr old DD. Her workplace has had a hike up Snowden booked for the last few months for...... tomorrow. I've been keeping an eye on the weather situation and as most people are aware there has been an amber to red weather warning for extreme heat issued for Wednesday and Thursday. I spoke to DD earlier in the week about it, she the coach can't be rearranged for another day as they will lose the deposit for the coach but that they have all decided they will take it very slow and walk at the slowest persons speed and take lots of rest breaks
Last night I was looking at the weather and reports and hubby and I decided it wasn't safe..... she absolutely kicked off. Crying, palpitations, saying she wants to go blah blah blah. We tried to talk to her reasonably and showed her government advice about the weather, we were reasonable and gave all the evidence including that from hiking websites who advise against it and she was having absolutely none of it. She still wants to go. We ended up in a huge argument with her. She was sobbing and had a panic attack. We had to stop and we agreed to pick it up today and make the decision later. (She's not speaking to us this morning!!!)
I just don't know what to do?!?! She hates me right now, that's ok, I can take that. But even with all that here I am....still trying to find compromises even though every bone in my body says no!!!
Do I email the people she works with and ask for reassurances ? It's a social thing so not a work event.
She has 5litres of water she may need more, she's got to carry that though!!??! As well as everything else
She's never hiked like that before other than with DofE!!
She's bought all the right food (nutrition bars, couscous, dried fruit etc). Has sunblock and the right clothes.
She's argued the weather where we live is currently 'cloudy' but that's not to say tomorrow will be or will be in Wales. They're leaving at 6am so will arrive at 8am and it'll be walking through the main heat of the day.
At 17 she's still underage. We explained that we still have final say. Do I be the 'bad guy' or do I let her make her own decision? It's just a bloomin dangerous decision in my own humble opinion!!!! What are your thoughts?
Wishing for the toddler years ago...they seemed so much easier than parenting teenagers!!!!

I assumed that it would be ready cooked and made into a salad with cheese etc, or just one of those flavoured packets. Seems quite a reasonable portable lunch to me.

How would you prevent her from going?
Why was she tantruming and having heart palpitations?

Of course I’d let her go. I’ve done Snowdonin 22 degrees and am in my sixties. Snowdon is North Wales so not in red warning and it’s forecast to be 20 degrees at the summit. A young healthy person with the right clothing, water and sunscreen will be fine.

Agreed. Not quite so necessary for a 2-3 hour walk to a cafe (and a much shorter walk back).

I'm not sure you would want to eat a couscous salad after it's been in a pack in the sun for 3 hours. And there is a cafe at the summit.

It will be fine, she might have an insulated lunchbox and the cafe at the summit will be rammed with people queuing up to buy food that will be overpriced and likely shit. Plus they might not get to the summit, so need food with them just in case.

Given that the amber warning has now been expanded to cover the area your daughter is going to, I would err on the side of caution. The humidity is the greatest danger.

Panic attacks, palpitations and weeping are deeply unhelpful behaviours on a mountain hike. Let's hope she's a bit more mature when she's actually out there.

I'd say it depends who she is walking with. Whatever the weather, a walk like that needs to be led by someone who is knowledgeable and sensible enough to monitor the conditions and call a halt if appropriate.

Assuming the walk is being led by someone well-enough informed and experienced, then I would let her make the decision herself. But not otherwise.

i suspect it will be in better condition than a sandwich would be!

She has a right to expect to get her own way about things that are absolutely nothing to do with you at her age. I would have been incandescent with rage over your actions if I was her.

For the posters saying they would not 'allow' the almost adult to do the work event, how would you prevent her?

Not very calorie dense, neither a slow burn energy source nor a rapid pick-me-up, and requires cutlery. There are many better and easier options.

This. Your infantilisation of her is going to end in tears, OP. If your relationship feels like she’s stuck in a pair of too-tight shoes 24/7, how close do you think the two of you will be once she’s out from under your control? Her adulthood is coming whether you’re ready or not. Best get your head around that and start loosening your hold.

Thanks to everyone who responded.
Just to.clarify;

by coach I mean bus

She's the youngest the rest are adults

It's not a work event it's a social event organised outside of work by the people she works with

Nobody on the trip is an expert hiker

You're right, I can't physically stop her but I am still legally responsible for her till she's 18. However she is reliant on me getting her to the meeting point!

I didn't contact her workplace with an email or call for further clarification

We've agreed she can go. I think it's incredibly foolish in this heat but she's made the decision and I've supported that with agreements she will stay covered, stay hydrated, etc etc etc I'm.worried like crazy that she will get hurt/pass out/ heatstroke etc.

Being a Mum is hard and nobody knows if we're making the right or wrong decisions. Thank you to those who responded with kindness.

Exactly this.

No. Mountain rescue don’t want to have to go out in this heat. A couple with a baby recently died in Spain after hiking in the heat without enough water and you’d need litres and litres of it.

Do you have a link to the deaths in Spain?

I enjoy hiking/walking holidays in the south of Spain and haven't heard of this.

I’ve just checked and it was the U.S. sorry. The valley they were in has a Spanish name so I mixed up the areas

Crying, palpitations, a panic attack?

Is this a usual reaction from her?

That's because it was in California. They died as a result of a number of poor choices trying to save the baby and it was 43 degrees. The max for the Snowdon area for tomorrow is 25 and lower once you get higher.

https://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Snowdon/forecasts/1085

Mountain forecast for tmro is temps between 18-22 degrees depending on altitude, so hot for the mountains but not anything like what we’re experiencing further south. I was in Snowdonia yesterday and visibility was excellent, cloud base very high in the sky.

With water, I’d advise pre hydrating just as they set off. Drink a pint or more just at the base, and that will set you up well for the first hour or so and will mean carrying a bit less weight. Me and ds (13) went up Tryfan (918m but significantly harder) last year in similar conditions and did this.

Rhyd Ddu from what I remember, has a few slightly scrabble-ey sections with some exposure, but it’s generally fairly easy to stay back from the worst parts of exposure. Although less traveled than some other routes, there’ll still be plenty of others up there which makes route finding easier.

I would advise watching YT guides on the route. This will show the level of steepness and technicality, which as far as I remember is not too bad but no walk in the park either.

I live not too far from Snowdon, it is hot here today and meant to be a little warmer tomorrow. Amber warning not red.
While it is too hot for me i wouldn’t say it’s too hot for anyone to walk at all, as long as they’re reasonably fit, take enough water and have regular breaks. It will get cooler the higher they go, it should actually be quite pleasant up the top and the views will be spectacular tomorrow too.
I would strongly advise they start off a couple of hours earlier so they’re starting their walk at 6am, they should be at the summit mid morning then.
DH is an experienced hiker and likes the heat, he would go up in this weather.

You honestly don’t need litres and litres of water for a hike that will take two hours, three at the very most.

Government advice is not to go.

Hiking websites (that I presume are run by experts but do you rdue dilligence) say not to go.

She is young and junior and won't want to lose face by slowing the group down or being the reason they turn around. Her reaction says it all, she's in her emotions about it. You absolutely do NOT make a decision to climb a mountain on emotions and sunk cost fallacy, and not cold hard facts.

Yes 17 is nearly an adult but it is also an age of being extremely inexperienced whilst believing that you know everything and are invincible. She has almost no relevant experience to draw upon.

She wouldn't be going on my watch. Rather an upset daughter than a dead one, frankly.