Mountain Clients

On the 12 September,2005, two climbers, members of the so-called British Mountaineering Council (BMC), were apparently assaulted and their ropes cut (nothing new there then) and thrown off Vixen Tor for the illegal act of – trespassing (again). Complaining to the BMC, they were informed that the BMC would: support them all it could – in the illegal act of trespassing. There is apparently, to be a legal gathering at the car park opposite Vixen Tor on Saturday the 24 September, 2005 in protest of the land owner wanting her land to remain private and free of members of the BMC. She has a right to be concerned on two counts: 1) In the main members of the BMC disdain the wearing of proper safety equipment – helmets and they are supported in this by the – BMC. Any amount of material emanating from the BMC will show young climbers (supposedly protected by the – Young Persons Safety Act of Parliament) not wearing safety helmets. The land owner is rightly concerned about any accidents on her land – it is inevitable.

2) The BMC and its members are responsible for the proliferation of ‘Bolting Fund’s’ that have appeared in all regions of the UK from Lands End to the Highlands of Scotland in the last twenty years, members of the BMC have / are deliberately damaging natural cliffs, crags and mountain rockfaces (against the wishes of the vast majority of British climbers) with drilled expansion bolts, Devon’s crags and Tors, will not hold out much longer against this BMC sponsored damage (Chudleigh on the Southern edge of Dartmoor already already has some bolts). It is typical of the BMC and its members to pick on a ‘lone woman’ (the land owner). Just about their limit…

The BMC has set up (in September, 2005) and is offering training courses in, ‘Being An Expert Witness’. Concerned that more of its members will be found guilty of neglect, during litigation, whilst climbing with, or without clients, what better way of protecting cronies than to control, nationwide, trained by their own ‘qualified’ staff, – Expert Witnesses. No doubt Saturdays demonstration will be monitored by BMC, Expert Witnesses. Whilst members of the BMC might benefit from such a scam, sorry brilliant idea, mountain clients certainly will not.   

On the 12th of February, 2004, Mr Lyndon Gill wrote in Rockfax (bloody Scouts Need Rescuing thread): ‘As you point out, the British Mountain Guides Safety Guarantees previous to 1997 was highly erroneous. More so, the fact that the British Mountaineering Council published such advertising. Misleading and dishonest in the highest degree. Cronyism at its worse.’

In 1984, Dennis Gray the then general secretary of the British mountaineering Council received a complaint from a supposed autonomous climbing organisation – the Association of British Mountain Guides (BMG). In response to that complaint, he wrote to me (and two other private organisations one of which, was forced out of business) stating that: ‘Only members of the BMG could called themselves ‘guides’ in the UK and on the continent…’ He/they wanted us, to remove the word – guide from our advertising.

It has become noticeable in more recent years, that numerous adverts from people who are not members of the BMG, are being allowed, with no BMC objection; are using the word – guide.

A very recent example of that double standard (19/02/02), is in the Cubby Column (BMG): ‘Hamish McInnes is not a qualified Mountain Guide (not qualified to who’s standard?) as far as a piece of paper or a certificate is concerned but if ever there was a – professional guide in Scottish mountaineering, it must be Hamish (Mal Duff , professional guide, also had no paperwork or BMG certificate as mentioned elsewhere). Hamish’s guiding school is not so much in evidence these days…’ Only members of the BMG can be called; can call themselves – guides.? And yet: “I am unusual being (yes I can call myself) a High Altitude Guide (I work for Jagged Globe IGO 8000 on Mount Everest – 2005/6) who has not come through the Alpine Guide School (not BMG/IFMGA).” David Hamilton. Good luck to him.

‘Confusion (for the parents) still surrounds the events which led up to a fatal, multiple accident on the West Face of the Eiger in the Swiss Alps in July, 1992.’ Philip Davies was killed along with two other clients of – The Survival Club; clients of the Association of British Mountain Guides (BMG). Whilst there were temporary repercussions for the lead guide, John Barry BMG (who lost his certificate for a while but still continued to guide, further his career and who is now a full member of the BMG again) there has been not a single comment in print (no publicity) from either the British Mountaineering Council or the Association of British Mountain Guides about the leader of the fatal rope that killed three BMG clients – Jan Rowe Not a member of the BMG who was guiding for gain). Supposedly, unqualified to work for gain in Europe as a mountain guides, Mr Rowe and, David Halton were being employed as – mountain guides in Switzerland by Mr Barry. Graham Davies, Phil’s father and the other parents, have never been given an explanation for the anomaly that cost their children their lives.

And yet, an article in the December 2000, issue of High Mountain Sport, the official magazine of the  – BMC, by Joe Simpson states: ‘Sadly misrepresentation of the facts has a distressing effect on the poor relatives of the victims who read conflicting reports on the death of their loved ones. Consequently, I was telephoned by a ‘representative of the BMC’ and asked whether I could call Matthew Hayne’s relatives (Mr Haynes one of three climbers who fell off the North face of the Eiger on the same day in September, 2000 during a storm). I was willing, but saddened to do so and also very angry that people already suffering great grief should be put in this position.’ (The general secretary of the BMC, is also a member of the BMG).

Philip’s Davies parents in the ten years since their sons avoidable death, have never received such a ‘thoughtful’ telephone call; such a thoughtful visit. Neither the BMC and certainly not, the BMG, have expressed; shown a ‘similar concern’ to the relatives of – Philip, – a  BMG client. In fact no relative of a dead BMG client has ever received such courtesy; received such a concerned telephone call.

Many other relatives of BMG clients have likewise never received such consideration. To the contrary, when a BMG client, Mr Pope, who was seriously injured, tried to sue his guide; his failure to do so, brought comments of delight from the British – climbing establishment…  heralded in High Mountain Sport – the ‘official’ magazine of the BMC as a: ‘Triumph for Common Sense.’??

BMC News Archive, 25 July 1997, is like wise unsympathetic to BMG clients.

‘On June 20 a High Court Judge found against (BMG) guide Dave ‘Smiler’ Cithbertson, in a negligence case brought against him by six year old Daniel Woodroofe Headly (Hedley). The case concerned a fatal accident on the North face of the Tour Ronde in July 1990. Cuthbertson was leading his client, Gerry Healey (Hedley) when he (Cuthbertson) fell. The single ice screw belay failed and Headley (Hedley) was killed. (The guide of course and as usual – survived.)’

‘Since this judgement the BMC has been working to counter the ill conceived suggestion that ‘any standard’ procedure exists for climbing alpine routes of this type and to stress that any one of a range of belaying methods may have been appropriate on (in) the circumstances.’ (Like, placing two; three ice screws and two ice-axes.’. ‘If a precedent is set basing the concept of negligence on a failure to follow procedure then this will seriously affect the way in which people, both amateur and professionals climb. ‘We know’ (really) there is no set procedure for climbing (?) particularly alpinism, and that the variety of circumstances encountered puts the onus entirely on the judgement of the individual (the client cannot make such judgements). Judgement and experience, not the rule book, are used to make the choices that minimise  the risk (like two/three ice screws at least) that climbers (clients) are exposed to. In any mountaineering accident it is normally possible to trace back to a point and say if only those involved had done this or that the accident might have been avoidable: but it is wrong to think that because an accident has occurred someone has to be at fault or even that the decisions made were necessarily bad ones. The BMC is currently pulling together opinion as to the implications of the case and a full review will appear in Summit 7.’

Mr Hedley’s widow and the young son that Hedley never saw, waited seven years for compensation for their loss under the as advertised: BMG comprehensive insurance scheme. Even then, an appeal was considered; Cuthberton was urged to consider an appeal; there were those who were prepared to support financially, an appeal against the widow and her son. Mrs Hedley´s book, will hopefully, be soon published so that the true facts surrounding this accident can finally be revealed.

It goes without saying, that the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) is involved very closely with the Association of British Mountain Guides (BMG). The BMG is supposedly autonomous from the (they actually shared an office in Manchester) BMC. They are not. The two organisations are intertwined. The general secretary of the BMC in 1997, was a member of the BMG. The BMC, has for many years stated that, members of the BMG meet ‘strict BMC safety criteria’ when it comes to offering climbing and mountaineering courses to members of the public. In 1985, the then general secretary of the BMC offered; threatened to give ‘full publicity’ to any problems that independent instructors/guides may have in the future (that is, unless they were working for – BMG guides). That ‘offer’ has not been; has never been extended to members of the – BMG (or those independent guides working for them) by the BMC. Why not? At the time of the avoidable fatal accident to Gerry Hedley in 1990, the BMG were advertising in BMC material and elsewhere: ‘Safe Guarantees.’ The BMC has said nothing about recent Everest debacles involving British guides – qualified or otherwise. (1999/2007)

As one observer wrote: Roger Payne, the last General Secretary of the BMC (2002) left – to join the UIAA (invited by Ian McNaught Davis no doubt) slush fund along with no doubt, Swiss citizenship and a Swiss bank account thrown in. The weather must be nice in Leysin, Switzerland, at this time of year.

Leysin, is mentioned extensively in the latest book about Dougal Haston: The Philosophy of Risk, by Jeff Connor: ‘Harlin’s idea of a climbing school offering small, mobile courses able to take advantage of favourable conditions anywhere was sound, and at one hundred dollars for a week considerably cheaper than the established alpine schools – or employing the services of  (qualified local ) guides (who turned a blind eye anyway). All of original staff (including Don Whillians) were seasoned climbers, but none was a qualified instructor, and it was only when Pete Boardman (BMC) became director in succession to Dougal in 1978 that ISM employees were encouraged to get professional qualifications…’, UIAGM guiding qualifications which they acquired: just – like – that cronyism, at its worse??

Harlin’s vision was one of a climbing school that would have the best climbers in the world, and the - highest ideals.? Rene Demaison and Walter Bonatti, though mentioned in the glossy brochure, apparently, had other matters to attend to. Bonatti and Demaison, never showed. The Leysin drug scene (read the book – riveting read) probably put many serious climbers off…