Archive for the ‘Misc’ Category

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.
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Climbers In Trouble

Monday, June 2nd, 2008

Somethings Never Change…

“The Manchester Guardian”

December 1956 / January 1957

‘Just before Christmas 1956, two young men, Jean Vincendon (aspirant guide) of Paris and Francois Henri of Brussels, ignoring the advice from local guides set off from Chamonix to climb Mont Blanc, via the Col de la Brenva. On their return journey (they had successfully climbed the mountain via the Brenva Spur following another party including Italian mountain guide – Walter Bonatti) they found their route barred by ice and snow (on the Grand Platue) and were marooned on the mountain in the most hazardous circumstances.’ Had they kept on and followed Bonatti’s tracks in the snow over the summit of Mont Blanc to the comparitive safety of the Vallot Hut they would no doubt have survived as did Bonatti and Ghesser.

Down in Chamonix there was a marked reluctance among the guides to risk ‘further loss of life’? in rescuing men who had not heeded the warning given. There was therefore considerable delay before rescue parties (an amatuer rescue party led by Lionel Terrey was the first to try  (Terrey threw his ‘badge’ back at the guides association) were organised but soon after the guides set out the French Air Force conceived the bold plan of attempting a rescue by helicopter. Helicopters had not previously been used for such purposes on Mont Blanc due to a lack of engine power, and the initial attempts involved the crashing of one of the helicopters and the addition of a number of men to the original two awaiting rescue on the Grand Platuea. Although those who were landed, either voluntary or involuntary, were able to reach Vincendon and Henri, owing to the (now) enfeebled condition of these two men they were unable to do other than provide food and get them into the very slight shelter of the crashed helicopter. Vincendon and Henry were slowly freezing from their extremities whilst the debacle was played out around them.

Susequently the rescuers themselves were saved but unfortunately the original climbers had to be abandoned. “The Manchester Guardian” give a most realistic account of the tragedy and drama enacted on Mont Blanc. On March 21st, 1957, the same newspaper reported that the bodies of Vincendon and Henri had been retrieved and brought down to Chamonix on the previous day.’

The two young climbers had done no wrong. Certainly nothing that warrented  being abandoned. They had been told not to go to the Brenva Spur but being young and energetic, they just wanted to go and have a look. They arrived at the hut from where the Brenva Spur is approached via Col Moore and stayed the night. Next day, because they could not make up their minds, they finally decided to descend back to Chamonix. As they started to go down, they saw two figures climbing up to the hut. They returned to the hut to await the two strangers. The strangers turned out to be the world famous Italian mountain guide, Walter Bonatti and his friend Ghesser. They were going to climb the Brenva Spur and so, the lads would follow.

Their decision was in fact not a rash one born out of somekind of bravado. Here were two other climbers, vastly more experienced of course but climbers for all that. Everything would be alright. And so they climbed the Brenva Spur. Going over the summit of Mont Blanc, Bonatti broke the trail to the Vallot hut and safety. Unfortunately, the lads saw the lights of Chamonix and throught that they could descend that way to safety. Bonatti waited for them by the door, calling out into the wind. If he had know that the lads had left his trail to safety, he would have without doubt and without giving it a second thought, gone looking  for them regardless of the storm. But, he had Ghesser to look after. Ghesser had frostbiten feet and Bonatti looked after him (Bonatti would not have known where to have started looking,  the lads could have fallen of the summit ridge in the storm, they could have gone anywhere. Over the following days, Bonatti and Ghesser self rescued back to Courmayer via the Miarge Glacier where he and Ghesser were met by friends coming to – rescue them).

Because crucial time was being lost, Lionel Terrey assembled a group of ‘amatuer’ climbers together and they set off to try and effect a rescue of the two unfortunate men who, when the weather cleared momentarily, could be seen through telescopes from the main street of Chamonix, sitting in the snow. They were beaten by the weather. Lionel Terrey, threw his guides badge back at the Company of Chamonix Guides.

Walter Bonatti was blamed in some quarters, for the demise of Vincendon and Henry.? Walter’s account was finally put into print in 1998, in his book: ‘The Mountains Of My Life,’  (published by Baldini & Castoldi) page 141. http://www.pistehors.com/articles/avalanche/vincendon-henry.htm

30 years On And Nothing Has Apparently Changed…

In the summer of 1987, I (Dennis Morrod – in some quarters apprently, using your own name is viewed as – self publicity?) was climbing the Index a sharp spire above Chamonix. Just one pitch from the narrow summit, I waited until the three British climbers in front of me finished that final pitch. In turn they disappeared from view.  As I set off after them, there was a sudden crash of falling rocks and I climbed to the ridge in front of me to witness a huge rock avalanche along with a rucksack tearing down the 1,000ft gully below me, two figures, hanging upside down were also slowly moving. Quickly climbing the pitch ahead of me I turned into the short summit gully to be confronted with two, shredded ropes passing across the head of the gully. Passing them and reaching the summit platform, I was presented with a climber (the third member of the Brits) just sitting there ashen faced, staring at the damaged ropes in front of him. Over the edge, somewhere below, were his two friends. Following the tattered ropes I found the two climbers on ledges below, at the top of the 1,000ft gully. They were shaken, quite lacerated, but otherwise in sound condition. Passing fresh ropes down to them I brought them to summit platform. Everyone was badly shaken and the lads were not unaware that they no longer had ropes with which to make the 150ft free abseil from the summit into another easy gully system on the other side of the peak.

It was as I was bandaging their wounds, that I noticed the figure sitting on a rock not far away on the actual summit. He had been sat there during and after the accident. It was his very shiny badge glinting in the afternoon sun, that initally drew my attention to him. He had sat their and watched as the accident happen, made no move to assist with a rescue in very difficult circumstances, lifted not a finger to help. He further, made no gesture, nor offered to assist getting the shaken lads off the tiny summit. His shiny badge, bore the message for all to see: ‘UIAGM’.

Two More Young people Survive.

One evening, we were sitting outside the Couvercle hut as the light faded and the clouds lowered. Suddenly, the guy next to me said: “Someone just sent six flashes with a torch.” Looking up, he was pointing towards the descent route on the Triolet and as the view disappeared, faded, there were six more flashes. Walking into the hut I informed the guardian that someone was in trouble descending from the Triolet, he said that he would telephone the Gendarmere though of course it was now to late for a helicopter to fly. The next morning after a late breakfast, and because a helicopter had not appeared, we geared up and abandoning our day, walked up the glacier towards the Triolet South Face. Hours later as we approached the line of peaks infront of us, we found a young Polish couple. They had no bivouac gear and had been sat on a rock all night trying to stay awake. They had climbed the North face of the Triolet the previous day only to tire on the long descent. They were all in. Having no food we gave them some. Because they were somewhat exhausted, we distributed their equipment amongst us and took them back to Chamonix. The helicopter - it never appeared.

Eric, I will call him Eric.

Eric’s plight was drawn to my attention after one of my clients had a conversation with Eric’s friend in the freezing Vallot Hut: “Dennis, these two German guy’s have been in this hut for three days and the helicopter will not come for them.” Walking to the emergency telephone on the wall, I rang it and told the operator the situation in the hut: “One of these guy’s is ill. He has been here for three days!” “The weather is too bad,” came the reply. “There are windows in the cloud on the Italian side. get a helicopter up here!” Twenty minutes later, the sound of an approaching helicopter could be heard, it was coming from the Italian side of Mont Blanc. Quickly, we packed Eric’s rucksack and carried him outside of the hut. The helicopter touched down, we put Eric in it and the machine, as quickly, disappeared – leaving his rucksack behind… We had climbed Mont Blanc and were descending when we found Roland and Eric. Tying Roland to our rope, we took him back to Chamonix where he stayed with us for the night. Next morning, I took him to the Bar National where Maurice Simond’s daughter Silve translated for me: “Dennis is trying to locate Eric in one of the hospitals.” We eventually found Eric in Aosta Hospital: “Yes we have an Eric Grubber here, tell his friend that Mr Grubber is – dead.” Roland was crushed. There were two wives somewhere in the valley and Roland had to break the avoidable, very sad news to them. Yes, Eric’s death had been totally avoidable. Every summer, climbers deliberately go to the Vallot Hut and sleep inside it ready for a very early start the next morning. But what they do not know, is that the Vallot Hut is built wrongly (the original hut had a normal swinging door thus ventilating the hut). Descending the steps inside the cabin takes you into a well of – gas (people cooking, foul air etc.,). The building is not ventilated properly and people, some of them are already in trouble, actually seek long term protection within the hut. From the moment Eric entered and slept in the Vallot Hut for such a long time, for so many days, his fate was sealed. If he had been rescued earlier, and he could have been rescued earlier, he would probably have survived. To be continued:

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Bogus Mountain Guides?

Monday, June 2nd, 2008

Climber & Rambler Magazine: 1988. “Bogus Mountain Guides” (BMG)

“The Association of British Mountain Guides has asked me to write to warn your readers about people posing as – mountain guides.” So wrote Mr S. Mitchell for the Association of British Mountain Guides (ABMG). (ABMG, has changed to the BMG.) According to BMG Internet advertising 2000: “This badge (their logo)recognised throughout the mountain world is your ‘guarantee’ of their professional training and competence in all aspects of mountaineering and – client care.”

The BMG letter by Mr Mitchell continues: “We are therefore 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 operate with a qualified guide is apparently, a gurantee of your safety and that of  your hard earned savings. But if you are not BMG ‘qualified’ your must be dangerous. Really? http://www.jagged-globe.co.uk/news/hamiltonint1.html

http://www.ecossenet.com Local BMG guides and Instructors: ‘So if you’ve had your eye on that special route for some time but don’t – want to die on it, give one of them a call. (Wed 13 March, 2002)’

Not a single mountain client of an independent guide ( bogus mountain guide) not working for a member of the BMG, has actually – lost a clients hard-earned holiday money; and certainly not a single clients life. To the contrary, too many BMG mountain clients since 1988, have ‘lost’ not only hard earned holiday money, but also their hard-earnt – life!. The true number of mountain clients who have in fact lost hard earned holiday money along with, their life, may never be known due to a wall-of-silence; a closing of BMG/BMC/IFMGA ranks.

A Bogus Mountain Guide, is anyone who is not a member; who does not support the BMG/BMC in its thinking; attitude to client safety.

It is not known, how many relatives of deceased BMG mountain clients have in fact received repayment of their loved one’s course fees; hard-earned holiday money.

BMG: ‘Adventure with Security & Safe Guarantees.? Why chance everything – on anything less?’??

After a court-case in 1997, (Cuthbertson v Hedley), the Advertising Standards Authority removed certain BMG advertising from High magazine. In 1988, BMG advertising boasted: “Adventure with Security, …we have a comprehensive insurance scheme…” Even though BMG clients were dying in avoidable climbing accidents, BMG advertising continued; changed to: “Safe guarantees, why chance everything on anything less?” Today on the Internet, as already mentioned, guarantees of safety are still being advertised by the BMG – but are not being honoured.

Historical Note: In 1964, five ‘qualified’ Chamonix Guides took nine aspirant guides (clients) into slab avalanche conditions high on the Aiguille Vert. In the ensuing avalanche, fourteen climbers died…  Andre Roch: ‘Whoever exposes himself to the dangers of an avalanche without it being absolutely necessary is without doubt very stupid.’ T. Rupar, holder of the Canadian Avalanche Association’s highest award: ‘…its not too difficult to understand why the less experienced become avalanche statistics, but one can only conclude that the ‘experienced’ victims are either badly myopic, stupid, suicidally gung-ho, English, or a dangerous mix of some or all of these.’

Another ‘Dirty Tricks’ letter, this time,  printed in High Mountain Sport – September 2001

In the September, 2001 issue of High Mountain Sport the official magazine of the British Mountaineering Council, a letter has been printed from a client of – Adventure Extreme a non member of – IGO 8000; from a complaining client about a (successful) expedition on Mount Everest. Whilst similar letters exist, complaining about member organisations of IGO 8000, none of those letters have ever been (will never be) published in the same magazine. Even though, those letters refer to – fatal accidents within the IGO 8000 consortium. IGO 8000: ‘At the cutting edge of Himalayan safety… ‘?? In fact, an email regarding compaints about a Jagged Globe expedition appeared on the Rocktalk web-forum at 21:46h on Tuesday the 5 March, 2002. It was removed, zapped the following day. There was no such recourse for Adventure Extreme (a non member of IGO 8000). In a reply to that zapped email Steve Bell (18:37 Sun 10 March) states: ‘However, in view of the potential seriousness of your allegation (complaint), I suggest you keep further communications about this – confidential while we investigate the matter.’ Adventure Exteme, did not receive such a courtious breathing space..

And even more ‘dirty tricks’… James Bedway posted on Rockfax’s Rocktalk at 10.20 on Friday the 26 October, 2001: ‘ OTT Now Alpine 8000 (IGO 8000). Our group from the USA sent in our deposits and insurance money 9 months in advance and that was the last we heard from them. Now we are scrambling to book a US company on our dates then fight to get our money back from – OTT (Alpine Mountaineering based in Sheffield). They knew they were closing and took our money and said to hell with us. There are 10 guides listed with OTT – and we will never deal with any company that has those guides listed. We do not trust the…’

OTT, Alpine Mountaineering, according to someone who responded to Mr Bedway’s comments has apparently gone – bust.

In 2000, a Press Release assured potential IGO 8000 clients thus: ‘Although there are many commercial operators in the world, few in fact fit into the stringent – acceptable levels for membership to IGO 8000.’? OTT, was a founder member of – IGO 8000 and US clients have been left out in the cold; clients who have lost their hard-earned holiday money…

During their 1998 Conference held on the 19-21 November, the UIAGM/IFMGA members were informed about the forming of a sub-commission in 1997 the: Alpine Accidents Sub-Commission.

‘A sub-commission was formed to create a panel of – experts to review accidents (there are apparently going to be more). Erich Gutsgell reported on the complex chain of events which result from an accident (clients die). In trying to better unstand this chain the sub-commission hopes to identify the best way in which the UIAGM/IFMGA can serve the interests of – member associations and guides ( their is no mention in the sub-commision report about serving the interests -of clients). Erich would like all menber associations to identify an – expert, to serve as a reviewer to accidents involving – guides (once again there is no mention of – their clients).’?

http://www.jagged-globe.co.uk/news/hamiltonint1.html but its O.K. if you are working for the BMG/IFMGA – IGO 8000. “I am really quite unusual…having not come through the Alpine Guiding School”, he said (2007).

2004/6 see’s the BMG fighting tooth & nail against new: “Work at Height – EC Directive, Regulations.’ Interestingly, the BMG grabbed with both hands PLas-y-Brenin when it was ‘given away’ for nil consideration under another – EC Directive… Independent climbing instructors / guides have until October, 2006 in which to respond to an HSE Consultation Paper regarding Amendments being pushed for by the BMG / AMI / BMC.

http://consultations.hse.gov.uk/inovem/consutl.ti/wah.adventure/answersQuestionnaire?qid…

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Abseiling is Dangerous (22 Dec 2001)

Sunday, June 1st, 2008

The January 2002 issue of High Mountain Sport (the official magazine of the British Mountaineering Council) contains an article by Andy Kilpatrick (mentioned elsewere in the same magazine as a new leading light in the British climbing establishment) in which, he states on page 66: “Forget  all the old twaddle about joining ropes with reef knots and double fishermans, just go for the simple overhand knot…”

Abseiling is probably the the most dangerous aspect of climbing when, all of the equipment is stressed. Too many climbers have been killed whilst abseiling including, too many ‘famous’, very experienced climbers. To a man, they made a basic mistake – please don’t make the mistake of following Andy Kilpatrick’s potenbtially dangerous instructions when tying two ropes together… Regardless of who’s advice you follow – your decision, abseiling is one of the most dangerous aspects of climbing. Recently, advise was given by a UIAGM guide (on ukclimbing.com 19 July)) regarding abseiling on the Matterhorn. be extra careful: One of the two climbers ahead of me stepped forward and dropped his abseil rope over a two foot metal spike, positioned himself but failing to keep his weight low, leaned backwards and his rope flipped off the spike and his fall was witnessed for – too long. Be careful when abseiling on the Matterhorn – it is avoidable – you can down climb quite safely.

In 2000, two climbers were killed by rockfall after reaching the foot of a sea-cliff in Ireland. Rock, which may have been loosened by them, fell whilst they were still in the line-of-fire from above. They were taking part in a Charity Abseil.

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Rigorous and Robust Rules

Sunday, June 1st, 2008

“The challenge” said Iain Peter “is that it’s not just about having rigorous and robust rules – it’s in making people stick to them”. Iain Peter is the Chief Executive of Plas-y_Brenin (that Pillar of Learning) in North Wales.

Just what are these rigorous and robust rules, and where do they emanate from?

It was Plas-y-Brenin (PyB) that hosted the ‘Protect and Survive’ seminar, the details of which were published in the January 1989 issue of High (the official magazine of the BMC) along with a full page colour photograph. The seminar, which was heavily attended by ‘official’ mountain guides and instructors, discussed the most up to date use of ice axes and crampons and other pieces of modern ice climbing/winter mountaineering protection.

The full-page colour picture shows two ice climbers high on a mountain face belayed to a single, poorly placed, ice screw. Also in the picture, but not being employed in the belay, are two ice axes.

Ironically, 18 months later, a member of the Association of British Mountain Guides (BMG) who may well have attended the “Protect and Survive” seminar at PyB, climbed away from his client high on a North face in the French Alps, belayed by a single ice screw. When the guide fell, the dangerous belay failed and he dragged his client to his death. The guide survived. This incident resulted in the case of Hedley v Cuthbertson (q.v.)

Some rigorous and robust rules are highlighted below:

Robust Rule No 1: the guide always descends behind the client so that he can control any slip or fall.

Mike Rheinbereger (client) was left at the top of the Second Step on Everest’s North Ridge by his guide, who had descended the Step ahead of him, and thus descended before him. Mike was unable to descend; he was snow-blind, weak and confused. As a result he was left and abandoned by his guide. Had the guide sent Rheinbereger down the Step first, lowering him if necessary, then it is possible that Mike would not have been left to die alone in such a terrible condition; a diabolical, and in my view, avoidable situation.

On 13th May 1999, a client of a commercial expedition company – OTT (which is a BMG and IGO 8000 member), was left on the summit slopes of Everest by his guide. Had the guide been descending behind the client, he would not have lost contact with the client. In my opinion, the guide should have been roped to the client but he was not.

In both cases, the expeditions that had brought these clients to the upper slopes of Everest did not have the means to effect a rescue. In Rheinberger’s case, the expedition leader, over the radio, told the guide to descend and leave the client behind. That disgraceful episode was in my view totally avoidable.

Three clients of an Association of British Mountain Guides member were killed in a fall down the West Flank of the Eiger in 1992. Their guide was descending first, not last, and in the ensuing fall by the last client the guide was not able to stop the falling clients.

Your guide must always descend last. This is Rule No 1.

Robust Rule No 2: always wear a helmet and use ice axe and crampons on any glacier.

Jane Bussman wrote an article in the Daily Mail after her failed attempt on Mont Blanc. She was on a BMG Jagged Globe alpine course. Several of her comments in the article were alarming, bearing in mind that she was a client, but it was the photograph that accompanied the article that really caught my attention. Jane is pictured, ice axe strapped safely onto her rucksack, approaching a huge crevasse with trekking poles as she walks on a wet glacier. Her safety helmet is not on her head. I guess it was tucked safely away inside her rucksack!

For several years now, I have been collecting pictorial evidence of ‘qualified’ guides leading their clients across wet glaciers. The guide and client both supporting themselves with ski-sticks

On a dry glacier most of the crevasses are evident, but there are still huge ‘chambers’ hidden under thin sheets of ice. On a wet glacier, the vast majority of crevasses are hidden with or by a layer of snow. The ice-axe for self-arrest is therefore vital when travelling across any glacier.

Fall into a crevasse whilst not wearing a helmet and you can be severely injured. Who looks after the ‘qualified’ guide’s client when the guide (many of whom disdain the wearing of helmets when walking on glaciers) is injured or killed? It has happened!

In 1992, I was called to a dangerous situation on the Mer du Glace above Chamonix whilst practising crevasse rescue with some clients. We were hailed from a distance by a lone woman standing on the flat ice. Walking across to her, she pointed into a crevasse in front of her. In the bottom of it was the crumpled figure of a man. He had tripped over his own crampons and fallen headfirst into the twenty-foot crevasse. He was jammed, where the crevasse narrowed, his neck almost twisted back-to-front and he was very badly lacerated. I effected his rescue and took him back to Montenvers. His injuries would have been much less if only he had been wearing a helmet but he was not. His ice axe? This was not fixed to his wrist by a loop and so disappeared into the narrow almost bottomless crevasse. He was a very lucky man.

Robust Rule No 3… I could fill a web site with robust rules that have been broken time and time again by qualified guides who are qualified to strict safety criteria………………….

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Die Officially

Sunday, June 1st, 2008

Why chance everything on anything less? Many have! Whilst searching the Internet, many potential mountain clients will see and read about “official” mountain guides, with UIAGM/BMG/IFMGA-qualifications. What they will not see and read about, is the number of BMG/UIAGM/IFMGA clients who have been killed and seriously injured whilst their guides survived (apart from Paul Potter who had unroped from his client). The guides have then continued in their chosen career. John Barry was apparently,  ”thrown out” of the Association after losing 3 young clients on the West Face of the Eiger in 1992 being reinstated after a period of being (according to the BMG web site at the time) “an aspirant guide”. The oldest aspirant guide ever one assumes! Due to a ‘cone-of-silence’ the exact details are hard to establish.

Potential clients will not be aware that the one widow who finally received compensation for the loss of her husband (covered by BMC insurance), a client of the BMG, waited 7 years to receive the compensation, bringing up alone her young son, a son who his father never saw. At the time of her husband’s death, BMG advertising: “The Association has a comprehensive insurance scheme in operation, and a 70-strong membership of highly experienced mountaineers. When answering adverts displaying either of our two logos, you can be sure of ADVENTURE WITH SECURITY. Why chance everything on anything less?”

This reminds me of some words of Reinhold Messner from the inspirational address he gave to the Alpine Club Symposium held at Sheffield Hallam University in 1999. Whilst Messner’s words were directed primarily at commercial operators on the 8000 metre peaks, his words are just as apposite in a more general context.

“….. mountains are dangerous places”. What right has anyone to advertise “security” in this context, particularly members of an organisation which has regularly lost clients to (in my view avoidable) accidents certainly since 1988; in recent years.

According to my records (and my investigation continues), until very recently it was very rare for a UIAGM/IFMGA guide to be killed alongside his client. In the vast majority of  occasions when a client has been killed, the guide has survived. Those guides, in the main, are still working to this day qualified as they are supposed to be: in all aspects of client care.
Apart from the comments and the judgement of Mr Justice Dyson in 1997, there has never been any ‘official’ word of condemnation regarding what are in my view these avoidable, fatal accidents. Certainly not from the governing body (as it now calls itself) of climbing and mountaineering the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) or The Sports Council, now Sport England (quango).

On the contrary, even though the BMG have ‘lost’ so many clients, the Sports Council (with the support of the BMC) after offering out to tender the management lease of Plas-y-Brenin (PYB – the multi-million pound outdoor centre at Capel Curig, North Wales) under an EC Directive to the highest bidder in pounds Sterling by October 1996, gave away PyB to the BMC/BMG etc. They quickly formed the so-called Mountain Training Trust and against every aspect of the EC Directive received PyB for a nominal sum, along with an annual £450,000 grant (£6.5million to date with which to compete on the open market that is Outdoor Pursuits).

In my opinion, no other organisation offering climbing and outdoor pursuit courses with such a safety record or, lack of one, would have been given the management lease of PyB. On the contrary, they would have been hounded out of business (many were).

You could become a statistic. Think very carefully when you choose to engage the services of a BMG/UIAGM/IFMGA mountain guide. Eleven have been killed (2009/2010) and little is known as to the fate of their clients.

Wear helmets.

As pleasant as the picture below may seem [picture to be reinstated] the climber could receive severe head injuries in the event of a fall. [If you have at least half a brain, protect it with a helmet]. The 1,000ft rock face above her is notorious for rock fall and loose rock. The following day, when I was climbing at Sella (Spain) another female climber fell from high on a route. She had gathered in enough slack rope to clip the next bolt running belay above her when she slipped and fell. The fall, plus bad belaying by her second, meant that she fell a good 50 feet before hitting the rock next to me, very heavily. She hurt herself, her unhelmeted head just missing the rock.

She was a client on a rock-climbing course with the National Adventure Centre (the principal venue for rock climbing in Ireland), Tiglin, based in Wicklow, Southern Ireland.

It is also with “official blessing” that the young lady above is climbing whilst not wearing a helmet. Many adverts emanating from the so-called governing body of mountaineering and climbing, the British Mountaineering Council, show rock climbers not wearing protective helmets.

Advertising from Tiglin in a specialist magazine also shows rock climbers not wearing helmets. I call this enticement.

I always climb with a helmet. At Les Gaillands in Chamonix, I am often asked by the local climbers:

“Monsieur, pour quoi le casque?” Why the helmet?

My answer: “Monsieur, pour quoi les chausseures?” Why are you wearing boots? Why are you not climbing bare-footed?

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Misleading Information

Sunday, June 1st, 2008

Mountain Clients are, I believe, being mislead by specialist magazines.

For example, in the January 2002 issue of High Mountain Sport (the official magazine of the British Mountaineering Council) Andy Kilpatrick has written: “Joining the ropes? Forget all that old twaddle about joining your ropes with reef knot and double fishermans – just go for the simple overhand knot”.

If a mountain guide or climbing instructor invites you to abseil from ropes that are tied together with just a simple overhand knot, you can be sure that he/she does not know what they are doing. Ask for your money back. In my view, too many clients of the Association of British Mountain Guides have been killed through basic errors made by these ‘qualified professionals’.

In the November 2000 issue of High Mountain Sport, an article by Joe Simpson was printed in which he castigates press journalists for ‘woefully inaccurate journalism’.

The butt of most of his criticism was the Daily Telegraph, which in a news story made a number of mistakes regarding 3 climbers who fell from the North Wall of the Eiger on the same day in September 2000 during a storm.

The article is aimed solely at press journalists and it makes no distinction between on-the-day news stories and informed investigative reporting about climbing accidents or tragedies.

Unfortunately, there are not many reports on why certain accidents happen, especially when it comes to those involving professional mountain guides and members of the Association of British Mountain Guides (BMG). Apparently, members of the BMG are in a unique position. Despite numerous fatal accidents to their clients, there is seldom any comeback on them when clients are seriously injured or killed. I cannot think of any other profession in the world where a client can be ‘lost’ and the member of that profession does not have to face a judicial inquiry.

In those circumstances, climbing journalists should be encouraged to report all possible details about these incidents so that you, the consumer of guide services, can see (or at least form a view as to) whether the professional climbers have avoided or ignored their responsibilities.

On the contrary, there have been a number of articles by climbing journalists castigating clients for seeking compensation.

It is my view that any incident that affects climbers, mountain clients or otherwise, should receive accurate and informed coverage in specialist magazines. If they do not, good quality information about these incidents is denied to the climbing public whose picture of the guiding profession becomes distorted.

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Scouts and Others

Sunday, June 1st, 2008

Scouts Criticised for Cavalier Attitude to Safety. (By the BMG!!)
“The Scouts committee of the Council believes that they are in grave risk from an outside body imposing regulatory restrictions upon them”.

And members of the Association of British Mountain Guides and the Association of Mountaineering Instructors (supported by the British Mountaineering Council) no doubt would get the lucrative job of instructing and guiding the Scouts Association.

“Since this judgement [(Hedley v Cuthbertson)] the BMC has been working to counter the ill conceived suggestion that any standard procedures exist for climbing. Judgement and experience, not a rule book, are used to make the choices that minimise the risks that climbers are exposed to”. (BMC News Archive: 25th July 1997).

So, in fact, there is no rulebook and therefore no ‘rigorous and robust rules’ of the type mentioned by Iain Peter of PyB in a previous section apply. I wish they would make up their minds………..

According to comments in The Guardian on Wednesday February 16th 2000:

“Scout leaders have an old-fashioned ‘cavalier attitude’ towards adventure and risk that is unacceptable in a modern society, according to an internal inquiry into three separate fatal mountain accidents last year”.

The inquiry team, which included Iain Peter, Chief Executive of PyB found a ‘cavalier attitude to rules’. Which rules you might ask. The ones that don’t exist perhaps………

Mr Peter Finlay, a Scout Leader, faced possible criminal action after a young Scout slipped on a Snowdonia footpath. Mr Finlay, no doubt, did not have a mountaineering professional in his corner to explain that in fact there are no hard and fast rules. On the 17th October 2001, Mr Finlay was found not guilty of manslaughter in the court case brought against him.

The internal inquiry I have already referred to was set-up because 3 members of the Scouts Association were killed in separate accidents (there were approximately 500,000 Scouts under training) in 1999.

On December 28th 1998, 6 Venture Scouts were lead into avalanche danger at a time when the posted avalanche warning was grade 3 out of a possible 5 levels of danger. In the ensuing avalanche, 4 of the Scouts were killed being entombed in consolidating snow and ice. There was no internal inquiry and [because there are no rules?] 3 years later, the BMG guide involved did not face criminal proceedings. On the contrary, he was found to be not at fault [because there are no rules?]. Even though that multiple, avoidable accident was just one of many fatal accidents to befall BMG clients, there was and is never any mention of a cavalier attitude on the part of the people in charge of the parties who suffer such disaster.

If the Scouts Association had lost pro rata as many members/clients as the BMG then maybe, just maybe, the comment about them having a cavalier attitude might be used. That the comments emanate from a member of the IFMGA/BMG, an organisation that has lost so many clients in recent years, beggars belief.

A similar cavalier attitude was levelled at the Royal Marines by the Editor of Climber magazine a number of years ago after a Marine slid of the summit of Ben Nevis one winter. The Editor made no mention of the numerous BMG clients that had slid off, fallen off or been pulled off mountains by their guides. That the military has hundreds of thousands of personnel under training at any one time with such a low fatality rate is astounding and yet the Editor felt he had to make such a derogatory comment. And yes, someone was blamed for the avoidable accident to the Royal Marine. It was not a case of the military saying that climbing and mountaineering accidents are inevitable, a comment that it appears to me is trotted out at external Fatal Accident Inquiries following fatal accidents to BMG clients.

I received an answer to an email that I sent to the Scouts Association in connection with these matters:

“…you appear to have an axe to grind about the BMC…”

Mr & Mrs Davies and other parents only wish that I had started to grind that axe sooner. Their son, along with a number of other sons and daughters, have been prematurely lost to them in what I view as avoidable climbing and mountaineering accidents. And guess what? Nobody seems to care…

Mr & Mrs Davies also live with the knowledge that the guide in charge who was responsible for their son’s rope as they were descending the West Flank of the Eiger in 1992 was not at the rear of the rope as he ought to have been, but was descending at the front. They live with the knowledge also that his actions (for which he has never been brought to account, unlike Peter Finlay) received barely a mention in the Swiss Accident Report.

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Expedition Intrigue

Sunday, June 1st, 2008

EXPEDITIONS AND INTERNATIONAL MATTERS

Walter Bonatti: ‘Is mountaineering today sick and polluted? Certainly. Is there hypocrisy in the world of the mountains? Undoubtedly.’ (2000, in his book: The Mountains of My Life) 

Every climber who has ever dreamed of an expedition to China, Nepal or Pakistan knows that permission is necessary. And many of you also know that individual climbers approach these governments directly. No permission, no trip. But what most of you do not know is that in Western Europe there is a large and growing commercial guide business that takes clients even on 8000 metre peaks who are seeking to control commercial Himalayan climbing.

Now for the intrigue!
In 1993, The American Alpine Club (AAC) noted with more than a passing interest the formation of an Expedition Commission by the Union Internationale des Associations d’Alpinisme – the UIAA. Since the AAC participates as a voting member at the highest UIAA levels, it is entitled to representation on the various commissions. The AAC’s suspicions were aroused when it learnt that the Expeditions Commission was to meet on the issue of permissions (Himalayan permits). Wasting no time, the AAC arranged for Dr James Morrissey,one of its most experienced expedition leaders and long-time member of its Board of Directors, to attend the meeting in Chamonix.

Dr Morrissey was not surprised that the meeting was heavily attended by major European guide services. It was proposed that the UIAA take control of the permission (permits) process. As this might not exactly benefit the interests of American climbers, Dr Morrissey very vigorously opposed the move and was instrumental in defeating it – for the time being. In 2001, Hialayan Heli Ski Guides UIAGM/IFMGA became the sole holders of permits to take clients heli-skiing in Nepal – you were warned. http://www.himalayanheliskiguides.com/guides.html

This is another example of what The American Alpine Club has done not only for its members but also for climbers generally in recent times.

Interestingly, at approximately the same time as Dr Morrissey’s timely warning, the British Mountaineering Council’s International Access and Conservation Committee were planning a conference at the Royal Geographical Society in London to discuss ‘the environment and social development impact of mountain tourism in the greater ranges’. Many expedition climbers and trekkers, as well as commercial trekking/expedition companies, will be aware of the various codes drawn up by bodies such as Tourism Concern, Himalayan Environment Trust, UIAA etc. The conference considered practical steps, which could be taken to address the most important environmental problems and development issues. Supposedly!

Members of the Association of British Mountain Guides had a great interest in the controlling of Himalayan permits. Being also members of the UIAA, and as usual, strongly supported by the BMC, they had a vested interest in the matter. Apparently and interestingly, neither organisation used their veto during the meeting in Chamonix in 1993.

According to High magazine (the official magazine of the BMC before its demise) in its May 1998 issue, a new trading organisation had just been formed called – IGO 8000. Supported by the UIAA, IGO 8000 is made up of ‘the most respected commercial operators/guiding expeditions to 8000 metre peaks’. Apparently, the Expeditions Commission of the UIAA has drafted a ‘revised Recommended Code of Practice for High Altitude Guided Commercial Expeditions’ after consultation with IGO 8000. IGO 8000′s declared objective is the establishing and promoting of the highest possible standard of professional high altitude guiding – which means don’t loose too many clients because on Everest your professional mistakes tend to be sitting around, frozen, for many years.

I comment in this section on their safety record to date and you can be the judge of whether they are achieving their objective.

In the eight years since Dr Morrissey’s warning, the moves to gain control of Himalayan permits have stealthily moved on. IGO 8000 having established ‘their’ professional standards on 8000 metre peaks, supported as they are by the UIAA, and having already started to ‘rubbish’ other commercial operators through the pages of High Mountain Sports, the stage is set. It also appears that any problems that non-members of IGO 8000 have will be given full publicity whilst any problems suffered by members of IGO 8000 will not be publicised (if at all possible).

Many more IGO 8000 clients may be lost whilst climbing in the Himalayas with their ‘official high altitude guides’ with, as in the European guiding circus, total impunity. The way now seems to be clear for control of all Himalayan permits.

Europe was insidiously covered and now they are after the Himalayas…
I am reminded of some words of Reinhold Messner (yes that man again):

“The highest values of mountaineering – self sufficiency, cool-headedness, team spirit, the practice of learning from experience – have become corrupted into farce over the space of the last decade. The consequences are disastrous: a trashed mountain [Everest] with hundreds of empty oxygen cylinders and human waste littering the South Col, sweating columns of Sherpas, more and more tragedies, and dozens of dead (many of them clients) lining the route…The cycle of greed churns on, to the bitter end.”

Let me return to IGO 8000 for a moment:

The following organisations (press release from the IGO 8000 01/06/2000) are founder members of ‘International Guiding Operators – IGO 8000′, at the cutting edge of Himalayan safety/professionalism:

Adventure Consultants (who lost several clients along with their lead guide in 1996 on Everest).
Himalayan Experience (whose lead guide acknowledged that their qualification does not have a high altitude component).
Himalayan Guides (now ice8000) run by Henry Todd who, as the leader of his organisation and expeditions has apparently, never climbed Everest and was banned from Nepal for two years in 2000 for physically assaulting – a client who had paid £10,000 to fail on Everest.
Himalayan Kingdoms Expeditions, who changed their name to Jagged Globe shortly after they apparently lost a client below 4,000 metres in the French Alps in 1998.
International Mountain Guides.
Mountain Works run by Mark Whetu who abandoned Mike Rheigburger near the summit of Everest; and OTT Expeditions who, changed their name to Alpine Mountaineering Limited (after losing a client on Everest on the 13th May, 1999) before going out of business in 2001, thus leaving clients out of pocket and struggling to make last minute, alternative arrangements.

So much for the professionalism of IGO 8000. A self-regulating body with a Recommended Code of Conduct for High Altitude Commercial Expeditions approved by the UIAA. The same UIAA whose President, according to The Sunday Times, when asked about an IGO 8000 client who disappeared near the summit of Everest said: “There is no sentimentality.”  Not even when a young Nun was shot and killed near an Everest Base Camp by Chinese border-guards - the murder was initially covered-up by Western guides.

What we are told is that these reputable companies are trying to protect their reputation from cut-price operators. The same story was enacted in Europe in the 1970′s/80′s where mountain-clients are die regularly.

According to John Bedway on an Internet chat-site on Friday 26th October 2001. He and his fellow group of climbers had just discovered that despite having paid their deposits and insurance money for a climbing expedition 9 months in advance, the company with whom they had booked, Alpine Mountaineering (formerly OTT – an IGO 8000 member) had ceased to trade. John and his friends were left in the lurch by one of the above reputable companies.

It is not known just how many clients of members of the BMG/UIAGM/IFMGA in the UK and Europe have been lost below 4,800 metres but information is now appearing. It seems to me that the same track record has been transferred to the slopes of Everest and the Himalayas where their clients are allowed to wander up and down the highest mountains in the world, alone.

In August 2001, an Internet thread reported: “Summit fever verses humanity at 28,000 feet.”

Apparently, Chris Warner a guide working with Himalayan Experience (an IGO 8000 member) reached a high camp on the North ridge of Everest with desperate news; two members (one client) of their team had collapsed with cerebral oedema at the Third Step. Guide Andy Lapkiss and a client had summited at the ‘unusually late time’ of 3.00 pm. The two climbers, being virtually blind on starting the descent by dusk were unable to walk. A ‘team mate’ [another IGO guide?] who summited with them, realised that in his exhausted state he could be of no help [who helps the client when the guide packs-up?]. He left the others with a few partially used oxygen bottles and a space blanket [which apparently works well at 28,000 feet!]. The entire (almost) Himalayan Experience high-camp team had gone for the summit that day and were exhausted. They apparently had no reserve supplies or climbers on the mountain.

One observer apparently commented: “Surely criticism should be directed towards the organisers of the Himalayan Experience expedition: the guides for failing in their duty by not turning back earlier and the rest, for not having the resources to attempt to get their team out of trouble”.

A similar criticism, ironically, has been levelled at various other Everest teams by Russell Brice of Himalayan Experience in the past. Climbers in a desperate, life threatening situation (luckily no one died – this time) were eventually rescued by other climbers on the mountain. Though it has been reported that some teams walked past them refusing to assist.

The background to and detail of the 1996 disaster on Everest involving Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness resulting in the deaths of Rob Hall and Scott Fischer and a number of clients,are too well known to be recited here but serve to strongly reinforce my view.

As predicted, IGO 8000 are now associated with embarrassing rescues of their clients, avoidable deaths and the disgraceful Everest circus. Or as IGO 8000 would say: “We are at the cutting edge of Himalayan quality and safety with irrefutable expertise”.

I fear there was a good reason for Sir Edmond Hillary to say recently:
“It’s all bullshit on Everest these days ….”

A disgraceful incident at Everest Base Camp has been reported in various web-sites. Interestingly, High Mountain Sport has not taken-up or printed the information. Yet the individual involved places monthly adverts in High, soliciting mountain clients.

Finn-Olaf Jones was attempting to climb Mount Everest on a permit acquired by a commercial guiding outfit (Himalayan Guides, who advertise that they are a founder of member of IGO 8000 in the pages of High Mountain Sport). The same outfit was also supplying, for a fee, other ‘services’. Finn was in fact a client and was visited in Washington USA by Henry Todd  (Operation Julie), the company’s guide/owner, and was sold on the Everest attempt. Finn apparently paid Todd $10,000 to be included on his permit. Finn was sending dispatches back to Discovery.com about his experiences on the mountain.

It was Todd’s involvement with another group of American climbers, who claimed to be sponsored by Discovery.com that sparked the incident. Apparently, Finn-Olaf’s dispatches were annoying the other group. For some bizarre reason Todd ended up attacking Finn-Olaf on behalf of the group of Americans.

Here is a little more detail:

“Once I was at Everest Base Camp and I saw how this outfit behaved around the Sherpas and picked up some of the awful stories about the outfit from other climbers on the mountain. I realised I needed to keep as much distance from them as possible. Which I did”.

Whilst preparing for the climb, Finn, an American journalist, was sending dispatches back to Discovery.com where they were available on the web site. Reading those dispatches, even though Finn was already being treated badly, it is clear he had printed nothing derogatory about the outfit:

“You will notice that my dispatches were/are pretty generous towards Henry.”

Finn, was suddenly attacked physically by Todd for no apparent reason. He was injured to such a degree that he was airlifted from Everest Base Camp by helicopter:

“I do not believe that I was attacked for my coverage of the outfit, but rather that Henry had stupidly set himself up as the chump for a group I was having problems with – the so-called ‘Everest Clean-Up Expedition.”

In order to try to appear legit, this group had claimed Discovery.com as one of their sponsors (not knowing Discovery was already sending someone up the mountain, Finn Olaf himself).

“When I contacted Discovery about this they commenced an investigation into the group and all hell broke loose. The leader of the group, one of Henry’s pals, is Bob Hoffman”.

As for Finn the client, his attempt at climbing Everest was ruined after paying out an awful lot of money.

Co-incidentally Mike & Peggy Woodmansee, who were also clients of the same outfit at the same time as Finn, experienced problems. Mike believes that his chance of climbing Everest was ruined by “faulty oxygen equipment” supplied by the same outfit. In a long eight page e-mail to Finn after the expedition about their joint treatment, Mike explained the reasons for his failure and his treatment at the hands of the outfit and concluded with:

“I have come to hate Henry.”

That many mountain guides have an “attitude” about their clients seems to be embodied in a number of these particular incidents.

Apparently, Finn-Olaf has 30 hours of video tape, witnesses and numerous witness statements to back-up his claim and the personal account of the assault suffered by Finn Olaf, can be read in the November issue of Forbes and at www.Forbes.com – the web site of the magazine.

It will remain to be seen if mountain clients continue to be enticed by Todd’s advertising.

Here is another case in point.

According to The Guardian on the 30th April 1999: “A climber leaves his friend [possible client?] behind to die on Everest.”

According to Radio 4′s Between Ourselves (9.00am April 27th 1999), Mark Whetu described what it was like to make such a decision. Here is the relevant exchange: Olivia O’Leary (the radio presenter): “Were you conscious of the fact that in leaving Mike behind (disabled and – snow blind) on the mountain it would mean the end of Mike?”

Whetu: “…he could not see; he was blind. I guessed immediately he was snow blind”.

Thus, Whetu, who had descended below his friend and was too exhausted to reascend and help his now blind companion, left him alone on the mountain to a horrendous, lonely death.

Whetu, as we know, runs Mountain Works – an IGO 8000 member. Whetu was told over his radio to leave Mike behind and rescue himself by another member of IGO 8000 who was monitoring the radio messages from the safety of base camp.

Potential Himalayan clients are once again warned about potential injury and death that they might face with qualified mountain guides who claim to be at the cutting edge of Himalayan safety.

In the November 18th 2001 article in the New York Times: “A Storm Swirls Around a Son’s Death on Everest” members of IGO 8000, backed by the UIAA and the Association of British Mountain Guides (who have already found Michael Matthews’ BMG guide as ‘not at fault’) are trying once again to defend the indefensible.

In 2001 Himalayan Heli Ski Guides UIAGM/IFMGA became the sole holders of permits to heli-ski in Nepal – you were warned. http://www.himalayanheliskiguides.com/guides.html

On the 12 Oct, 2009, Alan sent mountain-clients an e-mail: ‘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, the reception I got (when they knew I took clients away without their approval (lol) was sometimes very very annoying. I guided and instructed for over 40 years and never lost a clients, or called out Mountain Rescue. Keep up the site. I genuinly know where you are coming from – it all wants saying.’

My investigations continue…

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