Mountain Clients

Grave Concern

Friday, November 21st, 2008

Grave Concern:Apparently, it is absolute chaos out there ( a bit of extra snow this winter 2010): with a climber dying per day in Scotland this winter: http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/news/articles/mps/uan/5895     UIAGM/IFMGA guides not only believe that only they, are allowed  to “guide for gain”; that only they, are allowed to loose clients for gain: http://outdoors.caladonianmercury.com/2010/03/01/avalanche-victims-were-with-mountain-guide-company/0034  (Jagged Globe client, Robert Pritchard killed in Glencoe avalanche on the 24 Feb, 2010 along with winter mountaineering instructor)Not only did Graham and Jennie Davies (their son Phillip died 16 days after the 1992 BMG Eiger debacle) not receive back, Phillips course fees, they were also upset that all their sons climbing equipment - went missing. Independent mountain guides have worked for decades in Europe, for gain i.e. for money along side, working for their ‘UIAGM – friends’ certainly in the 1992 Eiger debacle when three BMG clients were killed, three clients (out of eight clients) who were being lead by – two Independent guides working for their UIAGM/IFMGA – overall leader. Now on one hand, this is illegal on main-land Europe then on the other hand, is not.? As Jennie Davies wrote to me twice: ‘Dennis, will we ever have peace in our hearts?’ There was no – concern for Graham and Jennie then and certainly, no concern - now. In 1998, Phillips rucksack was found by climbers on the West Flank of the Eiger where it had lain; been left, seven years before. Graham and Jennie did not received back; were not re-payed their son’s course fees.

alun – alun@alunrichardson.co.uk (UIAGM/IFMGA): was soo concerned that I had got my facts wrong, that he e-mailed me on Sept 30th, 2009: ‘Well your a man on a mission ( as is Mr Graham Davies who’s son Phillip died in 1992 – mentioned above; as are numerous parents of deceased children, clients of the BMG / UIAGM / IFMGA) shame ‘all’ of your facts are wrong and your assumptions mistaken. I have never read such drivel, if you want to discuss the ‘facts’ give someone a ring instead of ‘making it all up’. Claude ray (there, I even spelt Claude Rey’s name wrong) fell off a ladder outside a hut, the Swiss military soldiers were not guide by UIAGM guides (who have already received SFr 75,000 and SFr 90,000 respectively) but military ones…too name a few of your mistakes.’ So there you have it, the Swiss UIAGM/IFMGA President and mountain guide and safety specialist, fell off a ladder near a hut and not into a crevasse unroped dying from his injuries. And according to alun, Swiss military mountain guides do not have to be – UIAGM/IFMGA  http://pistehors.com/news/ski/comments/0746-president-of-the-uiagm-killed-by-crevasse-fall Now I have tried putting: president-of-the-uiagm-killed-by-fall-off-ladder, into google.com and – nothing comes up? On the 24 August, 2009, a UIAGM/IFMGA qualified guide (French) fell and was killed on the Italian side of the Matterhorn, the fall was held by the client who then called for rescue. Who actually looks after UIAGM clients when their guide gets it wrong?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/7639306/Italian-mountaineer-dies-falling-off-church-steeple.html

Concerned also: ‘Keep up the site’, On Monday 12 Oct, 2009: Unnamed by me because of the past, dangerous antics of members of the UIAGM / IFMGA towards their competition, an e-mail arrived: ‘Dennis, an absolutely amazing site, well researched and gives answers and food for thought on so many mountaineering related topics. I served as an ML1 in the Royal Marines Mountain and Arctic Cadre. Now retired but made a living as an independent guide, mostly taking UK clients to Nepal and South America. I would often go to Plas y Brenin to refresh first aid etc., etc, the reception I got (when they knew I took folks away without their (UIAGM) approval (lol) was sometimes very very annoying. I guided for over 40 years and never lost a client, or called out Mountain rescue – keep up the site. I genuinely know where you are coming from, ‘it all wants saying’…’ That unnamed independent guide, has not, subsequently asked me to remove his unsolicited e-mail from this site.

The following letter (I have not cleared this with alun yet, but I distinctly remember the magazine article, because I have a copy) was published in Climber & Rambler magazine in 1988 by Mr S. Mitchell: ”The Association of British Mountain Guides (BMG) has asked me to write to warn your readers about people posing as mountain guides. We are  – very concerned – that any member of the public is subjected to an inferior and probably dangerous service by someone who may call himself a mountain guide. To operate with an unqualified guide… may easily result in the loss of hard-earned holiday money.” To my knowledge (up to 2009) only one climber posing as a mountain guide (he was working for a UIAGM / IFMGA guide in Switzerland at the time – 1992) has lost not only his clients hard-earned money, but his three clients also lost their lives. But, an unacceptable number of UIAGM / IFMGA clients have also lost not only hard-earned holiday money, but also their hard-earned lives since that letter was published in 1988. Now you can see where this is going. According to Alun (UIAGM?IFMGA)the six Swiss soldiers who died on the Jungfrau in 2007 were in fact being lead by - bogus mountain guides!

Court Dates Announced for 2007 UIAGM Guiding Accident: http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss_news/Court_dates_annonced_for_army_accidents.html?siteSect=204&sid=11196476sty=nd

Just received (4 Sept 09) an e-mail from UIAGM/IFMGA Murray Hamilton: ‘Nice site. Yes accidents happen in the mountains, that is true. Do you have a solution? I do, but it is only to stay at home. I am open to other answers though. It could help us all. Kind Regards, Murray Hamilton. There is also grave concern amongst ‘other qualified mountain guides’ in Europe after it was revealed that at least 11 of their members (UIAGM / IFMGA) have been killed in climbing / mountaineering accidents since November, 2008. The Chamonix website of course makes very little mention as to the fate of the UIAGM / IFMGA clients involved in the accidents… Comment by Dennis Morrod, 15:00h, August 30, 2009. He returned from Chamonix on the 28 August, after observing current mountain safety techniques being employed by the local guides - clients being allowed to abseiling off the end of rappel ropes and poor belaying (to loose blocks) seeming to be the preferred method of hastening death when climbing in the French Alps in 2009. http://www.chamonix.net/english/news/2009-08-13.htm

On the 24 August, 2009 a UIAGM/IFMGA mountain guide was killed in a fall on the Italian side of the Matterhorn his French clients was left holding the body (having arrested the fall). Who looks after the client – stuck alone at 4,200 meters? There is grave concern…

One Day On Everestwas a gathering of climbers in America, mountain guides etc, the outcome of which, was the raising of funds for the deceased guide, Scott Ficshers family. Scott Ficsher along with several clients, lost his life on Everest in 1996. This noble act, the American gathering, was overshadowed by just one fact. Nobody has ever raised money for the, just as unfortunate families, of deceased – mount clients. The clients of mountain guides also have – families, many of them also have dependent children.

Eric Ellis, International Journalist, 8th April, 2009: http://www.spectator.co.uk/business/the-magazine/connoisseur/3524271/everest-a-risky-business.thtml

Category : Mountain Clients

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