Andre Roch: 'Whoever exposes himself and his client to the dangers of an avalanche...is very stupid indeed.' But No One is to be Blamed.
Serious soul-searching is going on amongst montaineers (well, the establishment anyway) after the tragic (another) avalanche in Scotland on the 28th December, 1998. Weekend Post, 20th March, 1999: 'Since the four young Venture Scouts who died on Anoch Mor in December were taking part in a (BMG) mountaineering course, one question in particulare has dominated discussion: "Are novice climbers safe in the hands of professional trainers and guides?"
On the 29 December, 2004, (exactly six years to the day that four BMG clients were killed in an identicle accident) two climbers where avalanched on Anoch Mor in the Nevis Range. They were rescued by the local rescue team and a helicopter. Fortunetly, one rescuer who was injured during the rescue broke only his leg and not his neck, in this avoidable rescue; avalanche incident (A Chance in a Million?). It could have cost him his life. It is thought that a BMG guide (it is quite obvious that the names and occupation's of the two climbers are being surpressed) was one of the climbers rescued and he may have sustained injuries. Interestingly, M. Pescod UIAGM / IFMGA and Roger Wild (Scotlands now full-time mountain safety officer with experience of avalanches) are giving 'winter safety talks' at the Clachaig in March, 2005. On the 29 December, 1998, Mr Wild, UIAGM / IFMGA, BMGuide, took six clients into avalanche conditions on Anoach Mor, In the ensuing avalanche, four of those clients died in Scotland's worse ever avalanche accident: Emma Ray, 29, her boy friend Paul Hopkins, 28, Matthew Lewis, 28 and Ian Edwards, 30, died under consolidating snow and ice.
Andre Roch: Author; mountaineer: "Whoever exposes himself to the dangers of an avalanche...is very stupid". It therefore follows that whoever exposes his clients to the dangers of an avalanche is very stupid indeed.
A. Rupar: Avalanche expert working for the Scottish Avalanche Information Service: "While it is possible for inexperienced mountaineers to become involved in avalanches, an experienced climber would have to be either; stupid, myopic or English or a combination of these." On the 30 September, 2003, Bill Wilson bill.wilson@minorplanet.com wrote to me via e-mail: 'Mr Rupar is quite obviously a racist Bigot who's comments could not possibly be taken seriously, given his embodded hatred of the English. Let us hope that if he still braves the hills that a similar fate does not befall him...'
In the last four years, two fatal accidents; took the lives of a BMG/UIAGM guide; Paul Potter (1996); he had unroped from his client. The other taking the lives of four BMG clients on Aonach Mor (December 1998). In both tragedies, there was a grade 3 avalanche warning 'posted' in each area. It could therefore be said that: anyone who ignores an avalanche warning is either; stupid, myopic and possibly criminal; depending on the makeup of the group.
'(Another) Fatal Accident Inquiry states accidents - inevitable.'
A fatal accident inquiry into the death of Dr Katherine Herd in an avalanche on Liathach has reiterated the principle that accidents will always happen in climbing. The report has been welcomed (by some) as 'another excellent legal decision' for guides. The fatal accident report came soon after the: 'Triumph for Common Sense',(?) verdict in the Pope v Cuthbertson court case when the injured client lost his case because of the technical (expert) witnesses (including the now: Chief Exectutive of Plas-y-Brenin, BMG) arrayed against him.
Dr Herd, died from injuries received when she and three other climbers were avalanched from Trotter's Gully in January, 1994. At the time, she was taking part in a course run by British Mountain Guide (BMG) Martin Moran from his mountaineering school at Strathcarron.
In his report Sheriff Principle Douglas Risk stated: 'The possibility of avalanche can never be totally excluded.'?
Even though, avalanche expert Mr T. Rupar, a member of the Scottish Avanlanche Information Service is quite explicit: '...it is 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.'
The first; most usual basic mistake made by those who become involved in an avalanche is not waiting at least forty-eight hours after the last fall of snow before venturing onto certain, snow slopes. Ignoring avalanche warnings, is probably the first reason that avalanches are 'triggered'. Low angled slopes give the highest avalanche danger. Basic mistakes, regarding the possibility of an avalanche have killed most of the BMG/IFMGA clients in avoidable accidents to date.
Correct belaying in this (the belayer is fastened to just one badly placed ice screw) picture would / could have saved the situation in the event of an avalanche. The two unused ice axes, seen in the picture, could have been incorporated into the dodgy belay...
On the 19 May, 2002, I received an unsoliced e-mail from mountainering instructor, Garry Jones (AMI) who states: 'Obviously written by someone (author of the mountainclients.org website) who neither works (?) or spends much time (?) in a Scottish Winter (the resipiant of the email was winter mountaineering in Scotland before Mr Jones was born unless he was born before 1955), if 'we' were to stay off the slopes in Cat 3 (that's the way qualified mountaineering instructors talk, referring to a Catagory 3 Avalanche Warning - Cat 3) or above, then mountaineers in Scotland would have only been on the hill* 9 times this year (2002).' He went on: ' The SAIS (Scottish Avalanche Information Service run by the - BMG (with a budget of over a £million pounds per annum) forecast is an important guide but a Cat 5 does not mean there 'will be' an avalanche the same as a Cat 1 doesn't mean there will 'not be' an avalanche.' So there you have it then (*on the hill, means mountain in qualified speak) a qualified explanation of avalanche assessment.
But just what is the - SAIS? According to Tom Prentice in his article: '£34k boost to avalanche service raises concern (Climber 1996)', he thought that the: 'Avalanche service (SAIS) was in danger of being seen as a 'panacea for mountain accidents.' Criticism has apparently been voiced about the then Scottish Secretary Michael Forsyth's decision to dramatically increase funding for avalanche reporting alone rather for mountain education and safety as a whole. Regardless of where the money comes from, apparently, the MCof Scotland are particularly critical of Mr Forsyth's decision to channel the lion's share of funding for mountain safety towards the - politically high profile (and lucrative) avalanche reporting, when, apparently a Mr Kemp of the MCof S pointed out that between 1989 and 1993 avalanches only contributed to about 13 percent of mountain fatalities in winter. The MCofS quite obviously thought that the money (given to the SAIS who pay themselves in 1996 - £130 per day) could be - better spent in other areas of mountain safety education such as the proper use of ice axe and crampons, avalanche awarness and avoidance, the use of safety helmets the list is endless, rather than into the pockets of individuals who cannot possibly cover every area of mountains with avalanche formation and who's predictions, many climbers don't take any notice of anyway!'
On the 28th December, 1998, BMG guide Roger Wild, took six Venture Scouts into avalanche conditions on Anoch Mor near Ben Nevis in horrendous conditions. In the ensuing avalanche, four of his clients died, entombed in consolidating snow and ice. Today, Mr Wild is the perminant Safety Officer for Scotland... So much for Scottish mountain safety then.
Compass, Climber magazine, June, 1995: 'After another year of intense media interest in accidents in Scotland's mountains, and a (nother) spate of avalanche related fatalities, the provision of mountain safety advice (the British Mountaineering Council at the top of its profession) training and education (from that Pillar of Learning - Glencoe Lodge) has again come under review. Top of the list - at present - is the Scottish Avalanche Information Service (SAIS - BMG) - run out of Glenmore Lodge (BMG - who's safety record is set-out elsewhere on this website) which has been in operation for six years. Whilst there appears to be no question that the service will be closed down, the Scottish Office has been asked for that decision to be reviewed.'
In fact, the SAIS run in 1995 by BMG guide Blyth Wright (his avalanche awareness book is a rivetting read listing as it does, not only Mr Wright's experience with / in avalanches but also the safety record or lack of one, at Glenmore Lodge and Plas-y-Brenin**) agreed that there was a genuine need to educate young mountaineers (who in the main had been enticed into climbing / mountaineering by the British Mountaineering Council) and students, the most 'vulnerable groups'.? However: '... he feels nervous about the review of his own service - not least because of some of its funding is already earmarked as part of the safety education budget .'
Today (2004) the SAIS, remains a nice 'little earner' for some members of the BMG an organisation who's track record of keeping their mountain clients - out of avalanches is not perfect by any means. And whilst qualified mountaineering instructors and BMG guides continue to disregard 'avalanche warnings' their clients will continue to be killed and seriously injured in - avalanches. The guides, invariably survive the very same avalanches...
Climber, February, 1996, in a three page article, Blyth Wright wrote: 'Last winter (1995) saw 12 fatal accidents due to avalanche, the worst season ever known in Britain (er Scotland surely!) and much public discussion of a possible threat to the continued existance of the Scottish Avalanche Information Service(SAIS.'
The irony surrounding the continuing waste of public money on the SAIS, run at a cost of at least, #130 per recorder, per day, from Glencoe Lodge, is that adverting by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland and the British Mountaineering Council, are still directing potential winter climbers to - Glenmore Lodge? The safety record for Glenmore Lodge speaks for itself. The system of education in climbing / winter climbing is flawed, climbers (guides) not waiting 48 hours after the last significant snow-fall (and if that means not going out - only going out nine time in the winter - then so be it) climbers (and professionals) still not wearing safety helmets, not wearing a simplified, full-body harness, instruction manuals showing dangerous practices, false advertising, to mention just a few of the current, avoidable problems. Throwing money at the SAIS, will not make basic, climbing error's go away.
Vested interest's have ensured that the flawed, BMG run, SAIS, survives to this day waiting as it is, to perform its duty in the winter of 2004 / 2005...
** Let consider some evidence regarding safety on both Glenmore Lodge and Plas-y-Brenin winter 'survival' courses:
1969: 19th February. Clients, members of a Glenmore winter survival course, were taken into avalanche conditions on the West side of Coire Cas and unsurprisingly avalanched. They were rescued by other climbers and a ski patrol. Six remained in hospital; two were seriously injured.
1973: 19th December. Glenmoe Lodge instructor, Peter Boardman, was injured when caught in an avalanche in Alladin's Couloir, Coire an t-Sneachda.
1976: 12th March. Glenmore Lodge party (Party one) was avalanched on Goat track. Coire an t-Sneachda. There were many injuries.
1976: 12th March. Another Glenmore Lodge party that was on its way to rescue Party one, were themselves avalanched in Coire an Lochain near the col on Fiacaill a' Coire an t-Sneachda. Six more were injured and one person died in hospital. (We do not have a name - or whether the victim was a client, guide / instructor).
1981: 11th February. Six course members from Plas-y-Brenin were avalanched in Cinderella Gully. Two insructors / guides sustained broken legs and two more (clients ?) were also injured.
1982: 15th February. Three climbers from Plas-y-Brenin were avalanched in Raeburn's Gully on Creag Meagaidh. All were injured, one with a broken leg.
1986: 20th March. A Glenmore Lodge instructor was avalanched below Garbh Uisge Beag while searching for missing party members. There were 153 mp gusts of wind recorded on Cairngorm Summit. Three other's were also carried away by the avalanche. The Glenmoe Lodge leader received leg injuries.
1986: 30th December. A Glenmoe Lodge instructor was avalanched near Jacob's Ladder whilst soloing above his stuents (clients). He fell 130 metres beaking his pelvis and scapula. His students, were resued by another Glenmore Lodge team and an RAF helicopter.
Now a personal tale:
In 1979, a client on a three month course at Plas-y-Brenin (the course cost over 1,000 pounds sterling) injured a knee whilst approaching the finish of the Cuillin Ridge Traverse on Skye. As he hobbled down into the valley towards Sligachan into approaching gloom the instructor / BMG guide disapeared into the night. Fortunetaly being very experienced and knowing the area well this proved not to be a problem - for me. Fortunetly for me, the guide was qualified in all aspects of client care...
