A French climber spent a night wedged between two rocks near a high mountain lake after losing his way while attempting the highest three peaks in Ireland in the Macgillycuddy's Reeks on Thursday, Bastille Day.
A search by 20 members of Kerry Mountain Rescue got under way early yesterday after the man, from Paris and in his 40s, failed to return to The Climber's Inn, Glencar where he had been due to return at 7pm.
He had set out from the inn at 10am to attempt the horseshoe involving the Caher, Carrauntoohil and Beenkeragh peaks nearby.
He had enough food for one day and a warm jumper, although conditions at Curraghmore lake near the top of Carrauntoohil where he was forced to spend the night would have been cold, said Gerry Christie of Kerry Mountain Rescue.
He had made his way down to a roadway where he met members of the search team at lunchtime yesterday. They were acting on reports of sightings of the man by other climbers.
Meanwhile, no trace has been found of a Swedish climber missing since Christmas on the Kerry mountains, Mr Christie said.
Olof Jansson ( 22) has not been heard of since he set off on a trek from Mangerton Mountain to Carrauntoohil in late December.
He had not given details of his route.