Eiger West Face 1992
Sunday, June 1st, 2008
Eiger West face (Eiger Sanction) July, 1992: Confusion still surrounds the events, which led up to the accident on the West Face of the Eiger in the Swiss Alps on July 23rd, 1992. Philip Davies along with two other clients was killed whilst a client of (ironically) The Survival Club; clients of a member of the ABMG. Whilst there were repercussions for the lead guide, John Barry (who lost his certificate for a while but still continued to guide and is now a full member again), there has been not a single comment in print, to my knowledge, from either the British Mountaineering Council or the Association of British Mountain Guides about the leader (Jan Rowe) and the fatal rope that killed 3 BMG clients.
Supposedly unqualified to work for gain in Europe as a mountain guide, Mr Rowe and another man, David Halton, were being employed as mountain guides in Switzerland by Mr Barry.
Graham Davies, Phil’s father, and mother and the other parents have never been given any explanation for the anomaly that cost their children’s lives.
Here is more detail.
In my view, the fatal accident that befell the 3 BMG clients on the West Flank of the Eiger on the 25th July 1992 was totally avoidable. The whole story, contained in an article by Nick Fielding in “Analysis”, printed on 30th January 1994 in The Mail on Sunday, explains a series of errors that lead to the eventual deaths.
16 clients of the ironically named ‘Survival Club’ were taken by rail to Grindlewald in Switzerland, on the 18th July 1992. On 20th July, the large team went to Eismeer – a starting point for the knife-edged Mittellegi Ridge. Without any prior acclimatisation or training on any of the surrounding peaks, they were taken on the first stage of the climb to the Mittelligi hut half way up the ridge, where they spent the night. The next day they climbed the upper ridge, into a gathering storm. Almost immediately, 2 of the party could not cope (because they were carrying heavy rucksacks and not acclimatised) and were taken down the mountain by the head BMG guide. The head guide (John Barry) allowed the others to continue upward.
According to notes compiled by Alison Summers, the only woman among the remaining climbers, a storm (which had been forecast) hit them half way up the mountain. The soles of their boots were scorched by lightening and both parties lost each other. Alison’s rope, led by Dave Halton, set up a bivouac near the Fourth Step on the ridge. They had no stoves as these had been taken down by mistake with the exhausted climbers.
At a campsite below Eismeer, John Barry was not worried when the 8 did not return by nightfall.
After struggling to the summit in very bad weather, the 2 teams searched for the descent route. According to Alison Summers, no one had a route map because John Barry had torn out the appropriate page from the guidebook. John Barry, still at the foot of the mountain, was now beginning to worry.
A helicopter pilot spotted them next morning. Daniel Brunner, who is also a doctor and a mountain guide was appalled: “I was staggered that they were all in military-style sleeping bags. Anyone on this fairly straightforward climb should not take such bulky equipment ” he said.
The accident occurred on the descent of the West Flank.
The Swiss Accident Report stresses: “Countless mistakes were made. The chosen route was not suitable for the ability of the clients. The ground rule ‘the weakest determines the speed’ was clearly not followed. Little attention was paid to the weather forecast and weather developments during the climb. To take a 4-rope party with a party of beginners in this terrain must be judged as careless”.
Some words written by Joe Simpson in connection with a different mountain tragedy on the Eiger have resonance here. In an article in the December 2000 issue of High Mountain Sports, the official magazine of the BMC, he wrote:
“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 was 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”.
Philip’s parents, in the 10 years since their son’s avoidable death, have never received such a thoughtful telephone call or a thoughtful visit. Neither the BMC nor the BMG have expressed or shown any concern to the relatives of Philip (the BMG client). In fact, to my knowledge, no relative of a dead BMG client has ever received even so much as a telephone call from the BMG.
I have had contact with Mr and Mrs Davies:
Mr Davies, in a letter to me dated 12th December, 2000 wrote:
“Your description of your sport as having become ‘somewhat callous and shabby’ is apt in my tragic experience from prodigious readings, out of which I have collected a number of extractions – this one from Peter D. Boardman won’t surprise you in the least: ‘Outward Bound and other outdoor education philosophies would have one believe that mountain climbing develops character, courage, resourcefulness and teamwork. That may be so, but it is also true that mountaineering expeditions can develop selfishness, fanaticism, glory-seeking and cunning.”
Mr Davies and his wife were not looked after by the BMG/BMC. On the contrary they were spurned. As Mrs Davies said to me:
“Dennis, will we ever have peace in our hearts?”
Each July this ageing couple still make the journey to the top of Great Gable where they scattered their only son’s ashes. Each July, on the date of their son’s avoidable death, they are reminded quite forcefully about the incompetence of certain mountain guides and their organisation. That organisation, the BMG, was at the time advertising: ’Adventure with Security, Why Chance Everything on Anything – Less?’
Category : Accidents
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