Dirty Tricks
Monday, June 2nd, 2008
Dirty Tricks. – In Climbing! Jon de Montjoye(UIAGM) www.trekkinginthealps ukclimbing Mon 12 July, 2010: ‘Now he (Dennis Morrod) is completely barking a HUGE chip on his shoulder’, for merely trying to reduce the number of UIAGM clients killed and serious injured. I would ask potential clients to consider their position when one considers his thoughts on mountain safety That libelous statement on web thread that attracted over – 23,000 hits from other climbers. Having had their freedom to choose taken away, when it comes to employing safe, independent, mountain guides, mountain clients are now being sited (dirty tricks) as the cause of the deaths to certain ‘qualified guides’. An individual posted on the British Mountaineering Council sponsored, Rockfax.com website, on Monday the 17 March, 2003: ‘The deaths of two famous (?) mountain guides were caused by their clients.’? He sites the fatal rock climbing accident to Lionel Terrey and his client and the death by collapsing ice wall on the North face of the Triolet to Roger Baxter-Jones as having been caused by their – clients.? The fact that on the same morning that Baxter-Jones and his client died under tons of falling ice (eight other climbers were killed that morning in avalanche related accidents) four other independent climbers were killed behind them in the same ice avalanche quite clearly shows his death, not to be client related. Which cannot be said for the client, in this avoidable death. That evening I am my clients were at the Couvecle hut not far from the Aiguille Triolet and that night it was far to warm for ice climbing the following morning we, changed our itinary and went rock climbing.
Mountain clients and potential clients have had their freedom too choose experienced professional climbers; people who had/have the desired qualities (I will not use the word – guides as the word has been corrupted) people/independent climbers who would not join the corrupt BMG/UIAGM/IFMGA guiding system – the establishement of ”official’ mountain guides. Their means of employment taken away. It mattered not, that they were lost to mountain clients/potential clients.
The errosion of that freedom to choose, is highlighted in Appendix 4 of: Mountaincraft and Leadership by Eric Langmuir: “It is not intended that the adoption of the Mountain Leader Scheme by organising authorities or employers should – exclude from party leadership those – highly competent walkers and mountaineers who are known to possess the necessary qualities but do not (for whatever reason hold a BMC, technically flawed) qualification/ Mountan Leader Award.”
Mall Duff, a Scottish climber / mountaineer/independent guide, who had very few peers (Mall died at Everest Base camp in 1997) was not ‘officially’ recognised. His clients continued to return to him time and time again.
You will be amazed (maybe not) at the depth to which the ‘mountaineering establishment’ has sunk in the last 18 years. In 1984, I was told (via a ‘circular’ that went out to just three organisations) by the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) to – change the content of my advertising (only BMG guides could call themselves ‘guide’ in the UK). And yet, Cubby Cuthertson, Scotlandonline 2002 could write: ‘Hamish (MnInnes) is not a qualified Mountain Guide as far as a piece of paper or a certificate is concerned but if ever there was a professional guide in Scottish mountaineering.’ I took no notice of the unsolicited, BMC circular. Potential mountain clients have also been denied the excellent services of Highland Guides who also received the circular (they were probably forced out of business). There was no advertising for, and no financial assistance for – Highland Guides from the – BMC – to the contrary.
In 1985, I was informed by the BMC that they would give ‘full publicity to any future problems, where clients were concerned, that I may have. I have had – none. The same offer of full publicity was not made towards the – BMG.
In 1986, at a time when Dennis Gray, the then General Secretary of the BMC was on the editiorial board of High Magazine, the quality of my adverts in High Magazine started to decline. To the extent, that in the end my logo, the climber standing on the summit of a peak, was published holding a – grappling hook. As one individual wrote to me: “I thought grappling hooks were unethical in climbing?” That spoilt advert was published a few more times before the desired effect, of me leaving the magazine took place (in the years since, the same magazine has published faithfully, the advert of an ex-con given a 13 year jail sentence in 1979 for the manufacture of LSD – a friend of Geoff Birltes – illegal drugs that killed several young people).
The BMC/BMG finally got what they wanted with the support of High Magazine, my ceasing to advertise with them – High itself ceased to exist some years later. July, 2006 and a BMC journalist, Ed Douglas has just been sited as having slandered EverestWeb in the Guardian newspaper, for their expose of Henry Todd the – Himalayan Toddfather – the 1979 ex-con.
The BMC had already shown its attitude to others when in 1984 it ‘broke its contractual agreement’ with Climber Magazine (a magazine that over the years had given the BMC enormous, free adverting space) leaving that magazine for High Magazine (now High Mountain Sport – now defunct) – for 30 pieces of silver…
A number of my clients were approached, behind my back – of course, whilst in Chamonix by the same BMG guide: “You know that your insurance is invalid whilst you are with him.”, he lied. That lie, was confirmed in a letter from R. J. Washbourne who owned West Mercia Insurance Services (another excellent service now denied to mountain clients when the BMC ´went into selling insurance): “Mr Morrod, once we issue you or your clients with an insurance certificate we will honour it.” In 35 years only two claims (for repatriation) were ever made on West Mercia insurances by my clients. A broken ankle and a badly twisted knee. That a member of the British climbing establishment would stoop so low on numerous occasions, speaks volumes about some members of the official, professional, climbing establishment.
In July, 1993, whilst I was climbing at the Gailand, a popular crag on the outskirts of Chamonix, I was being watched by envious eyes. Driven to distraction by greed and averice (by my new, bright red, longwheel base, éight seater 110 Land Rover no doubt) these individuals (witnesses mentioned more than one person) now knowing where I was, went to my caravan and filled a large empty khaki rucksack with climbing equipment. Three months later (at the end of the climbing season in Chamonix), I received a letter from the Chamonix police, informing me that a khaki coloured rucksack had been handed in and my identification, along with the stolen equipment, was with it. They asked if I would be kind enough to arrange for the equipment to be collected at my convenience.
Returning to the Land Rover. One winters day, it was parked in Glencoe, someone (I now know which BMG guide built it) had constructed a small ‘grave’ with a square piece of white painted wood as the ‘headstone’ alongside the Land Rovers drivers door, so that I could not miss it. When I had arrived at the car park that morning, I had noticed a white, square piece of board discarded to the side of the parking area. The origin of this ‘death threat’ (a name was forthcoming from another BMG guide who was there) was quite clear as I had recognised a face that tallied with the name given. Another cowardly act; another – dirty trick. Would you actually climb with such people?
Whoever (because cowards never leave calling cards) entered my caravan in July 1993, which was never locked, when I was away for only a couple of hours, and deprived me of my climbing equipment, had accomplished a despicable act (probably the lowest act). As disgusting as any death threat, stealing climbing equipment is just as – illegal and yet a number of people, along with observers, and timing, had now returned my equipment to the police. The equipment was not returned out of pity or guilt, because the ‘climbing establishment’ has no – pity or guilt (Ian MacNaught-Davis UIAA: “There is no sentimentality.” The Sunday Times ). The Theft of climbing equipment has today become endemic in climbing and we now know who some of those thieves are.
To protect yourself and survive as a mountain clients or, a potential client, I believe it is important that you know just what, kind of people you might end up climbing with.
We all know that insurance companies do not like to pay-out. Can you imagine yourself ´assisting an insurance company´ not to pay-out? The Association of British Mountain Guides (BMG) were approached by a new high powered defence lawyer Mr Michael Guy working for Norwich Union, Norwich Union, who had for five years (1993-98) failed to compensate me for injuries and loss of earning after a serious road accident. After lossing a 450,000 pounds sterling lible case with another insurance company in 1997, Norwich Union’s solicitor Mr Guy, employed a new also high powered barrister (Norwich Union had to recoop shareholders money some how) and between them approached the BMG regarding my earnings. The BMG, only too happy to assist insurance companies to avoid paying out, succeeded in convincing them that my earnings were not what I had stated (my Inland Revenue tax bill 1989-1992 was 24,000 pounds sterling). A climbing organisation, actually assisted an insurance company to avoid its obligation.
But then, this is nothing new. A widow, mentioned elsewhere in this website, nearly suffered the same fate, but was luckier, she was made to wait seven years, but was finally compensated. Even so, she was taken over the three years statutory period (information asked for from the authorites in Chamonix was not forthcoming until after the three year cut-off period) for making a compensation claim (she had to finally make, her claim through her young son). Both her husband and the guide responsible for husbands death, were insured through the, wait for it, the – BMC.
Protect & Survive…
Full body harnesses are in the main spurned by modern climbers. At his first meeting of the UIAA Safety Committee a new member, in 1993, asked the embarrasing question: “Why do the vast majority of French climbers wear a sit-harness that does not, cannot carry a safety lable, a harness out of which they can and have, fallen.” He was apparently met with an embarrasing silence. If you reolise that you are going to be allowed to climb using just a sit harness, with the guide/instructor of your restricted choice, quite simply wear a tape sling over your head diagonally under the opposite arm and clip it into the front of the sit harness. That will ensure that if you turn up-side-down in an ensuing fall/slip, you will not fall out of your harness .
Likewise, the vast majority of climbers distain the wearing of a safety helmet. Apparently, 12% of climbing injuries are head injuries. Too many young climbers have died prematurely because they were not wearing a helmet. Forget the ongoing arguments that you may read or hear about the ‘right not to wear’ a helmet: ‘People get killed and seriously injured in car accidents but, drivers do not wear helmets’, so the argument goes. In the – sport of driving they are compulsory. It is mandatory, for sports drivers to wear protective helmets. In fact, many more participants in sport that once distained the wearing of helmets, have now come to reolise the safety factor that helmets give. Why insurance companies pay-out compensation claims to climbers who were not wearing a helmet during an accident, never ceases to amaze.
Category : Misc
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
Comments are closed.