46984_COVER 9/9/049:57AMPage1 CRoW Act Trad Leading Alpine Detox Extreme Technology Bonington Interview Big Issues CRoW Act Trad Leading Alpine Detox Extreme Technology Bonington Interview Big Issues

www.thebmc.co.uk Autumn 2004 UK £2.50 contentsCONTENTS

features

14: Big Issues What's the state of British ? A look at the challenges facing us, and predictions for the future.

24: Remote Control Gary Rolfe's getting all cold again. This time looking at technology in the wilds.

28: The Evergreen Years is 70, but is he really going to take up golf? Terry Adby finds out.

32: Detox Nick Bullock and Jules Cartwright clean up on the Pic Sans Nom.

36: Basics 3: The sharp end Steve Long is your guide to the exciting world of trad leading.

46: The CRoW has landed But what does the introduction of the CRoW Act really mean to you?

50: Heroes of Telemark Chad Staton retraces the historic Saboteurs' route with some very modern help.

52: Schools Out Nick Colton gives an overview of the BMC's Child Protection Policy and how it works in action. regulars

5: The Issue 6: News 10: Access News 11: Frontline 42: Accident & Emergency 45: Events 49: Winter Lectures 62/54: Last Thoughts special offers

12: Stuff It's your lucky day - we've got another four more competitions for you to enter. Win books, rock boots, stoves and more...

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46984_p03-07.indd 3 09/09/2004 11:18:59 35 foreword WELCOME TO ISSUE 35 Summit is the membership magazine of the British Council. The BMC promotes the interests of climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers and the freedom to enjoy their activities. The primary work of the BMC is to:

Negotiate access improvements and promote cliff and conservation. Promote and advise on good practice, facilities, training and equipment. Support events and specialist programmes including youth and excellence. Provide services and information for Games we play.. members.

BMC hen I was 16 I was told by a prominent climber that, “You’re nobody 177 - 179 Burton Road, Wtill you've climbed The Gates” - which implies that having climbed Manchester, M20 2BB it, you were somebody. It seems rather quaint now, but the sixties was Tel: 0870 010 4878 an era of personalities - was king and there was a small but Fax: 0161 445 4500 growing group who climbed Extremes. Competition for a place in the offi[email protected] pecking order was rife. Today however the players change quickly, world www.thebmc.co.uk rankings vary from month to month, and the best climber in the world

President: Mark Vallance is a meaningless concept. Chief Executive: Dave Turnbull Summit Editor: Alex Messenger In the autumn the BMC will be hosting three open meetings entitled “The State of British Climbing” so comparisons with the past are inevi- EDITORIAL table. For me, the biggest change is that it's now possible to climb at Contributions for Summit should be sent a high standard without the same level of commitment required in the to the Editor Alex Messenger at the above past. Today people can learn to climb and reach technically high stand- address or [email protected]. Every care is taken of materials sent for publication, ards in just a few months with no long apprenticeship, often fitting it in however these are submitted at the sender's alongside other "lifestyle" sports such as biking and surfing. risk. The views expressed within are of the contributors, and not necessarily the BMC. But that's not to say that at the very highest level there is any less commitment shown. The ’s and Al Powell’s are doing unim- PUBLISHED & PRINTED BY aginably hard routes in remote ranges in excellent style, but the world Greenshires Publishing has become a smaller place. In 1924 it took three weeks by sea to get Telford Way, Kettering Northants, NN16 8UN to India followed by a train journey to Darjeeling and a six-week hike Tel: 01536 382500 across Tibet - just to get to Everest Base Camp! Today it is possible in two days. A small team can climb a hard route on a remote mountain PUBLISHING almost anywhere in the world, in their summer holidays. Gill Wootton Display Advertising So if it's true that what we get out of our efforts is proportional to Jane Harris what we put in, then maybe we have lost something. In his classic book Classified Paula Hearn Games Climbers Play, Lito Tejada Flores suggests that the development Tel: 01536 382500 of climbing requires us to tackle bigger and harder objectives in an ever Fax: 01536 382501 purer style. Thus to free a route that previously required aid, or to use alpine tactics on a Himalayan peak, are more worthy objectives than say Neither the BMC nor Greenshires using pre-placed protection or bolting. Those that have done this in the Publishing accept responsibility for past, such as Ron Fawcett and , have commanded our information supplied in adverts. Readers respect and inspired our ambitions. are advised to take reasonable care when responding to adverts. It's up to the individual to choose the game they play, but those climbs RISK & RESPONSIBILITY that will have the most influence and inspire the next generation will Readers of Summit are reminded that climb- involve the greatest commitment and the purest style. ing, hill walking and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement. Mark Vallance BMC President

ON THE COVER: Kim Thompson enjoying autumnal conditions on the Hourglass arete, V4, Stanage Plantation. Credit: Adam Long. 4 35

46984_p03-07.indd 4 10/09/2004 16:10:18 the issue

The Silver Tsunami Bolts. Has there ever been a more emotive word in British climbing? A word guaranteed to spur the Ken Wilson’s and Gary Gibson’s of this world into a spouting, spluttering verbal onslaught.

word that unites and divides. A word, that so few younger climbers seem interested Gorge and various crags up and down the Awhich spells security and convenience in what’s happening on Yorkshire limestone. country, where local climbers need to make for some, but the death of British climbing There are some fantastic historic routes up carefully considered decisions about how they to others. here and if we’re going to get the sport/trad want to style the climbing on their doorsteps Speak to the Yorkshire mafi a and there balance right, then they’ve got to engage in in the future. It’s these crags that must be- would seem to be consensus that the wave the debate." looked at closely now, by climbers, young and of retro-bolting and re-equipping sweeping So - Yorkshire is the testing ground of old, whilst you still have a chance. across the limestone Dales is a good thing. the day. The debates of the 1980’s and After all, it stimulates interest and generates 90’s have brought broad agreement in the traffi c on increasingly neglected routes and Peak, whilst in Wales*, the South West and If you’ve got an opinion, then come along ensures our rock (sometimes whole crags in the Lakes there also seems to be relative to the Herriots Hotel, Skipton on Friday 1st fact) remains clean and climbable. And this harmony at present. For some crags, the October at 7pm, where Mark Radtke will quiet revolution is gathering pace - some solutions are obvious, the only way that the chair a meeting discussing fi xed gear in the might say it is getting out of control. majority of routes on established sport crags Yorkshire Dales. Yorkshire activist Mark Radtke has taken such as Kilnsey and Malham are ever likely to on the job of chairing the Yorkshire Bolt be climbable is with fi xed gear. The same is (TOP) Steve Crowe climbing the classic of the Debate next month - and he told Summit, probably true for the “scrotty quarries” that crag, Central Wall (E3 5c/A1) at Dib Scar, "Many people seem to accept retro-bolting no one seems too worried about, since let’s where several “unpopular” trad routes such as a way of keeping our crags popular - but face it, they’ll probably fall down anyway. as Final Demand (E5 6b), I Travel, (E5 6b) we’ve got to know where to draw the line. On a national level, the testing ground is and Travelogue (E4 6a), have been retro We need a precise understanding of where the local or regionally important crags - Blue bolted with the permission of the fi rst (free) bolts are and are not acceptable. It’s sad Scar, Dib Scar, Trow Gill, Wintours Leap, Avon ascentionists. Credit: Crowe collection.

* Yes - we've just heard about Taffs Well!

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46984_p03-07.indd 5 09/09/2004 11:30:20 news Credit: Martin Moran.

Get Wise for Winter If you’re a young person and want the BMC on the Up perfect introduction to Scottish winter mountaineering, then the Jonathon BMC posts £167k deficit. It wasn't so long ago that headlines Conville Memorial Trust winter courses are for you. Based in the Cairngorms dur- like that graced the pages of Climber magazine. But only ing January 2005, these bridge the gap between summer climbing/walking and a few years on, things look back on track. winter mountaineering. With a ratio of 1 instructor to 6 participants, the two-day inances are on a steady footing now and BMC lectures (Rock, Walk & Snow), a Skills courses cover all essentials including; Fthe organisation is being modernised on & Equipment Seminar, an activity based crampon and axe use, and rope many different fronts. The UK Sport funded Annual Gathering weekend and - hopefully work, and avalanche assessment. Appli- IT project has had its teething problems, like - a Summer Alpine Meet. Meanwhile the cation forms and further information are all IT projects, but a new members database guidebook team, inspired by the acclaimed available from the website and office. with full web integration will be launched Staffordshire Gritstone and Peak Limestone Don’t forget about the BMC Winter in the next 6-12 months. guidebooks and under the authoritarian con- lectures either, the ideal way to pick up A budget surplus is expected again this trol of Niall Grimes, is hard at work on several tips and techniques from the experts. year and additional funding from Sport new guides. The Future Policy Review is also See page 49 for details. England has allowed us to make several moving into top gear; with the review of new appointments, including Jon Garside as the BMC’s work programmes (access, youth, Next stop Sheffield BMC/MLTE Training Officer and part-timers competitions etc) now complete, and the The new, and for once, not long-awaited, John Horscroft and Ed Douglas to help boost membership questionnaire results now in, BMC guide to mid- sport climbs the BMC’s support for area volunteers and important issues such as voting, subscrip- in the Peak district From Horseshoe to our media work respectively. tions and support for volunteers will be next Harpur Hill is now available. The next A publicity campaign is planned in major under the microscope. guide in this popular series will cover climbing walls to get the BMC’s safety, good And all this at a time when the BMC is crags close to Sheffield; Burbage, Hig- practice and environmental messages across producing its next five year development plan gar Tor, Bamford, Rivelin, Derwent Edge, to climbers - both new and old - and in 2005, - you can rest assured that whatever we come Wharncliffe, and lots more! It's hoped to members will have a chance to attend the up with, the needs of grassroots climbers and be out by the end of the year, and should Winter International Meet, a new series of walkers will always be central. be well worth waiting for.

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46984_p03-07.indd 6 09/09/2004 11:31:37 news Cheddar Restoration With the consent of the landowners. Cheddar Caves and Gorge, climbing was permitted on another weekend in late June and was a great success. Through Martin Crocker’s sterling work, the two- year Cheddar Gorge Climbing Project continues to gain momentum, seeking year round access (minus peak school holiday periods) to restored climbs on the main cliffs. The Proposal is actively being considered and consulted upon by Cheddar Caves and Gorge, and a second phase is planned over this winter. To help, Martin Crocker has produced a small guide to all 120 restored and re-geared routes. To grab one, send an A4 sae with a cheque for £5.00 made out to Martin Crocker to: Martin Crocker, 23 Ryecroft Rise, Long Ashton, Bristol BS41 9NQ. Any proceeds will go towards the Project. Credit: BMC

Helium Recall

Look at the State of You! are recalling all Helium Neglected crags, rotting gear, bolts, guidebooks, grades, karabiners supplied to stores between April and July 2004. In-process test- commercialisation. What are your concerns? The national ing identifi ed a problem with a limited debate on the ‘State of British Climbing’ is taking shape. number of krabs with the location of the gate on the nose under load. Should this problem occur in use the minimum nd it's easy to get involved. Following The Rock Face, Birmingham breaking strength of the karabiner would Athe successful Open Meetings last au- Thurs 23 Sept, 7.30pm be the gate open strength of 10kN. tumn, the BMC has commissioned the ever Please arrange for the immediate return enthusiastic John Horscroft to arrange a The Heights, Llanberis of all Helium karabiners to: Wild Country series of "State of British Climbing" debates Sat 25 Sept, 7pm Ltd, Meverill Rd, Tideswell, nr Buxton, in , Birmingham, North Wales and Derbyshire, SK17 8PY. Yorkshire over the coming months. There’s Herriots Hotel, Skipton a great line up of speakers, such as Neil Fri 1 Oct, 7pm The karabiners are marked with codes; Gresham, Nick Dixon, and oth- AAA, AAB, AAC, AAD, AAE and AAF. ers, and plenty of opportunity for beer and London (tbc) banter. So don't miss out, come along and November All karabiners returned will be inspected have your say! and further testing will be undertaken. Full details are on www.thebmc.co.uk For further information see www.wild- country.co.uk..

04/05 The Earl of Power Competition Dates Andy Earl took Silver for at the recent UIAA-ICC Sprayway BICC (Seniors) R1: 6th Nov, WICC European Championships, Lecco, Italy in late June. R2: 4th Dec, Awesome Walls (+ New ther members of the Bouldering Team Lecco and . Vets) Oare also on fi re and with two events left, Dates have just been confi rmed for the R3: 11th Dec, Leeds Wall we currently have three climbers in the top national competitions, plus there are a few 10 rankings; Gaz Parry in 6th, Andy Earl in changes in format this season. Both the Sprayway BICC (Juniors) 7th and Mark Croxall in 9th. leading and bouldering championships see R1 6th Nov, WICC marked her return competitions following the addition of new categories at one loca- R2 13th Nov, Westway ( + New Youth) knee surgery with a place in the fi nals at tion on a trial basis. A new Youth category R3 11th December Leeds Wall Chamonix in the Leading World Cup, a strong has been created, for those aged 16-18 on performance saw her fi nish 10th. The BMC 31st August preceding the event, and two A5 BBC (Seniors) would like to thank Brand Events (of the Veterans categories are also being created, R1 22nd Jan, BoulderUK Ordnance Survey Outdoors Show fame) for one for 35-45 and one for 45+. Grades of R2 12th Feb, Westview (+ New Vets) their support of the British Team, donating the qualifi er routes will be relatively easy to R3 20th Feb, Olympia London suffi cient funds to allow them to attend encourage participation. A5 BBC (Juniors) R1 12th Feb, Westview ( + New Youth) R2 19th Feb, Olympia London 35 7

46984_p03-07.indd 7 10/09/2004 16:13:19 news Ilkley Concerns Following a fatality at a disused quarry CRoW & Code on Bradford City Council owned land and a subsequent civil negligence case, the s of 19th September, the new statutory council has carried out a geotechnical Aright of access under the CRoW Act goes stability study of the Cow and Calf quarry. live in two areas of England. - the South East The study identifi ed an area of concern to and the lower North West - with all other the left of Wellington Crack, which will areas following between now and the end be monitored over the next 12 months, of 2005. This marks the start of a new era, and a decision made on the possible and our feature on page 46 explains how this removal of the blocks. The progress of will affect you. In conjunction with this, for the case and any subsequent removal the fi rst time in over twenty years there is a of ‘loose’ rock by the council is likely to new, updated Countryside Code (right). This have wide reaching implications for all new Code has fi ve main points under the ButBut oonene eeccentricccentric llandownerandowner tthinkshinks sshehe quarries at which climbing is formally banner of ‘Respect – Protect – Enjoy’ and is can turn CRoW to her advantage! Read permitted. The BMC will continue to be being promoted widely, including through TV more about the plight of Vixen Tor on directly involved in representation and adverts featuring Wallace and Grommit. page 10. consultation throughout process.

Climbers & Birds The BMC has submitted a 100 page report to English Nature, CCW, the Countryside Bolt Bodge Your BMC Agency and the RSPB explaining the Sometime in July three bolts appeared at So what do you want the BMC to do? Well, to benefi ts and fl exibility of the current Highcliffe Nab on the North Yorkshire Moors. canvas members views on a range of issues, system of seasonal access restrictions, The climbing on this sandstone crag has 3000 questionnaires were recently sent to a which have operated successfully around always relied entirely on natural gear, and 50/50 mix of club and individual members. England and Wales for 30 years or more. there is no history of bolts being placed Members were asked to give their views on The report was prompted by pressures to there. The BMC member who reported the the membership package, subscriptions, work bring the system within the new statu- incident arrived at the crag to fi nd a group priorities and the democratic structure. tory framework under CRoW. We await a using the bolts for belaying, although it’s Early indications suggest that climbers response from the agencies. not known whether this group was in any and walkers value the BMC’s work on ac- way responsible for their placing. A closer cess & conservation, safety & training and Wall Accidents examination revealed that the bolts had been equipment investigations and also the civil In conjunction with the Association of badly placed and the resin not set. Two of liability cover that comes as part of the British Climbing Walls (ABC) the BMC has the bolts were removed by hand, the third membership package. Of this 5% of the just launched the pilot scheme for a new with the aid of a penknife. If anyone has membership, there was an excellent 31% Accident Recording system. ABC member any information about this incident please response rate, and many thanks to all those walls are using the system to record contact [email protected]. The bolts should who participated. See the website for full statistics that will hopefully highlight never have been placed without consultation details of the questionnaire and preliminary potential problems areas and also provide and by doing it so badly there was a real results. invaluable accident statistics for climb- possibility of someone being hurt. ing wall usage.

Nevis Shelters removed ManCom Summary The shelters at Carn Dearg and Coire Leis From 23rd June. There were two presenta- that the majority of area committees had on Ben Nevis have been removed by the tions from John Airey (Venture Extreme) and discussed the Future Policy Review Interim John Muir Trust. The Carn Dearg shelter John Hartley (NICA) on proposals for walls report. There was some concern regarding was located approximately one mile to in the Manchester area. Both parties were the Child Protection Policy (CPP), but it the northwest of the main summit of Ben encouraged to continue but it was felt that was explained that training will be made Nevis (NN 158718), whilst the Coire Leis more information was required before the available and that if clubs want to have shelter (NN 174714) was located approxi- BMC could formally support either proposal their own policy then that will be accept- mately 700 meters northeast of the sum- as the ‘English National Centre’. able. The Honorary Treasurer presented the mit and at a lower altitude, at the back of Carl Spencer highlighted the problems at Budget Forecast for 2004, which showed that Coire Leis. There have been no recorded Craig y Longridge. A discussion took place the BMC is on target for a healthy year-end mountain rescues or incidents involving about whether the BMC should purchase surplus.The FPR recommendations on YAP and the shelters in the last ten years and the crag. It was agreed that staff would TAG were discussed and it was agreed to hold they are not crucial navigational markers. progress negotiations with the landowner. a meeting of the two groups. There are however no plans to remove the Area reports were given, and it was noted summit shelter. Area Meetings:

LAKES NORTH WEST LONDON & SE MIDLANDS NORTH EAST PEAK SW & SOUTHERN WALES YORKSHIRE

Mon 20th Tue 28th Thur 23rd Mon 13th Thurs 30th Sun 19th Sept Sat 25th Mon 27th BMC Offi ce Francis House Rockface, Details tbc Sept Undercover Rock The Heights Leeds Wall Manchester Francis St Birmingham The Grouse, Bristol Llanberis Gelderd Rd 7.30pm London 7.30pm Froggatt 6pm 6pm 7pm

Sept 7pm 7.15pm Fri 12th Mon 22nd Tue 23rd Thur 25th Mon 15th Sat 20th Mond 22nd Agricultural BMC Offi ce Francis House AGM & OGM Details tbc Details tbc Leeds Wall Hotel Manchester Francis St. Railway Gelderd Rd Penrith 7.30pm London Hinkley 7pm 7:30pm 7pm 7.30pm Nov

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46984_p08-64.indd 8 09/09/2004 11:32:57 access news Outrage at Vixen Tor! New Vixen Tor landowner seals off crag, fertilises land and even invokes Madonna in quest to deny access.

The new landowner has recently installed ful enjoyment of her property, and she had a barbed wire fence around the crag, re- been advised by her insurers she could also moved existing stiles, spray painted ‘Private be liable if anyone was injured while walking property - keep out’ graffi ti at a traditional or climbing on the Tor. access point, and also tried to improve the This clearly unacceptable situation is land by fertilisation, thus removing it from best summerised by John Bainbridge of the Open Access land under the CroW Act. Dartmoor Preservation Association, who DEFRA (the Department for Environment, said, “To buy a piece of land to which you Food and Rural Affairs) are currently pros- know the public enjoys free access and then ecuting for this illegal pasture improve- try and close it on human rights grounds Keep out?. Credit: Rick Abbot.t. ment, but the landowner, Ms Mary Alford is a farce.” ixen Tor on West Dartmoor is a su- of Moortown Farm, Tavistock, is contesting The BMC and the Ramblers' Association Vperb granite crag containing several this decision and the open access designa- are making representation in the appeal, regional testpiece routes and a wealth of tion, despite the obvious open moorland and will be campaigning for the immediate excellent bouldering. For more than 30 habitat. removal of the graffi ti and the reintroduction years the previous owner allowed unlim- Alford is citing the defence recently used of access stiles before CRoW becomes active ited access for climbers and walkers, but by Madonna that her “human rights would in August 2005 - watch this space. this is no longer the case. be infringed” by people spoiling the peace-

arrangements, future development guide- LAKE DISTRICT Stone Farm Rocks Ground erosion work and woodland manage- lines, and woodland management proposals White Scar ment is continuing and a “best practice ad- have been agreed for crags on the southern Negotiations with a representative of the vice for boulderers” sign is being installed. bank of the river. Good news on the railway landowners’ parish council have begun, with proposal too, the re-establishment of the a view to once again allowing low-key climb- NORTH WEST Derby-Manchester rail link was found to be ing on the impressive Space Buttress. economically unviable, see Henry Folkard’s Craig-y-Longridge comment opposite. Sergeant Crag Slabs Bill Renshaw (the NE access rep. and expe- The demise of the abseil tree above the crag rienced land agent) is currently involved in Limestone Licence has resulted in the placement of two abseil discussions with the landowners property Derbyshire Dales District Council are intro- bolts by unknown persons. It appears the agent, with the view to the BMC purchas- ducing a controversial scheme to licence bolts are welcomed by some, and not by oth- ing/managing this regionally important group at ‘the principal’ areas of ers. The situation will be reviewed towards bouldering venue. High Tor, Pic Tor, and Lovers Walk. The BMC the end of the year. and local outdoor centres have offi cially Pex Hill commented that we do not support it. Castle Rock, Thirlmere Rumours circulating that United Utilities United Utilities have undertaken woodland were selling the site have proven false. Penyghent management here, removing saplings and Instead, site management is likely to be There has been a major rock fall on the main dead trees from the base of some routes. The subcontracted out, with a view to improving buttress of Penyghent. The bottom half of degrading pathway is an ongoing problem. access, ecology, and the aesthetic appeal of the route ‘Brass Monkey’ HVS 5a has disinte- the quarry. grated, leaving a large area of unstable rock LONDON & SE It appears other routes in this area have also PEAK & YORKSHIRE been affected/destabilised and caution is High Rocks strongly advised. BMC access reps have fi nally made contact Harpur Hill with the elusive landowner and a construc- The current landowner has asked climbers SOUTH WEST tive meeting raised a number of important to leave the quarry, and has sought legal issues such as access, tree clearance, and advice over liability concerns. He is also Holcombe Quarry placing abseil bolts. intending to sell the site, and is hoping to The landowner wanted to charge climbers fi nalise this deal imminently. However there here, but when the legal implications of Harrisons Rocks are no existing permissions for quarrying, this were explained, he stated that he would therefore prefer to ban climbing altogether. Discussions concerning ownership and man- and a new application would take over two Local activists have arranged a meeting to agement of the facilities are currently taking years to fi nalise. This would be subject to discuss options. place between the BMC, Sport England, and an Environmental Impact Assessment and the Forestry Commission. Derbyshire Council's approval, and is thought to be unlikely to succeed. Avon Gorge Eridge Rocks The local council has now completed work to remove graffi ti from the area of rock above BMC representatives are currently discussing Chee Dale the ramp in the Unknown Area. access initiatives and the installation of dis- Following constructive discussion with the crete signing with Sussex Wildlife Trust. Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, revised access

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46984_p08-64.indd 10 09/09/2004 11:33:18 access news frontline The weird and wonderful world of the voluntary BMC access representative. By Henry Folkard, Peak Area. onversation fl owed freely, as did the under European Law. One view of vegetation Cbeer. Very important since my com- is that it’s there to be gardened, an impedi- panion was the late . He had ment to new routes and the only way from a morbid fear of dehydration, but there car to crag is straight through it. One view was little chance of it being realised of climbers is that they desecrate beautiful that evening. We spoke of fi shes, of far rock with bolts, krabs and chains, wantonly away places, and of fl owers. “There’s a (even criminally) destroy unique vegetation rare fl ower in the bottom of our garden” and answer to nothing but their own self said Don. “Audrey’s seen it. I’ve not been interest. But we moderate how and what we there”. do and they let us do it, even cutting down Climbers and fl owers? Welcome to Chee the odd sycamore to help us on our way. Dale, in Derbyshire’s White Peak - home But there were proposals for more than a to trad climbing, sports climbing and the new lower off down in the Dale. Someone, Monsal Trail. Home too to Jacob’s Ladder, somewhere decided that the road was too Nottingham Catchfly, Green Spleenwort, busy and spent £800,000 on consultants Horseshoe Vetch at its northern limit side by to fi nd out if the old railway link through Chee Dale. Credit: BMC side with Grass of Parnassus at it’s southern. Chee Dale linking Matlock and Buxton could concluded “The integrity of the cSAC would Look at the landscape and you’ll see what be reinstated. Yes the road is too busy, and not be signifi cantly affected [by building you value; Plum Buttress in its overhung of course the BMC supports public transport and running a railway] but would be subject sentinel grandeur or Limestone Fern crawling initiatives. So we explained our concerns, we to minor adverse impact’. The Monsal Trail? by a miracle of nature in the scree below. said we thought this idea was more about Just reroute it somewhere different and Nothing the BMC does is more important managing the landscape to save traffi c than use the same name, no problem. Gardening than access work. It’s taking place all the managing the traffi c to save the landscape. a new route? Impossible. Building a new time, rarely seen, you just get to go where And what was wrong with buses anyway? railway? Fine. you want, and that’s probably the way it We even gave the consultants, Scott Derbyshire Wildlife Trust were pretty should be. A lot of the work is about explain- Wilson, a free copy of the Wye Valley Guide miffed too. But there won’t be a new railway ing, understanding and sharing values, not (that’s another name for Chee Dale). What in the foreseeable future. Never mind the always the easiest of tasks. did they say? “The purpose of our meeting environment, there just wasn’t an economic Recently we had a meeting with Der- is for you to give information about your case for it. So much for values. byshire Wildlife Trust who own Chee Dale. It’s concerns, and not for Scott Wilson to provide a cSAC, the highest conservation designation information regarding the scheme”. They Henry Folkard

WALES to address footpath erosion in these two ACT Latest areas. ACT is funding pre-emptive footpath Range West Trial restoration at Hen Cloud and diversionary The trial of early opening this season he Access & Conservation Trust (ACT) fencing at the Roaches, whilst National worked very well. Thanks to all the climb- Thas benefi ted from two recent dona- Park ecologists are currently assessing a ers for observing the restrictions, and the tions. BMC proposal to enhance the regeneration BMC is confi dent that this arrangement will of the coniferous woodland below the lower continue next year. In the meantime usual Firstly, Mountain Leader Training England tier of the Roaches. access continues with just one permanent has weighed in with another substantial do- restriction in Hobbyhorse Bay. nation for this year, following on from their Wintour’s Leap extensive support since the early days of ACT has funded a set of signs to make it South Stack Island and the Trust. Secondly thanks go to the Castle clear how climbers should exit from the top Breakwater Quarry Climbing Centre and all who supported the of North Wall on Wintour’s Leap in the Wye In preparation for the new guide, acces- Best of Kendal Film Festival event there. Well Valley. It is crucial that climbers take notice sibility to these sites for climbing has been done to the Castle Café, Calverts Printing, of these instructions else access (or should discussed with the relevant council represen- Metolius, prAna, Camden School for Girls, that be egress) will be lost, making things tatives. Unfortunately, formal access agree- PSL, the Kendal Mountain Film Festival, much more awkward. ments to climb will not be sanctioned. PlanetFear and Urban Rock for getting be- hind the statement from the Castle that "By Southern Sandstone Resin Lower Pen Trwyn encouraging more responsibility within the Repair work Following another near miss in which a BMC climbing community we will secure access Mike Vetterlein continues an ambitious pro- member was nearly struck by rocks thrown to areas for future generations." gramme of resin stabilisation work on the from the Marine Drive, The Ormes Country soft rock of the southern sandstone crags, Park management are considering installing Yarncliffe Quarry despite the best efforts of the weather! more warning signs above the crag. A joint partnership venture between the As we go to press work funded by ACT has National Trust, BMC, and ACT has initiated been completed at Stone Farm and Bowles a pilot conservation project to halt soil Rocks, and more is planned for High Rocks REGIONAL ACCESS DATABASE erosion and promote fl oral re-colonisation and Under Rocks. Separately funded work is to the area above Ants Slab. also ongoing at Harrison’s Rocks. For the latest access info on more than 600 crags in Roaches and Hen Cloud England and Wales, on www. In conjunction with the National Park Au- See www.accesstrust. thebmc.co.uk thority, the BMC will be initiating measures org.uk for more

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46984_p08-64.indd 11 09/09/2004 11:33:32 stuff THE ULTIMATE LIGHTWEIGHT COOK

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12 35 CLIMBING BIG ISSUES THE STATE OF BRITISH CLIMBING BY DAVE TURNBULL, BMC CEO.

n the Lakes, many of the classic mountain routes Irarely see any ascents these days, encrusted with lichen where chalk once showed the way. At Tremadog, voracious ivy patches are swarming upwards and outwards, gradually enveloping whole buttresses over time. Even at the honeypot of Harrison’s Rocks, the number of visitors is down from thirty years ago. What's going on?

to the life-long locals in the main threats and risks to our sport? And, Speak these areas, Bill Birkett, importantly, what is the BMC doing about it? Eric Jones or Terry Tullis, and they’ll tell you In this, the first of three major articles for that Scafell, Tremadog and Harrison’s were Summit, we put these questions to some of more popular back in the 70's than they are our leading activists, past and present, to today. Listen to Ken Wilson and the end is discover their opinions. From the responses nigh, our crags are going back to nature, the that came back, would it be felt that British silver tide of bolts is eating away at the core climbing is in something of a state, or will of our unique climbing ethic. Talk to keen the future for this ever growing sport seem climbers in Wales, and they will tell you there as rosy as ever? are no new routes left to do. One thing is sure, climbing is changing. But, speak to younger climbers and they Let’s call it evolving. Climbing has gone don’t know what all the fuss is about. They ‘mainstream’ – its now part of the adventure will talk as enthusiastically about their sports revolution of the lifestyle magazine climbing experiences as any climber ever did trade. Participation has rocketed over the 30 years ago, even though these experiences last few decades, as any indicators will tell may well be much more diverse than their you. BMC membership has doubled since earlier counterparts’. Experiences just as 1994; new indoor walls continue to crop up likely to have been gained from sport climb- in unlikely backwaters around the country; ing, leading indoors or bouldering as they mountain guides have got too much work; would from what people used to call ‘proper the 'outdoor industry' is now worth millions climbing’. Perhaps climbing is healthy and to the national economy. Today, ‘climbing’ vibrant, and not the sinking ship that some encompasses a wide range of activities. It’s older observers would have us believe. a very broad church and the games climbers So, what is the state of British climbing now play has expanded into virtual sub- today? Where is it going? What are the burn- sports, which sometimes appear completely ing issues of concern to climbers? What are alien to each other. Bouldering, sport

14 35

46984_p14-22_NEW.indd 14 10/09/2004 15:39:14 OPINIONS

The scene’s buoyant now. The bolt fears of the 90’s never came to fruition, and there’s a lot more respect for different styles. The biggest threats seem to be things like chipping and crag erosion. More and more people are heading to the honey pot venues, tempted there by nice pictures and nice problems. Take Caley, I’ve climbed there for 25 years and have seen the changes - it’s getting hammered. To a certain extent the media has a responsibility here, constantly featuring the same areas. And on the lime- stone many of the popular sport crags are worked out, retro bolting, double bolting, and polish are the concerns. We’ve got to treasure what we’ve got and work out how to make it last as long as possible. People do seem to be less adventurous, I bet that in ‘83/’84 more people did Lord of the Flies in a week than in a whole year now. But I’m not sure if it’s people actually lack- ing the will or simply the state of the crags. Personally I’ve backed off several classic E5/6 mountain routes such as Nexus Direct and Poacher in the last three years. They were just so dirty, totally unclimbable. And it’s not uncommon, many cliffs have reached a similar position now perhaps accelerated by the Foot and Mouth bans. The number of climbers are defi nitely up though, no question. The UK market is cur- rently worth 40-45,000 pairs of shoes a year. Plus 80% of Scarpa sales are bottom end boots, so that’s where the increase is. That’s saying something, but how many of these purchasers will take up climbing for life? As far as the future of British standards goes, one of our big issues is the lack of big new routes. Well, apart from Scotland, but if you’re based in Manchester; it’s as easy to head to Chamonix as it is to get up there! Brits will defi nitely have to travel more in the future to stay in the world pecking order, we’re seeing that already in the World Cup results. Look at how many overseas climbers are climbing 9a. It’s not a lack of talent or even training anymore, it’s simply our lack of quality virgin rock. That’s what gets you fi t, tons of new climbing, it keeps you psyched. The foreign guys are going out day after day, onsighting 8a’s, and 8b’s at different crags. Steve McClure is our only world-class sport climber now, and he spends most of The mountain crags are in a state of his time abroad. negect, but there are still hard new lines But it’s not doom and gloom. We’ve to fi nd. Here John Dunne is on Breathless reached equilibrium. Look at Pembroke. I (E10 7a), Napes Crag, Great Gable. This took the bolts out of The Big Issue there ten has just received a second ascent from years ago. They’re still out, and no one’s put Dave Birkett who confi rmed the grade. any back in - and we can be proud of that. Credit: Dave Simmonite. John Dunne, North West

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British climbing seems very healthy and diverse and seems in no danger of losing it’s traditional style to younger generations. The ethics of today seem much more clearly defi ned and understood by all than they used to be and this in turn has brought through generations of climbers who understand the score. My main concern is the state of existing pegs and threads on sea cliffs, especially on very hard inescapable routes that could be 1, 2 or even 3 E grades harder because the fi xed gear is now utterly useless. In the past, selfi sh climbers have climbed new routes adopting pretty much any style that will assure them a fi rst ascent. Consequently we are now faced with a host of incredibly good routes that rarely get climbed because of the lack of information on the state of the (sometimes 10-20 year old) fi xed gear. Now is the time we should be addressing this issue to prevent unnecessary accidents, as people want to approach these routes with a pure onsight ethic in true British adventur- ous style. And fi nally - should pegs even be used on sea cliffs? Lucy Creamer, Peak

My main concern is the threat of retro-bolting in Yorkshire. Just because some E4’s and E5’s are not getting climbed regularly does not justify bolting them up to create an amenable F7a! Extreme trad climbers seem to be a dying breed, especially up here in the North, where hard trad routes are getting seriously green and overgrown. I see sports climbing and bouldering as great for getting fi t and strong but for me trad climbing is the main event. Karin Magog, North East

Our sport has been continually evolving for well over 100 years. I contend that there is no absolute defi nition of ‘Tradi- tional British Climbing’. We must move with and update our attitudes to fi xed equipment, lower-offs etc on all cliffs. With more climbers than ever before we need to maximise the usefulness of the available rock, particularly on many currently unfash- ionable Pennine limestone crags. Several hundred climbers have enjoyed the sport climbs at Norber Scar, Giggleswick and Trow Gill in the fi rst half of this year alone. They were deserted, overgrown and unappealing until their recent makeovers. Our attitudes need constant re-assessment in the light of demand. Get stuck in a time warp and the sport becomes stagnant. Evolve and the sport has a very bright and vibrant future. Dave Musgrove, Yorkshire.

(TOP) Karin Magog on On the Rocks (E7 6c) at Back Bowden Doors. Credit: Steve Crowe. (LEFT) Fixed gear on sea cliffs is a big issue, here Lucy Creamer is on Blutcher (E5 6b), Pembroke. Credit: Tim Glasby.

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climbing, indoor climbing, deep water solo- ing, dry tooling on chalk, adventure climbing on sea cliffs, competition climbing - the list goes on. Another thing that’s sure is that climbing will continue to evolve. Perhaps the changes in climbing are just reflecting changes in society. Speak to Alan James of Rockfax and he’ll tell you that we’ll all be using palmtop guidebooks in a year or two. The information revolution (coupled with cheap overseas flights) has certainly had a major impact. Want to find out how to do the crux move on Hubble, the cheapest flight to Sardinia or the nearest - just type it into Google. If you don’t like the rain then there are options, very cheap ones courtesy of Easyjet, Ryanair and other budget airlines. And even the more exotic destinations are now well within the reach of a two week trip. Looking back over the the watering down of the adventure aspect is So where has the exploration and adven- 57 or 58 years I’ve been climbing the diminishing climbing in a major way. ture gone? Is it still out there or are we changes have been considerable. In the Joe Brown, Wales simply taking the Easyjet option? Now that late 1940s we were climbing with the most of our crags (in England and Wales at same gear as in the ‘20s and ‘30s, e.g. least) have been worked out, and the new hemp rope and two or three krabs. I routes climbed and documented, where do started carrying a peg hammer and a few the new challenges lie? Well, unless you pegs and by the early ‘50s we had nylon happen to be in a clique of ‘in the know’ ropes. The first real change came with the locals, or prepared to indulge in the Fowler- introduction of PAs in the early ‘50s; a esque end of the rock quality spectrum, then definite improvement in footwear. Then the answer lies at the very top end. E7 or came the use of drilled out nuts on slings E8 ground up, 9a sport climbs, on-sighting and from about the mid ‘60s you began hard routes on remote sea cliffs or mountain to get purpose made nuts of all shapes crags - it's still out there if you can cut it and sizes. By the late ‘70s friends were at that level. But for us mere mortals it’s a invented. Belay devices had taken away matter of perspective. Has the exploratory the threat of torn hands from holding element of British climbing gone, or is there falling leaders and indeed many climb- actually more scope for accessible adventure ers were now prepared to fall off a move than ever before? many times, something that was never And what about the state of our crags? previously contemplated. Here we come up against some problems. Old All this changed climbing completely. and rotting fixed equipment; re-vegetation of Formerly there were only maybe 10 fine quality routes; whole crags going back people in the country climbing at the to nature through lack of traffic; polish, highest standard but now many people wire brushing and excessive use of chalk could do the hard routes. Because of the (TOP) Joe Brown on Lavaredo Wall (VS), on boulder problems and historic classics; better protection much of the danger had Carreg Alltrem in the late 60's. overuse of honey-pot sites resulting in ac- been removed and the risk of death or cess issues. The fixed equipment question serious injury after a fall dramatically (ABOVE) Joe leading the first ascent of is a tough issue and the best the BMC can reduced. With the introduction of chalk Straight Up on Crag O, above Oumsnat in say is that climbers must take a case-by-case you had “aid on every move”. Anyone the Ameln valley, Moroccan Anti Atlas, in view of specific crags on a regional basis. who disagrees with this statement should 2002.(at the age of 71) Both credit: Claude Whilst retro-bolting or re-equipping might stop using chalk and see! Davies. be acceptable in parts of Yorkshire, Ched- The worst threat of all to British dar Gorge or Chapel Head Scar it certainly climbing has been that of bolting on wouldn’t be in Pembroke, Lands End or the a large scale as has happened on the Despite the increased num- mountain crags. Sometimes the solutions continent. Fortunately so far in Britain bers of people being introduced to climbing, are clear: without the recent BMC spon- this has been limited and I’ve no problem there doesn’t seem to be any more people sored bolting and re-equipping at Cheddar with bolts on unprotectable limestone or climbing on the bigger British crags than for example, large parts of the Gorge would slate, provided that they are sportingly there were 30 years ago, and perhaps even have been destined to remain unclimbable positioned, but I do have a problem with less. Many of the Hard Rock and Classic Rock for the foreseeable future. Not only has retro bolting. Totally bolted routes take ticks are being done but other great lines Martin Crocker’s work cleaned up the routes away a lot of the skills of climbing such on the big cliffs aren’t getting much atten- at Cheddar, but it is also helping pave the as route finding and looking for protec- tion. Perhaps many younger climbers don’t way for the re-opening of sections of the tion. They take away the “grip factor” realise what great adventures they are miss- Gorge for summertime access. But what do of being way out there and the whole ing out on, or maybe they just don’t want we do about crags that were developed in adventure is reduced. them, preferring just the technical move the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s using pegs, threads Climbing nowadays has diversified rather than the adventure. For many people and in-situ wires? Quality areas such as with bouldering becoming a separate bouldering and short hard routes seem to be Huntsman’s Leap, Wintours Leap, and Castell sport, climbing walls, and where “it’s at." Cidwm all have routes which effectively have adventure climbing, but I do think that Derek Walker, North West

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Greasy tentacles extending from society at large are trying to rip out climbing’s heart. It’s a shame that climbing cannot escape, since it was supposed to be ‘different’. The lifestyle image marketeers of products and activities are gradually bamboozling people into thinking the kit they have got, the courses and trips they’ve bought or the image they present is more important than their actual actions and achievements. Then there’s the legal and insurance perpetual motion machine that actually feeds itself off our money. We are not insuring for real risks at real costs but for the legally generated risk of being sued or charged ridiculous amounts for admin- istering legalities. Is there any hope for participants and true endeavor once such capitalists have got a grip on the psychol- ogy and sociology of climbing? One can only hope that that there'll be a renewal of spirit in future that tells them to stuff it. Crag Jones, Wales

Issues affecting Scotland are very different to the rest of the UK. Whilst you lot scrot around on pathetic little new eliminates, we’re still discovering whole new Gogarths, especially in the West. There’s no shortage of adventure up here for people who want it - without pegs, bolts, or any type of fi xed gear. Kev Howett, Scotland

For the future health of our sport we need to do one thing - look after the rock. Preserve the rock and you preserve the adventure. Give the power drill free reign and adventure dies and the soul of the sport dies with it. In much of the Continent, countless cliffs and many mountain faces have become industrialised with thousands of drilled fi x- tures - bolts every three or four metres in every direction. Climbers seem to be acting in the opposite way to other outdoor users, who try to make little or no impact on the natural environment. I’m totally supportive of the direction taken by the climbing com- munity in the UK, which is to limit bolting to certain venues. This gives British climbing What's the BMC doing? continued respect and a special position in the world. To keep crags climbable?: Pat Littlejohn, Wales Negotiating access to cliff and mountains all over England and Wales. Promoting local fi xed equipment debates at BMC climbers meetings and a national debate on the ‘State of British Climbing’. I can’t understand why as mountaineers Supporting specifi c re-equipping initiatives e.g. the Cheddar Project. and climbers we always have heated de- Securing access through direct ownership and management e.g. Harrison’s and bates about everything under the sun! We Stone Farm Rocks, Upper Pen Tryn, Horseshoe Quarry, Craig y Longridge, Hoghton should remember that we're here but for a Quarry. short time and the sport, hills, crags and Funding access & conservation work across England and Wales (footpaths, stiles, mountains will be around long after we’ve noticeboards etc). fl eetingly passed through. Perhaps we should Working with landowners to clear vegetation (Rivelin, Pex Hill, Cheddar Gorge). all consider what’s best for the sport and the fabric of the landscape as a whole, not just There's still adventure out there for those who want it! Dave Turnbull and Chris Rees our selfi sh desires. on the fi rst ascent of Two Little Boys (E6 6b, 5c, 6a), on Rora Head, Hoy, Orkney. Mal Creasey, Wales Credit: Andy Bunnage

18 35

46984_p14-22_NEW.indd 18 09/09/2004 11:36:43 DWS is by far the most exciting new development in British climbing. It’s such a classic example of Brits finding ways to make further use of our limited resources, even though the vast majority of international climbers think we’re all barking mad for do- ing it. Older areas like Dorset and Devon are starting to get played out, but Pembroke has barely been discovered and there’s amazing potential for soloing existing trad routes or, better still, developing new areas. Before, if a cliff was less than 50ft high or very tidal and poorly protected then it was left alone, but these are the very characteristics which often lead to exceptional DWS. In fact, the best DWS areas in Pembroke are to be found near Tenby and Lydstep rather in the classic parts of Range East. The other attraction about DWS is its simplicity and ethical purity. Although some routes will need to be abseil inspected, most are being attempted onsight, ground-up. It’s so satisfying when you top out, knowing that you’ve made the entire ascent without using a rope. All temptation to dog a move is removed - it simply isn’t possible. You just climb as far as you can and when you can’t get any further there’s nowhere to hide! If failure isn’t demoralizing enough, you get a soaking and then have to start all over again! The other great thing is that the standards are going to explode in the next few years. Tim Emmett and I have managed new 8as onsight ground-up, but who knows what’s going to happen when the really strong people get their teeth into things! Neil Gresham, Peak

Climbing is really healthy, I’d rather be positive than look for problems. Worrying about little things like pegs is a side issue. Climbing is a risk sport, accept the state of the route as you find it, and either deal with it or take up something else. I don’t think we should look to make things safer. Allow people to find and follow the adventures they want, from competing indoors to Himalayan climbing, to crank- ing boulders around the world. The real problems that face us stem from a lack of government interest in areas such as access, better facilities, and support for young and talented climbers. Ian Parnell, Peak

British climbing is as good as it’s ever been, and the risk element right now is probably up; climbers of all ages are getting involved with trad routes and deep water soloing. Check out what’s going on now in the South West - stacks of new E8’s in Pembroke, and new DWS crags popping up everywhere. Personally, as long as we Brits always find ways to make use of limited continue to see an increase in the number of resources. Neil Gresham on the second bikinis at crags, I think the future of British ascent of Burbage South’s desperate Equi- climbing looks very rosy indeed! librium (E10 7a). Mike Robertson, South West Credit: Mike Robertson.

35 19

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become redundant due to deteriorating fi xed gear, which none of us can be bothered to At the moment sport climbing is not replace. One view is that fi xed gear should the fashion, bouldering is, and look at the be left to rot, and that routes should be increase in performance. But when hard re-ascended on natural gear at a new grade. sport climbing comes back around again the Others argue that we’ve got to keep the crags standards will explode. The only problem we popular or we might lose them (to nature or have in Britain is the lack of rock for new conservationists) and that they should be re- routes. But don’t worry...there will be just equipped in some way. Perhaps now is the enough! time for all climbers around the country to Steve Mclure, Peak get together, take responsibility and decide on the future of our crags. The re-vegetation of crags is another signifi cant issue, which is linked to that of fi xed equipment. In their natural state, many cliffs in the British Isles are botani- cally important and heavily vegetated. The development of new crags over the years necessitated a degree of cleaning. With traffi c, routes stay clean and climbable (the Strand at Gogarth for example is a clean highway amidst a veritable broccoli garden of lichen), but without traffi c they begin to revert to their original state until eventu- ally it would be so much effort to clean them up that no one can be bothered and they’re effectively lost. There are examples of this all over the country. Gardoms Edge, Dukes Quarry, North Devon Crags such as Smoothlands, parts of the Little Orme, and nationally important mountain crags in the Lake District and Snowdonia. As with fi xed equipment, if complacency rules then climbers will either take the path of least resistance or a minority will take matters into their own hands. The results will be random and out of our control. British climbing is unique throughout the world. Speak to Alex Huber, Ed Feb- ruary, Conrad Anker and numerous other international climbing fi gures who make the pilgrimage to our shores, and they’ll tell you the same thing - British climbing is something special. We might not have the biggest crags, the best weather or the most perfect rock, but we’ve got one of the most vibrant and healthy climbing scenes, a unique ethic and a worldwide reputation. What will happen to these in the future comes down to whether we are prepared to take control and responsibility for securing the future for our sport or whether we’d prefer to simply shrug our shoulders, go on-line and book our next holiday. The choice is ours.||

GOT AN OPINION? If this has started you thinking, then see page 7 of this issue for details of the BMC Open meetings discussing the state of Brit- ish climbing.

LOOK OUT FOR THE NEXT ARTICLE In Summit 36: Part 2, Style and Ethics.

(LEFT) Steve Mclure on Rainshadow (9a) Malham, one of the country's hardest routes. But how long will new lines be found on UK rock? Credit: Tim Glasby

20 35

46984_p14-22_NEW.indd 20 09/09/2004 11:39:03 So where’s it all going? Well like fash- ion it’s all probably going to come around again. At the moment bouldering and trad climbing are popular. Looking forward a few years, I can well envisage the explosion of sport climbing again. This could be caused by any number of unforeseeable reasons. Maybe a fi lm sparking public interest, an exceptional climber from the UK winning the World Championships. It’s impossible to predict the future, but what’s sure is that we must never rule anything out. Who would have thought ten years ago when sport climbing was at its peak in the UK that we would now have come full circle? I can remember the fever around then. Trad was easy, trad climbers were weak. The real hard routes were sport routes. People were throwing away their wires saying that they could never envisage using them again, everything should be bolted. I was climbing sport routes in the summer to get fi t, and when I slopped off to climb trad routes in the autumn they all looked at me like I was crazy. Now it’s the other way round. Who’s to say that in a few more years we may even all be trad climbing on limestone again? I hope that climbing doesn’t get sucked Unthinkable! in to the rules and regulations phase Seb Grieve, Peak that the rest of the world seems to be going through. I think the British ethic can survive but it will become harder to One of the greatest things about maintain, the future generations must climbing is the variety. I love climbing ad- be taught well and the climbing media venturous new trad routes in remote places, must give clear info on what the ethics bouldering in Font, swinging around on bolt are. Routes will get a lot harder in the protected limestone tufas and also compet- future, it’s just a matter of time but the ing on plastic creations. People shouldn’t as- British grading system is starting to fail sume that one type of climbing is inherently in the upper grades. The boundaries are better than another, just get out (or in) and too wide and people seem to be afraid to do whatever you feel the urge to do! offer new grades. It will lose all relevance Miles Gibson, Peak unless something is done. In-situ gear should be replaced by the climbers. If the BMC became responsible then it would The big trend continues to be to- only lead to lawsuits. If you want to wards more accessible climbing. People want lead a route on in-situ gear then it’s up more convenience and value for effort and to you to check it. that’s why we’re seeing more fi xed lower-offs James Pearson, Peak going in and more retro-bolting of currently neglected routes. Whilst I sympathise with (RIGHT) James Pearson headpointing the argument for bolting otherwise chossy Knockin on Heaven's Door (E9 6c), quarries, the recent retro-bolting of Cave Curbar. Route Right Hand supports the ‘thin end of Credit: Alex Messenger. the wedge’ argument. The bolts are coming out of this one, but its signifi cance should not go unnoticed. Many British climbers are still very much up for an adventure, even My concern is to protect British if it’s just a bit of a runout at their local adventure climbing against the pressures crag. And look at the crowds who are totally arising from an increasingly risk averse psyched to be tradding their way up a Vdiff society, and an increasing number of UK at Tryfan. And fi nally, if British climbers are climbers who have been brought up on going to remain at the forefront of climbing indoor walls with fi xed protection. We and mountaineering worldwide, they need to have adventure climbs that are admired train harder. That’s why you’ll see Jon Bracey and respected throughout the world. It’s at Raven Tor or Dave Birkett doing top rope our duty to preserve these routes for the laps at Kilnsey a few days after repeating enjoyment of future generations and to Breathless. These climbers epitomise the ensure that those lines that are too hard British spirit, but they also recognise the for us are left to become the challenges need to move forward to keep up! for future generations.’ Tom Briggs, Peak Mick Fowler, London

(RIGHT) Mick Fowler prospecting on the North Wales coast. Credit: Dave 35 Turnbull. 21

46984_p14-22_NEW.indd 21 09/09/2004 11:39:51 CLIMBINGINTERVIEW

At 42 I’m relatively old, and when Climbing is in no more you’ve seen how it was you really notice of a state than society is in. Changes in the difference. Climbing’s more popular now, climbing merely mirror those going on more almost a mainstream sport but when I started broadly around us. The beliefs that some of people didn’t have a clue - you were a right us might like to try to hang onto are well ex- weirdo for doing it. Sometimes it seems that pressed by the parents of a climber who lost people have less appreciation for the crags his life after a short but invigorated climbing now, treating them as an outdoor gym, and life. They wrote to me saying that, “it was there could be real challenges working out a heartening to see that climbing continues to way to hold on to the older values. be an amateur sport, has not been overtaken One problem we’ll always have is the by sponsorship, like so many others... and weather, that’s why the high crags lack traf- remains a sport for the individual dependent fi c. In a bad season very few routes will see upon enthusiastic volunteers.” ascents. Things fade in and out of fashion Power to effect change is in the hands of too, but this is no bad thing since the crags the publishers and governing bodies - people go back to nature, getting breathing space who make money or earn a living from climb- away from us humans. ing. They sometimes underestimate their own The real future is onsight groundup climb- responsibility - what they choose to portray, ing in remote locations. There are untouched people will follow. They are the inspirators. 6000ft walls in Kyrgyzstan, just waiting for They determine climbers’ behaviour. Sexing the next generation of routes. You’ve got to up climbing into something that it isn’t be really up for it, but we’ve got the talent, leaves many disappointed when they fi nally real machines like Ben Bransby. come outdoors to see what it’s all about. As for what’s left in Britain, I’m not so One reason why many of our crags have less sure. Of course there’s stuff on the high appeal now and are falling into neglect. But crags still to do, if it ever stops raining. why should they compromise their liveli- But then again, everyone always thinks it’s hoods, intellectual positions and commercial Having snapped three over and there’s nothing left, until someone aspirations by accurately portraying the pegs (two of which looked at least half pulls something out of the bag. Take Raven activity as inherently slow, boring, repetitive decent) within the past two weeks, my Tor for example, even this currently has four and self-indulgent? trust in them has all but evaporated. projects on the go! The neglect of crags is a function of de- Many routes rely on in-situ pegs for Mark "Zippy" Pretty, Peak mand. If the demand isn’t there, why worry? crucial protection, rendering them a far Where’s the problem? What we shouldn’t do, more serious, and uncertain, proposition necessarily, is on a broad-brush basis alter than when fi rst climbed. Replacing cor- Britain has achieved a unique irreversibly the character of climbs just to roded pegs is often impossible. There is equilibrium in climbing approach and ethics, satisfy the fashion of the day. That’s a down- no easy solution, but their use in any take the co-existence of Stanage and Raven ward spiral, and it would limit the capacity further routes, especially on or near sea Tor for example. No fi xed anchors on grit, of fashion to swing back again. A challenge cliffs, should be strongly discouraged. and everyone has the same experience, give facing the BMC is to convincingly protect the I know that plenty of climbers, par- or take a little chalk. Then a few miles away past against the freedom of choice of the ticularly from past generations, are wor- there’s a cliff sporting glue, people climb- day. Local projects like the Cheddar Gorge ried about trad crags becoming bolted, ing bolts, dogging bolts, using an almost project are one way forward. The BMC has but surely some common sense must be anything goes approach. Such a balance a choice of either taking a programmed ap- employed for our future? Would a well should be revered, is proach to addressing crag neglect in relation positioned (grey) bolt belay be more un- slowly being whittled from our planet, so to demand by cohorts, or leave it to natural sightly than the multi coloured tat atop we’re lucky to enjoy a dwindling resource. local market forces and individuals. the Cromlech? If this issue was dealt with Kevin Thaw, USA/UK Martin Crocker, South West correctly it would in no way lead to the routes being bolted. Back in the “good old days” climbers used to bang metal into the rock all over the place, and very How you can you help? often right next to perfectly adequate If you're concerned about the state of British crags, natural runner placements. The phrase why not play your part: “pot calling the kettle black” springs to mind. I love adventure trad climbing 1. Help look after your local crags, if you’re in a club, adopt a crag. more than any other aspect of climbing, 2. Clean up dirty routes, or replace rotten threads. but I am concerned that some of Britain’s 3. Make the effort of visiting remote or neglected crags. prehistoric ethical stances need serious 4. Have a climbing holiday in the UK rather than overseas. thought for us to keep moving forward. 5. Get involved with the BMC’s regional access work. Hopefully this article will help bring 6. Participate in local debates and climbers meetings. these issues to everyone’s attention and, in time, solutions will be found. Ben Heason, Peak About this article: A whole selection of Ian Parnell, Mike Robertson, Tim Glasby, climbers were contacted for their views. Claude Davies, Steve Crowe and Dave (TOP) Ben Heason on his route Final Apologies for any glaring omissions, and Simmonite for digging into their fi les for Destination (E8 6c), Lower Tier of The many thanks to all who responded and the pictures at such short notice. Roaches. Credit: Dave Simmonite. helped out in any way. Special thanks to

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46984_p14-22_NEW.indd 22 09/09/2004 11:40:04 EQUIPMENT REMOTE CONTROL In the last of his series on extreme conditions, Gary Rolfe takes a look at technology, and how to make it work in the wilds.

Life is hard. Serious adventure is formidable. Long-haul expeditions are complicated and success doesn’t just happen. Before, during and after my journeys it’s necessary to communicate and disseminate critical information, efficiently. To turn a plan into action requires insanely detailed databases, emergency procedures, spreadsheets, news and stored digital images. And this calls for seriously innovative mobile gear.

elieving in the power of technol- we work out the energy necessary to power BATTERIES ogy, I’m always thirsty for the latest gear, the operating voltage and sunlight pre- A battery stores charge and sets the voltage Badvances, and looking for ways to dictions for the journey. The more sunlight for my system. To work, most mobile devices integrate them into my lifestyle. But despite the cheaper and smaller the system will be. require 12V. I use a 12V 10Ah. These brick- the relentless march of progress it can still be For my system to be efficient and complete like rechargeable batteries are the most ef- hard to find advice on what to do when you I select electronic devices that power and fective owing to their lead quality content. leave the power grid behind. What follows recharge on the least wattage. Go with anything less and you’ll regret it, is a summary of the system I’ve developed despite the weight. Because my batteries to deal with operating in the wilderness. So FLEXIBLE PANELS are deep cycle I never discharge by more whether you’re thinking of taking a laptop to Built to rough it, the Unisolar panels I use than 50% before recharging. Manufacturers Yosemite or are simply confused about rescue don’t contain glass and are coated with a quote battery voltages for systems operating beacons for Greenland, then read on. surface similar to non-stick frying pans. To at 20ºC, so I apply a temperature compensa- charge, direct sunlight is preferred though tion figure and add 0.024V for every degree SOLAR POWER not essential and there are no moving parts centigrade when I’m operating below 20ºC. Whatever electronic gear you choose to travel to maintain. Most solar panels are compatible In the cold, a freshly charged battery is dis- with the only solution to an independent with 12V batteries and a diode is mandatory connected and bundled into a dry bag before power source is solar energy. Solarcentury so the battery doesn’t overcharge or drain. bringing it inside the tent. When I’m satisfied UK have been instrumental in developing During 24-hour Arctic summer sun I use a everything has warmed through I check the systems specific to each journey I make, 10-watt panel, hooked easily to a charge using a tiny multimeter. comprising of a solar panel, battery and with bungee cords. During spring sun, at inverter. 40ºC below zero and fewer daylight hours, INVERTORS The panel charges the battery and the in- Unisolar 20-watt panels are used. These Once happy that the battery is strong I verter converts the DC electricity into AC en- remain flexible and are spread over the sled connect it to one end of my Switched Mode abling mains appliances, such as a laptop or to charge. The panels are customised with inverter. The other end attaches directly into satellite phone to be powered or recharged. temperature resilient cables and junction any manufacturer’s power adaptor, ensuring There are no ‘typical’ scenario solar power boxes so they don’t become brittle. But don’t the quality of AC power entering the appli- systems, since component choice is deter- be tempted to reduce weight with thinner ance is exactly as intended. Plugging directly mined by what is needed to be powered, and cables, since anything less than 4mm will into the back of, say, a laptop will almost where. Sitting down with Solarcentury UK, become a fire hazard. certainly invalidate any warranty.

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46984_p08-64.indd 24 09/09/2004 11:40:30 RUGGED LAPTOPS My tent life is cramped with laptop ta- DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY Most high street consumers understandably boos. They’re all there; condensation; dog Love or hate it, digital will soon be every- aren’t that interested in crossing either sea hair; the cold; and copious amounts of food thing in cameras. I used to carry enough film ice or rivers nor altitude climbing with IT and hot drinks. Gear jostles for space and to shoot 36 exposures every four days. These gear. Consequently rugged laptops are a accidents happen. In the past these haven’t days I favour SLR digital cameras capable of specialised item but don’t take it for granted been pleasing moments. Hermetically sealed capturing RAW files. At 6MB per image (160 they’ll all deliver and survive. Moisture often laptop keyboards are useful for people like images per GB) the RAW files capture as much results in the kiss of death to IT kit. Coax- me who tend to drop what they eat and data as digitally possible. With the flick of a ing laptops in the past used to be absolute dribble drink. To seal out tent detritus, switch I can change 400 ISO to 100 without agony and fear of condensation shorting a protect serial ports by looking for a laptop wasting unexposed film and being able to im- system had me eating my fists. Water form- designed with rubber hatches. mediately see the results I can reshoot until ing on defrosting equipment would short out I’m happy. Taking pictures of the northern and cause irreversible damage if ever I was LCD SCREENS lights was always an guessing tempted to turn it on too soon. As anyone who’s left a mobile phone out game, but digital has solved this. This changed for me last February on in the cold will know, LCD screens become I use ScandDisk’s Ultra CompactFlash Canada’s frozen Mackenzie River when I sluggish at low temperatures. LCD screens 256MB cards. These digital media cards, used a Panasonic Toughbook. The Toughbook are a sandwiched layer of liquid between two sometimes called digital film, remain stable CF-18 fired up effortlessly in less than two layers of glass, the liquid becoming solid in extreme cold. A 2GB card may be an at- hours after being warmed up from a tingly and displaying colour when an electric cur- tractive option but shooting RAW files on a - 51ºC. The hard drive warmed itself too if rent passes through. As the display becomes 2GB card is the cost equivalent to a decent the operating temperature dropped inside colder, the electrical properties of the liquid mobile hard drive. There are two types of my tent. At 2kg the CF-18, with its full change, making it work less efficiently, fad- media cards; Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 cards magnesium alloy casing, is 20 times more ing and slowing, although the information capture camera data quickly, leaving minimal durable than your regular ABS laptop plastic. will still be there. The most efficient laptops Another consideration is altitude. At 15,000 balance their backlight screen’s clarity fast (TOP) Even at 40 below zero on the feet computer hardware begins to falter but and automatically, even with a head torch Arctic Ocean the Unisolar FLX 11 ef- I do know that the Panasonic team were re- light flitting on and off screen. ficiently charges Gary’s battery. Credit: sponsible for enhancing a Toughbook to work Gary Rolfe. effectively on top of Everest last year.

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46984_p08-64.indd 25 09/09/2004 11:40:46 Thrane & Thrane and Nera units have vary- ing degrees of coverage more suited if you have mobile support, i.e. they’re heavy. If fax options are important to you both the Thrane & Thrane and Nera units incorporate this feature.

GPRS GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) has nothing to do with the military GPS system, it’s a new non-voice service that allows information to be sent and received across a mobile telephone network. The very latest rugged laptops have GPRS capabilities. Cost- ing less than other mobile phone networks and because there’s no dial-up, connections are instant and information can be sent or received immediately. This is a good option if satellite phones aren’t necessary for you. Most Arctic settlements have their own tele- Sledge dog Timber relaxes on the frozen Mackenzie River in Canada’s Northwest communication masts that dish up satellite Territories last February. Credit: Gary Rolfe. TV and Internet providers. Mobile phone services extend to several miles outside of delay for image transfers. Type 2 cards are phenomenon generates colossal power in each community and laptops with a GPRS slower, have moving parts and are prone to the Arctic and hit as the sun set. The atmo- feature work without a mobile phone in failure if dropped. sphere cools, air sinks and warm air sits on range of a mast. A stash of cards and a 40GB mobile hard top creating a rapid change in wind speed. drive weigh less than bundles of fi lm and al- This isn’t a unique weather system confi ned BODY BAG RESCUE low me to back-up crucial fi les. Smaller than to the polar Arctic regions; on the Central A friend quipped the best way to attract a cheese butty and weighing considerably Plains of the US they call them tornadoes. media attention would be to die on the end less, the FlashTrax mobile 40GB hard drive, Broken, the zip had me screaming out for of a recorded phone conversation. If this is with its high-speed transfers, can safely the mercy of God. your goal, go for what some satellite phone store over 6,000 6MB RAW fi les from my me- I trust Lowepro’s zipped protective bags to companies call ‘remote location determina- dia cards. It also gives me the option to see cradle my cameras and IT delicates, neatly. tion services’. This unit integrates a GPS. what I’ve taken on its 9cm screen. Battery I loathe clutter. Unnecessary straps I razor The instant a call is made navigation co- life? I get a solid two hours to download 6GB off. Packed on my sled, in winter and spring, ordinates are relayed. If you did die on the of data and recharge on the move. Journey cameras remain frozen in brutal cold. Before phone this thoughtful feature would enable over, I plug it in to the laptop, sort the im- I bring them inside to the warm of my tent a body bag rescue to fi nd you. ages and burn my keepers on to a CD. they go inside waterproof dry bags. Inside My routine with a satellite phone is less If in the market for a camera, take your my tent water condenses on the outside of dramatic, I update base with essential time before buying. Handle as many as pos- dry bags until everything thaws. Dry bags progress by relaying position co-ordinates, sible, practice with your purchase, envisage from Outdoor Designs work well and they’re weather and travel conditions, the time exactly what you’re trying to capture, and the lightest I’ve used. for my next call and the co-ordinates I’m enjoy it. Be encouraged. Think of the most heading for. I also say how the dogs and I compelling photographs you’ve ever seen and SATELLITE PHONES are doing. From these conversations I write I bet it’s been nowhere near technically per- Reliable communication means using a specifi c details on my tent walls. This gives fect. Not one. If your adventures take you to satellite phone. Iridium provides the only me a sense of progress when often very little cold places practise every aspect of camera complete continuous worldwide satellite else matters. If necessary a rescue party can work with gloves on. Go for the best tripod communication coverage of voice and data. be forewarned of medical and landing condi- and head you can afford, preferably made The latest 9505 model weighs only 375g. tions with precise co-ordinates. By talking from tough lightweight carbon fi bre and £120 will buy a 200-minute SIM card. Punch directly to the pilot, medic and rescue team, wrap adhesive moleskin around constantly this in, you’ll be identifi ed on the network critical information could be relayed. Hooked handled metal camera parts. and bingo, away you go with calls charged up to my laptop, I can pick up new live maps at 60p per minute. A single battery lasts of weather and ice conditions every hour PROTECTION for four hours of continuous use without from satellite-linked websites. Not all protective or dry bags are the same. charging. Disadvantages? Solar storms can cause The cold makes some diffi cult to fold, and Inmarsat communication satellites cover satellite communication systems to briefl y zips can foul up. In debilitating cold they about 98% of the world’s landmass. Fine if shut down. But this is rare. To buy? My can become brittle. I’m fussy about zips. A you don’t intend using a phone in Antarctica, phone is third hand so you too might want to tent zip let me down on the Beaufort Sea the high Arctic, the entire Arctic Ocean or consider refurbished models or even renting. at forty below once. A nocturnal jet stream the northern aspect of Greenland. Globalstar With a solar charger another advantage with began to rage. This legendary weather are a viable alternative to Iridium if you’re my satellite phone is, even without a modem not heading to either polar region, most of I can use it to send and receive email up to "Broken, the zip had me Africa or chunks of mid-ocean regions. The 100 characters long. Thuraya system covers northern, central screaming out for the mercy and western Africa, the Middle East, Central HF RADIOS Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Their HF (High Frequency) or trapper radios are of God." dual-mode GSM system enables you to fl it OK. They’re free to use and you can use an from satellite to land mast communications. instant digital messaging option that’s simi-

26 35

46984_p08-64.indd 26 09/09/2004 11:41:01 lar to Yahoo Messenger but this is the only Beacons) are devices that can be activated option that remains secure. Everyone else manually or automatically in cases of dire with an HF radio can hear your conversation. circumstances. They transmit a coded dis- The advantage of this is at least a telephone tress signal and rescue is initiated by the message can be relayed if you’re in trouble. military. In Canada C-130’s and crews are There’s no way of predicting propagation scrambled from Ottawa without knowing cycles and trying to talk through a show of what they’ll fi nd but prepare for the worst. northern lights on an HF radio is hopeless; Flying at 500ft in pristine weather con- it sounds all wobbly. ditions an aircraft crew can observe both sides for approximately half a mile. EPIRB’s RESCUE operate on 406 MHz and PLB’s on 121.5 MHz. A decade ago someone was discovered alone At 406 MHz location accuracy is about 2 with his dogs in the western Arctic. They’d miles/3km. That leaves a search area of 12.5 2 2 been overdue on their estimated time of ar- miles /28km . At 121.5 MHz the location rival, a search was soon on its way and he accuracy is about 12 miles/20km. This leaves 2 2 was quickly found, with his dogs. The dogs a search area of 452 miles /1,260km . had survived. He had not. He’d fallen through That’s probably why PLB’s are not permit- the ice and perished. The ice around him set ted in Canada. fast and there he remained. The dogs had Beacons are not ideal. EPIRB’s and PLB’s survived by eating him head fi rst, down to operate continuously for only 24 hours on his trunk where, with encroaching ice, they batteries that aren’t rechargeable and whilst continued to claw away at his frozen body. some link up with GPS to fi x a position, some If I decide to pull the plug on a journey, don’t. With satellite phones an exact rescue what are my rescue options? location and medical situation can be re- The gear that Gary uses has to endure the extremes layed, and phone batteries can be recharged. of polar travel. Credit: Gary Rolfe. EPIRB’S AND PLB’S One fi nal sobering monetary detail, if you In some cases it may just be a simple satel- fl ick that PLB or EPIRB switch without a life FURTHER INFORMATION threatening reason, expect to foot a $US lite phone call to civil air rescue such as Gary’s website: www.garyrolfe.com 50,000 bill. This could have you eating your local private aircraft or local air charter com- Rugged laptops: www.panasonic.co.uk fi sts, even if the IT gear doesn’t. panies. Many lives are saved this way every || Solar panels: www.uni-solar.com year without draining local resources. But if Carbon fi bre tripods: www.manfrotto.com Gary Rolfe lives in Canada’s Western you intend using rescue beacons instead of Mobile hard drive: www.smartdisk.com Arctic. He is currently backpacking alone Air Revolutiona satellite 24/2/03 phone 10:44 consider am this; Page 1 Refurbished satphones: www.outfi ttersatellite.com with two huskies for two months along the EPIRB’s (Emergency Position Indicating Inverters: www.switchedmode.com Amundsen Gulf Peninsula. Radio Beacons) or PLB’s (Personal Location Rechargeable batteries: www.yuasa-battery.net 100% Innovation!

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46984_p08-64.indd 27 09/09/2004 12:04:29 INTERVIEW

THE CHALLENGE OF HIS 70TH BIRTHDAY BY TERRY ADBY

THE EVERGREEN YEARS

CHRIS BONINGTON

Chris Bonington moving up the crest of Shivling, to the sharpest Himalayan top he has ever climbed. Credit: Chris Bonington / Chris Bonington Picture Library.

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46984_p08-64.indd 28 10/09/2004 15:33:53 many pensioners How spend the month before their 70th birthday tackling unclimbed 6000m Himalayan peaks? Probably, in a word, Bonington.

In an age obsessed with youth, the knight of the hills approached his landmark date with septuagenarianism on August 6th with an energy few people can match at any age.

oe Simpson might have money, fame, a hit movie and (presumably) Jclimbing’s most impressive set of surgical implants but, as far as the public is concerned, Chris Bonington remains the unchallenged face and voice of British mountaineering. Nationally and internation- ally he has, as Reinhold Messner has said, stature. He also has energy and lust for life - and encroaching age has not dimmed the sheer enthusiasm at the heart of so much Bonington success. In fact, while my calendar says he’s almost 70, his seems to contradict the fact. When we meet the last three months have brought a mixture of lectures, meetings, business presentations, Chris Bonington in 1955 climbing on Mercavity in the Avon Gorge. walking, skiing, fi lm-making, family time, personal commitments Credit: Henry Rogers / Chris Bonington Picture Library and – of course – regular climbing in , , Australia, America, and at locations throughout Britain. The next three a kind of enjoyable anticipation rather than ‘gor blimey, what am I will disappear in a similar blur until July, when he embarks on a one getting myself into?’ It’s also infi nitely easier to organise – expedi- month expedition in an unexplored range of mountains in northern tions are much easier to organise these days. There are fourteen of India. If this is old age, bring it on. us. We just tell the agency (Rimo Expeditions) where we’re going, and Bonington is nothing if not realistic though: “I enjoy climbing as they organise everything – transport, tents, foods…. We just pack much ever but inevitably I can’t climb as hard. These days in, say, our kit and get on the plane to Delhi. We’ll take some technical gear The Lakes, I’m happy with one climb, rather than three . I’m leading - ropes, axes, , ice screws, a dead man - and that’s it”. at VS to Hard VS level, and obviously my standard’s going to drop The technical gear suggests it’s still climbing then, and defi nitely further. But that’s OK, I still really enjoy it.” not golf. But is ‘risk’ still important? “No, but there’s always an He likes an annual Himalayan excursion too. This year’s target is a element of risk. Last year on our trip to Kullu I nearly turned back range on the Tibetan frontier: “Wonderful mountains, not desperately on summit day when we were faced with three pitches of serious high, but with big . An Indian friend [legendary Himalayan climbing on a dodgy snow ramp having traversed out over a 1000 authority] Harish Kapadia has planned a lovely trek for our group, metre face. But, I keep the risk lower now. As you get older you including Charlie Clarke, Jim Curran, my ex-secretary Louise and her haven’t got the same reserves or ambition. Before, I was out to prove husband, and two of my climbing neighbours.” No Everesters here something to myself, to establish myself, and I was challenged by then, just a bunch of friends, out for a good time. risk and loved the adrenalin thing. Today it’s more fun - I like some And wife, Wendy? “No. We do lots of things together, but expedi- adrenalin, but fairly low.” tions aren’t her scene.” Her new passion, he explains, is golf. But Is that because he’s used up however many spare lives a Boning- isn’t that the antithesis of climbing? “No, not really - I’m fi nding ton gets then? “No, you could die driving a car down the M6. Your amazing similarities, I tried it and … ” then suddenly, as though his number’s up or it isn’t” But hasn’t he been incredibly lucky? “Oh mind’s eye has just seen the headline “‘Bonington on course for golf totally. Every climber who’s climbed for a long time has. I’ve climbed retirement’ shock’ ” leaps to his own defence – “I mean I can’t stand with Joe Brown [most recently in Morocco – they’re going again it!!”. Good. Glad we’ve clarifi ed that. But, he insists, the similarity next year] over the years. He’s the safest climber ever and gives me is all in the mind game – “golf is like climbing, it’s between you, long lectures on how I belay etc. But he’s still had narrow escapes. the ball and the course...” Climbing exposes you to risk, and on occasions I’ve been dead lucky A bit less at stake perhaps? Anyway - about that Himalayan to survive. But what’s happened to you has happened. What matters trip...“It’s exploratory. There are no photographs available, no infor- is where you are now and where you are going next.” mation, so it’s purely off the map. I mean, locals go up the valleys CHRIS BONINGTON to graze their animals, but none of the mountains have been climbed and we know nothing about them. We’ll set up a couple of semi-base "..you could die driving a car camps, and hopefully get in one or two nice fi rst ascents, with all the joy of going into country you don’t know, and the prospect of down the M6. Your number’s reaching an unclimbed summit, which I love.” So how does the build-up compare to the past expeditions? “There’s up or it isn’t."

35 29

46984_p08-64.indd 29 10/09/2004 15:34:23 INTERVIEW

tion, the competitive urge, and modern equipment and techniques, to go out onto an ever greater limb. Your likes of, say, Mick Fowler, Kenton Cool, Jules Cartwright [tragically killed on the Piz Badile in June], Leo Houlding in rock climbing, are a cutting edge generation - as good as any climbers ever. Well, better. They are carrying the banner for real climbing, but in a way - maybe it’s a healthy thing - the great British public is totally unaware of.” As for those less accomplished individuals who can base a career and public profi le on, say, having been guided up Everest, does he feel responsible at all? “No. It’s just inevitable. There’s no point regretting it. Everest has become like a gigantic , and the good climbers, as they did in the 50s in the Alps, and are now in the , are going to obscure places and climbing incredibly hard things ”. And not shouting about it ? “Well, I’m sure they’d enjoy shouting about it if anyone’d listen. It’s a pity. Take Mick Fowler - superb writer, great character, one of the best all-round mountaineers Britain has ever produced - and almost nobody outside climbing has heard of him.” Bonington has no problem being heard of, nor being heard, particu- larly since he was knighted in 1996. “It’s lovely to have that honour if you can use it effectively. It certainly helps me [the corporate motivational speaker market likes a high achieving adventurous The man himself on the summit of Panch Chuli II in 1992. knight] but it also means if there’s some kind of environmental or Credit: Graham Little / Chris Bonington Picture Library. mountaineering issue I can probably get through to the Minister, and hopefully do something to help the outdoors community.” One of his early high profi le roles was at the BMC, which wasn’t "Everest has become like a always the byword for peace and harmony it is today. [Er, is it ever? - Ed] “When I was asked to be President I thought, really, that’s gigantic Mont Blanc..the good payback time. The BMC was going through a rough patch. I think climbers are going to obscure I’m quite good at resolving confl ict and I managed to get people talking, and they started working together better, which is important places and climbing incredibly because the BMC does a good job and is one of the few bodies in the world that works democratically for the future of the sport, and hard things.” is run by, for and accountable to mountaineers. It makes mistakes from time to time - but we all do!” Something else that’s survived is his position as the public face He’s also Chairman of the Mountain Heritage Trust. “The MHT was of British mountaineering, never seriously challenged since the established to get the National Mountaineering Exhibition going. Now 1970s. Does that surprise him? A bit, probably. “I’ve never particu- it’s an advisory body to the NME, though the day-to-day running of larly sought it, at fi rst I just happened to do the things, like the the Museum is handled by the Rheged team, so we can concentrate North Wall of the , that – sadly fortuitously in that case - made on the broader question of mountain heritage. We’ve employed an headline news. A publisher asked me to write a book, which gave archivist to concentrate on the identifi cation and accessing of letters, me the opportunity to make a living around climbing. I’ve never pictures, paintings, records etc so they can be made available for projected ahead though. When I started I couldn’t even imagine exhibitions. That's really what ‘mountain heritage’ is about.” climbing in the Alps. My horizon was Scotland. The next grade, then Bonington, of course, is already part of the mountain heritage the new route, became my challenge. Only when the Army took me furniture himself. So what drives him now. Well, family comes fi rst to were the Alps within reach. I’ve always just gone onto - “I share my birthday with Emily (2), my fi rst grand-daughter, which the next objective though. There’s no master plan.” Even the deci- entirely colours my plans.” He’ll be back from India in time for them sion to tackle Everest’s South West Face was prompted because “I to celebrate together. Has family become more immediately impor- thought I knew how it could be climbed ”, rather than to satisfy tant to him with age? “Oh, I think it does. Family, and friends. I’ve some long held obsession. noticed this. Old mates like Joe, Martin Boysen, Charlie, we shared Nevertheless the 1975 expedition and it’s mixture of triumph, a lot together. When the attrition ratehas been so high, those left tragedy, logistics and technology caught the public imagination like become very important.” no other since 1953, and fi rmly established Bonington the leader And what about that ceaseless desire to climb? “Well. It’s just in the public mind. Prolifi c writer, media-savvy communicator and nice to stand on top of a mountain! It’s as simple as that, and even – let’s not forget – highly accomplished alpinist at all levels, he has nicer when no-one’s ever been there before! Our fi rst ascent last year stayed there ever since. in Kullu was of a nice, pointed, but blissfully insignifi cant little peak Not that he wouldn’t be happy to let go: “The people who de- - nothing in the history of mountaineering, but wonderfully satisfy- serve to speak for climbing are people like Stephen Venables, and ing. There’s nothing better.” The team named it Jaraun Peak. younger climbers like Andy Kirkpatrick and Leo Houlding, and they But does Sir CB C.B.E have any unfulfi lled ambitions? Can we look are emerging as the people. But the problem is the public and media forward to ‘Everest: The Old Way?’ “No, I just want to keep myself are only interested in the spectacular, usually tragedies, or the eas- in suffi cient shape to go on climbing enjoyably through my 70s.” ily understandable superlatives, meaning Everest. Nothing else. So Anyone want to bet against it happening? Now that would be a all they know about is, say, what happened on Everest in 1996, or risky business. || things like Joe Simpson’s escape, which is one of the best ‘climbing’ books ever. But it’s not actually what climbing is about. It’s about Terry Adby is a BMC member and freelance writer on outdoor, having spectacular accidents. travel and environmental subjects. He is co-author of The Hillwalk- “Adventure climbing is about what the small group at the top er’s Guide to Mountaineering. See www.terryadby.com. of their sport are doing. They’re climbing at an extraordinary level now and, in principle, it’s exactly what our Victorian pioneers did. They’re combining what they’ve learnt from the previous genera-

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46984_p08-64.indd 30 10/09/2004 15:34:57 ALPINE

DETOXCLEANING UP ON THE PIC SANS NOM BY NICK BULLOCK

Jules Cartwright on the striking Brown/Patey ridge, Pic Sans Nom. Credit: Nick Bullock.. 32 35

46984_p08-64.indd 32 09/09/2004 11:42:44 T h e d o o r Bang. booted open, Cartwright was led inside, steered toward the bed like an elderly grandmother. Aimed and aban- doned, he swayed for a second DETOX before toppling forwards. Landing face down in a drunken stupor he gurgled, content.

awakened I wearily slid out of bed - someone Rudely had to arrange the bus out of the valley. Reaching the airport for the return fl ight looked like it could well be the hardest section of the trip. For once everything had gone so smoothly; good weather, luxury bivvies, abundant food, stacks of hard climbing and a new line ticked. But with mere hours left it was falling apart, work wouldn’t take my absence kindly, and we needed some bus tickets. Fast.

of season climbing, or more accurately, out of season Out and out of condition climbing, has certain advantages. Trouble was, we weren’t out of season. An anything but easy Easyjet fl ight had brought us to the crowded valley a few days before, and we’d fought our way into the crowded Bar Terrazz in search of Guy Willet, the key to a free chalet doss. We found him all right, in luck for once that day, but that meant he’d found us too. Tequila he roared, Cartwright too readily succumbed. 7 am the next morning and the chalet fl oor was strewn with bodies, burnt out husks that had once belonged to some of Britain’s best alpinists. We crept out, packing alpine sacks softly to avoid disturb- ing the comatose bodies and more importantly, my accomplice's thumping head. Raiding the kitchen to fi nd some sustenance for the coming activities, only stale bread was unearthed. Cartwright didn’t seem to mind though, his body appeared to function perfectly well without solid food. Dressed for success, after a quick supermarche hit it was time to join the mêlée for the Grands Montets telepherique. In a snaking, moving and vibrant queue, three frustrating hours were spent fi ght- ing the hordes of skiers hell-bent on squashing our newly acquired baguettes. Another hour of powder bashing, -crawling and deep snow fl ogging from the top station eventually placed us beneath our intended line under the castellated ridge of the Pic Sans Nom. The would-be-route followed a light-grey rock scar - dust, dirt and loose rock marked the way. Cartwright knew it intimately having tried it once in winter and once in summer. This time would be the fi nal attempt; he was fed up of this face and the ridge above, one fi nal big effort he’d declared or people were going to call him obsessed. Still hung-over he tackled the fi rst with gusto, a stunning corner-crack line, off vertical, but steep. Perfect torques in the corner and gear. The diffi culty was in the footholds, or rather the lack of them. Laybacking the whole way was the key, fi fty metres of Scot- tish V11/8, feeling a bit too much like an E1 grit corner. Cartwright reached the belay and hauled the sacks, then I got stuck in. Revelling

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46984_p08-64.indd 33 09/09/2004 11:43:03 ALPINE

(MAIN) Cartwright approaching the ice slope on the final pitch of the Brown/Patey ridge. (INSET) The dynamic duo of Bullock (L) and Cartwright (R). Both credit: Nick Bullock.

in the sustained climbing and spectacular setting not twenty-four got all the gas and the stove while you have the food mate!” hours since leaving Leicester - this was a different world. Smooth Rumbled, I apologised, stuffing another lump of cake into an sweeping grey granite walls, sandpaper rough, towered above, already over-filled mouth. hemmed us in. The air cold, crisp, sharp. Surrounded by brilliant Cartwright set about the third pitch, more delicate than the first white fields of virgin snow soothing the jagged mountains, ripping two pitches, and not as obvious. His previous encounters with the into a clear alpine sky. Skiers whizzed down from the Petit Aiguille line no doubt helped, as he danced a delicate VII foxtrot across Vert, performing giant turns in perfect neve. Swooshing gracefully the near vertical unprotected slab. Miraculously, a number one wire in the shadow beneath the imposing moody North-Face of the Petit sprouted from the grey and blank granite walls, a silent witness to Dru. No doubt they stopped on occasion, savouring their awesome the previous summer’s attempt. setting before racing to the and on down to the com- Clipping it made the requisite delicate lurch back into the corner forts of the valley. more secure, then it was pure hanging-scratching-tottering-torqu- My lead, a continuation of the corner, twenty metres of absorbing ing-climbing to the top. Seconding, it felt like the Great Slab at climbing made all the more interesting by the odd loose block. Tiny Froggatt - what had happened to those days of climbing rock routes flakes and edges for front-points carefully located whilst torquing with the aid of sticky rubber and chalk? English 5c, with crampons and laybacking to a delicate traverse and V-groove to the belay. and axes, and not for the first time this season. I just hoped that Cartwright soon joining me, dispatching the VII pitch easily. the Lakeland rock-police weren’t watching. It was still quite early but the next pitch looked hard. With an My turn again. So soon. The slab easing off, turning into an open hour of daylight left we decided to stay put. Neither of us having a book corner with an off-width lying at its rear. There was no choice good record for finding creature comfort, especially when climbing but to squirm, thrutching for Queen and Country. After only a few together. A fine spot it was too, some digging gave lying room and metres, I ran out of gear - typical. Engineers slab on Great Gable, all Cartwright was happy to settle early. His hangover abated, he wryly over again, even the same grade of VI/7. Hating every grunted inch of observed that he might _actually be able to eat something now. this unprotected slither-fest. Distraught to find the angle increasing the further I climbed. Relieved to finally place some gear enabling a across town, I burst through the door of final pull over the roof guarding the exit. Cartwright cruised it. Jogging the bus company office. The woman looked Time for pitch five - a fantastic steep v-corner challengingly throw- startled by this early morning sweating apparition. “Bonjour, parlez- ing attitude down, sneering at us. Cartwright valiantly got stuck in, vous anglais”, I gasped, this was no time for my limited French. reaching a high point of twenty-five metres. Fully extended he fell. “Oui, monsieur, what do you require?” He tried again. He fell again. On the third time he managed to wedge “Could you tell me when the next coach leaves for the airport?” a wire half in, half out of a constriction at the back of the corner. “Certainly, it leaves in thirty minutes,” she replied coolly. Tottering, scratching, sweating, swearing, fighting he fell once more “And the one after?” I muttered with rising panic. and slithered, rattling to beneath the wire. It held. “Two pm” - Sh*t, that’s the same time as the plane takes off, “Give Out of gear to fit, and exhausted, he offered me the lead, but I me two for the one in thirty minutes please-quick! Merci, oooh-raah- had to graciously decline. He must have believed recent press reports varr!” The journey back to the chalet became a frantic sprint. branding me as “out-of control and crazy”. Well, I’m not that crazy. So instead he scampered rightward, a rising traverse aiming for a second day dawned clear and bright. “Sleep well?” ridge crest. I followed, it was the final pitch of the new climbing, The enquired Cartwright, already knowing the answer. “Aye, wildly out of balance and unprotected until it joined the ridge taken how about you?” I replied between mouthfuls of cake, determined to by the Brown/Patey route. lighten the weight of my sack by eating as much as possible. Several pitches of testing climbing continued on this ridge, and I “Crap, your bloody snoring kept me awake.” started to wonder what the hell was going on, “Er, Jules, what grade “Hmm, sorry, must have been all that food I ate for supper.” did you say this climb is?” “Must have been. And hey, don’t think I haven’t noticed that I’ve “It’s TD+ man.”

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46984_p08-64.indd 34 09/09/2004 11:44:06 “Er, what year did you say this climb was done?” “1963 mate.” “And, er, where do we have to go?” “Around that gendarme, across that knife-edge ridge, around the big gendarme, abseil into that notch, through the gap, up that over- hanging wall, past the last gendarme and onto the ice slope.” “That’s ok then, I thought it was going to be difficult!” “It’s not too bad, although we spent two days on it last time...” Eventually, at 9 pm the final difficult ridge pitch was dispatched. Easy climbing led to the great sweep of ice stuck in the middle of the Sans Nom North Face. Exhausted and happy, we settled in to the best bivvy spot ever - two great fins of rock balancing on the ridge crest protecting us on either side. The corridor between the fins runs for twenty feet with a snow-covered flat floor. Luxury is a harness free evening. Time to eat some more of that food.

screaming at him, “Jules, wake up!” grasping the shoul- I'm ders of the inebriated form lying on the bed and shaking vigorously. “Eugh,” he grunted. “Come on,” I continued, “the bus leaves in twenty minutes.” I rushed out of the room, throwing my belongings into the one giant bag. Heaving it across my shoulders, buckling under the weight I head-butted the door to make a final check on my Cartwright. He’s staggering, naked, unsure of what planet he’s on and fail- ing miserably to focus or find a single piece of clothing. I’m now convinced the trip home will be a solitary one. Cartwright on the 5th pitch just before falling - "Do you want to “I’m going Jules - I’ll try to delay the bus.” A snail with an out- try it Nick!" Credit: Nick Bullock. sized shell, I stumbled into the street.

last the ridge of retribution finally gave way, leading to the bus driver glared at me. “Please, un moment, monsieur, At iron-hard ice-slope of injustice. We moved together at first, The deux personne arrivent bientot,” I stuttered, pleading confident of abilities, out into the middle of a frozen, 60 degree sea with him to wait a little longer. Although under pressure from the of icy-emptiness. Battered by winds and spindrift, the exposure got complaining passengers, on-board and checking their watches, he to us and we started to pitch it. A cold form of Chinese water torture reluctantly agreed. Standing outside the bus to delay departure, I took over. Front-points, blunt from two days of rock abuse, refused looked longingly towards Chamonix centre as his patience ran out, to penetrate the hard winter-ice without repeated bludgeoning. Calf “allez, allez, no more, we go now!” he screamed muscles screamed for redemption. Sixty meters seconding and sixty Admitting defeat, I turned toward the bus just in time to catch meters leading, one hundred and twenty meters of suffering, before sight of a heavily laden, swaying figure struggling through the early a hanging rest from two ice-screws. morning crowds. Wait! “Deux personnes, deux personnes!” “F***ing , I hate this sh*t.” Cartwright wailed, while The drunken Cartwright swayed into view. Blond hair plastered angrily bludgeoning. with sweat to his forehead, his boyish good looks deserting him for “This isn’t ice climbing, this is flagellation,” I groaned, desperately once . Bright-red cheeks glowing with effort and on his clothes, wishing he’d slow down to give me a longer rest, “we should've abbed dark damp patches spreading like fungus. Breathing hard, puffing after finishing the new stuff, why are we doing this sh*t?” and panting, knocking unwary tourists flying as his head drooped The trouble was, we both knew why. Driven, obsessed, the whis- even lower toiling under the strain placed by the massive sack. He pering voices locked in the sub-conscious would have started the reached slurring distance, “good effort Nick - didn’t think you’d get moment the valley base had arrived. There was no other choice. him to wait.” The distance inexorably reduced, until the top of the icefield was “Hey, no problem mate, I owed you. It was your route, you cooked, crawled. To exit, the steep ice-gully taken by Marsigny after his I ate, you abseiled, I just didn’t expect the crux in the valley!” || partner fell, leaving him alone to solo, was chosen in preference to the top pitch of the Twight and Backes route, There goes the NICK BULLOCK would like to thank Mammut and DMM. Neighbourhood. We both had ambitions for this, but an epic at such a late stage in the game would spoil such a fine outing. JULES CARTWRIGHT (29) died with his client Julie Colverd Steel fingers wrapped around, and squeezed the life from my calves, whilst guiding on the Piz Badile on 30th June this year. A frequent this easier gully had been a wise choice. But glancing to the left I visitor on BMC International meets, Jules was one of a tight knit couldn’t help studying The Neighbourhood, even convincing myself group of leading British mountaineers responsible for many high - with the bravado of someone not returning in the near future - that standard ascents. He will perhaps be best remembered for the it looked OK. At the top, such temptations thankfully beyond reach, outstanding first ascent of the NW ridge of Ama Dablam in the a down climb lead to the Charpoua , and after a magnificent Himalaya with Rich Cross, as featured on the cover of Summit effort of textbook abseil construction and glacier route finding, 29, for which he was nominated the prestigious French Piolet Cartwright led the way through the heavy door of the hut. D’Or award. His enthusiasm and skill in the mountains were It was deserted, but the cooker worked, and with tons of fresh legendary, equalled only by his prowess at the bar. snow outside the door, this was going to be one cosy night. I pulled the remaining food out, and inbetween rooting round the hut for THE OUTING was a combination of three routes, Borderline other more exotic delights, prepared enough risotto for an army. (the new route), The British Route: Aiguille Sans Nom, Northwest I delved deep, but Cartwright, no doubt smelling the closeness of Face, and two pitches of the Marsigny/Mohr: Nant Blanc Face fermentation in the valley returned to his liquid diet, drinking brew of the Verte. to reach the Breche Sans Nom. The overall grade after brew. We settled down for a peaceful night, nothing could go was thought to be ED3. wrong now.

35 35

46984_p08-64.indd 35 09/09/2004 11:44:22 SKILLS the sharp end BASICS 3: By Steve Long

36 35

46984_p08-64.indd 36 09/09/2004 11:44:36 the sharp end

he fi rst traditional lead. A major step in any climber’s progression. Away from the safety net of Ta toprope, you’re suddenly dependant on your own skill and judgement. If you slip, run out of steam, or fi ngers uncurl then a fall is inevitable. A scary thought perhaps, but welcome to climbing...

This is your graduation test.

So why trad? should have gained plenty of experience at the other end of the rope, and have recruited By accident or design some climbers end a competent belayer that you trust. Don’t be up leading from the word go, but most take too ambitious with your fi rst leads; choose time to reach this stage. This article looks well-protected climbs that are comfortably at the strange craft of traditional (trad) within your technical abilities as you learn leading, i.e. leading on natural protection the craft. Look through the guidebook for such as nuts and cams as opposed to bolts. clues to identify the right climb. If the Years ago all fi rst leads were trad, since route is relatively technical for the grade there was just no other choice, but these (e.g. Severe 4b) then you can usually expect days many climbers experience the delights good protection. On the other hand, if the of the lead indoors or on sport routes fi rst. climb looks like a blank featureless wall With the wealth of sport routes abroad and from below, leading to a bold roof, then it’s some developed areas in the UK you could probably not a very sensible proposition at have a long climbing career without ever this stage, or perhaps ever! placing a , but living on an island often Whatever grade you have managed prior called “the home of adventure climbing”, to trad leading, be realistic on your fi rst this will start to limit your options. Plus if excursions. A good idea is to stick to classic you have any aspirations to head to the Alps climbs (look for quality star ratings or adjec- or get stuck into some American cracks then tives like “excellent” or “enjoyable”) within you’ll defi nitely need to know your RPs from the Diff to VDiff grade range. On these you’ll your . generally be able to stand comfortably whilst placing runners, and not get too distracted First steps by the technicalities of the moves. Successful trad is obviously The normal goal of trad climbing is the closely linked to acquiring the skills of plac- onsight lead. That is, leading the route from (LEFT) Mailee Rafe on PMC1 (HS 4a) at ing natural protection. It’s one thing to have bottom to top with no prior knowledge. But Curbar. A rare lower grade crack in an every camming device and nut on the market you can always bend the ethics and take area of scary blank tespieces. dangling off your harness, and another to the sting out of your fi rst few routes. One know exactly how to place them properly. way is to second or top-rope a route fi rst to (TOP) Unknown climber enjoying the clas- Experiment removing, testing, and placing familiarise yourself with the moves and also sic Valkyrie (HVS 4c,5a) at Froggatt - an gear at ground level or on a top rope, to perhaps try out the protection placements. unusual two pitch gritstone route. get feel for what works and what doesn’t. You could even pre-place and test runner Different protection performs differently in placements from an abseil or top-rope and (ABOVE) Chris Lockyer pulls rope coiling varying rock types and it’s often surprising then clip them on the lead. There’s not much duty at the end of a trad climbing day. what will work - or fail. point in getting somebody else to place them All credit: Alex Messenger. Before embarking on your fi rst leads, you though since that misses the point.

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46984_p08-64.indd 37 09/09/2004 11:44:53 SKILLS

is the Mountaineering Instructor Award especially if the climber is heavier than the (MIA), so look for people holding MIA, MIC belayer. But these devices will dissipate heat or British Mountain Guide qualifi cations. less effectively, often getting very hot when Alternatively book yourself on a course such abseiling. The wide choice of belay devices is as those run by Plas y Brenin, the National there for a reason, so think about the ropes Mountain Centre. you’ll be using and your weight relative to your partner’s - don’t just buy the device Equipment that your mate bought! For trad climbing, you’ll need gear, and Shops will be keen to sell you a hefty rack lots of it. Starting from the head, helmets of gear, and sure enough, it will all come are even more important than usual. Some in useful one day. However, for your early climbs may pass through bands of suspect leads, chunky items of gear such as hexes rock, and on any trad crag there is usually and medium to large wires provide reassuring a signifi cant risk of stonefall from parties strength and are relatively easy to appraise above. Next is a harness, and your choice visually once placed. By all means get a few of harness might be infl uenced by the need cams too, but pay particular attention to to carry considerably more kit up a climb, so placing them. They have a tendency to swivel look for plenty of gear loops, extending as far out of position when jogged around by rope towards the front of the harness as possible. drag, and many novices place them so poorly If you’ve got a rope from sports or indoor they would rip straight out if fallen on. climbing, this should be fi ne for easier trad Unlike indoors, a few longer slings are Strapiombante, Froggatt. A well protected and climbs, but for climbs of more than half a needed too, for extending off-route run- popular fi rst E1. Credit: Nick Smith. rope length abseil retreat becomes an issue ners, and threading spikes, chockstones and on wandering lines friction from rope and trees. Another tactic is to top-rope a climb, plac- drag will make your life a misery. Develop a system for racking equipment ing runners as you go. A more experienced So sooner or later you’ll need to learn to that works for you and keep to it. This will friend could then give you feedback about use double ropes. Two full ropes would be allow you to quickly locate gear when you the reliability and positioning of your run- extra safe but heavy; so it’s normal to use need it with minimum angst. Generally wires ners. Taking this a step further, a suitably half ropes, usually between 8 and 9mm in should be placed close to hand on your experienced and helpful friend could protect diameter as a reasonable compromise. The stronger side, with larger items further back. themselves using an ascending device such good news is that you’ll only need one since I keep my wires in three bundles according as a jumar or shunt, and climb alongside or it’s normal practice for any climbing partner to size; small, medium and large. above you, giving you feedback as you lead to bring their own as well. can be stored even further back, or perhaps a pitch. Just don’t expect them to stop you For trad, belay devices such as Sticht on a bandolier. falling off! Plates, Reversos, Bugs, ATCs etc are much If you are keen to learn but none of your more suited to handling dynamic loadings Strategies friends are experienced enough to try these with gradual deceleration, than a grabbing Leading a route requires a strategic ap- tactics, you might fi nd a willing teacher at device like the Gri Gri which will shock load proach; the climber needs to make best use your local club. Check out your local climb- the runners. There are also some very light- of their strength and equipment to reach ing wall for adverts, or see the directory on weight devices available such as Bugettes the top before either runs out, and coping the BMC website. The most reliable way to and Reversinos. These are designed to be strategies are needed for the occasions when learn is to recruit a qualifi ed instructor. The with thin double or twin ropes, 8.5mm and they are in short supply! minimum qualifi cation for teaching leading less, and can make holding a fall easier, Before leaping on a climb, take a good look at it beforehand, something that’s Gear Placements often forgotten in the excitement. If it just As a general rule, the larger the , follows a hairline crack in an otherwise the stronger it is, assuming that the rock is featureless slab then you can leave your sound. Look out for cracks or friable patch- hexes and large cams behind. Trust me, it’s es that suggest suspect rock. Larger nuts a geological impossibility that they’ll fi t. and cams have more surface area to grip Try and match the amount of gear with what with, and therefore more in reserve if the you’ll need too, 14 quickdraws may be fi ne edges of a crack crumble slightly. Thinner for Pembroke, but do you really need them wires are obviously weaker than thick wires, on a 10 metre Birchen’s classic? Check for the and micro wires have a very low breaking guidebook for beta too, there may be crucial strain as seen in Summit 33. Karabiners or trick placements you can’t anticipate from also have a low breaking strain when gate the ground. By inspecting the route you’ll open, cross, or nose-loaded, as the Vital also be able to read some of the moves and Link feature in this issue explores. spot potential recovery spots, thus saving Get in the habit of grading runner place- maximum energy. ments so that you can make an objective Plan where you will be trying to get that appraisal of how likely the runner would be crucial fi rst runner in, and remember that on to hold if you were to fall; say fi ve points a single pitch route, anything that you can for a bomb-proof anchor and one point for place from the ground will quickly become a suspect runner. You should be aiming for redundant. It’s always a good idea to arrange at least three points for every runner on James Pearson protecting The Zone (E9 a cluster of runners before a hard sequence your fi rst climbs; taking calculated risks 6c), Curbar with a skyhook. What would so that you have a failsafe in case one fails with marginal gear is defi nately only for this score on the "bomber runner scale"? or gets knocked out. Eliminating this kind experienced leaders on a “pushy” lead. Credit: Alex Messenger. of worry helps you focus on the climbing instead of fussing about the gear.

38 35

46984_p08-64.indd 38 09/09/2004 11:45:10 Remember that your belayer should be positioned close to the bottom of the climb, not metres away having a chat with someone. This increases the chances of protection “unzipping” from the bottom up, them losing control as they are pulled toward the crag, and you falling further. Don’t be afraid to remind them of these facts either.

Belays Constructing sound belays needs to be sec- ond nature for the lead climber, especially on multi-pitch climbs. For single-pitch climbs, the principles are identical to setting up a top-rope, except that since you are already tied to the rope, this is often used to tie into the anchor points. Sarah Adcock on Bel Ami, (VS 4c), Curbar. Credit: Alex Messenger A simple way to equalise the anchors is to clip the rope into an anchor then tie it off to Attaching to anchors your harness. This can then be repeated for Single anchor within reach Single anchor out of reach other anchors, using an additional karabiner Tie a clove hitch to a screwgate Any adjustment is best done at the once the fi rst gets congested. Start by tying karabiner at the anchor. belayer to avoid moving back and forth into anchors that are furthest away. to the anchor to get the correct tension. There are also several ways to equalise Clip the rope through a screwgate karabiner at the anchor before moving anchors using a long (120cm sling). One close to the desired position, tie a loose simple way is to clip the sling into both an- clove hitch to a screwgate karabiner attached to the central rope loop, chors and form a loop by tying an overhand screw gate tighten the screwgate, then move to final knot in the doubled tape. This knot can be position and adjust tension. This way the clove manoeuvred into a position where the load hitch belayer is attached before moving to a is shared equally by each anchor, and the precarious position at the cliff top. climber clips into the loop for the belay. Having led a pitch and constructed a be- lay, you’ll need to think about your stance. Usually you will be belaying from the top using an indirect system. This means that the rope from the second climber runs to the on your harness. It follows Two anchors within reach Clove hitch to the first anchor, leave that an inattentive belayer can easily be some slack then clove hitch to the caught by surprise if their partner suddenly second anchor, bring the rope back to a falls. Position yourself in line between the clove hitch on a screwgate karabiner on the central rope loop. Adjust any of the anchor and climber so that you cannot be clove hitches to ensure equal tension. pulled sideways, and pre-load the anchors to clove hitch on screwgate prevent them being shock loaded. Be careful clove hitch on central on screwgate rope loop about where the ropes run, if they pass over on central rope loop your left thigh, then you should be using your left hand to lock off the rope, even if clove normally you’d use your right. hitch

Falling off 3 anchor essentials The ultimate goal of a successful lead is to clove • Anchors equally loaded reach the top without falling off. Whilst it hitch is fairly normal to see sport climbers practis- • Anchors independently ing a move by grabbing runners and taking tied off falls prior to a clean ascent, this approach is much more dangerous on tradi- • Angles between anchors tional climbs and a clean on-sight ascent 60° and less is not only ideal but advisable. Firstly, you should consider what you might hit if you Diagram taken from the new MLTUK book, Rock Climbing. fall off. Anything less than vertical is going ATTACHING TO ANCHORS 83 to involve a collision once you are airborne. below a couple of reasonable runners, before Pulling on a natural runner may well rip it Multi-pitch climbs getting lowered to the ground, retrieving too as the loading will be outwards rather Leading multi-pitch climbs is a more com- the gear by abseil. Trying to save time by than simply downwards. mitting proposition, and before embarking stripping gear as you reverse climb is a very If you are unable to complete a move, try on the route you should consider how you good way to get injured, as many climbers reversing back to a resting spot. This allows will get off, whether or not you complete the can testify. Equipment is replaceable, but a war of attrition, gradually piecing together route. It’s a good idea to carry some spare your health isn’t. a sequence until you are ready to go for it. cord and a karabiner that you are willing to But sometimes it’s not going to happen. The abandon to ease retreat if necessary. You safest way to escape is to down climb until may well be able to “swing” leads with your

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46984_p08-64.indd 39 09/09/2004 11:45:28 SKILLSSKILLS

partner. This gives a great team spirit to the climb, and allows you to choose pitches that suit individual skills - your mate will probably be happier than you on that poorly protected overhanging offwidth pitch! At the end of each pitch a belay must be constructed, strong enough to hold the potentially greater forces involved if the leader should fall off on the following pitch. If runners fail, the leader could fall beyond the belay, resulting in a very high shock loading. Alternatively, a heavy leader can pull a light belayer upwards or sideways, so the anchors need to be chosen with this in mind. A couple of low spikes may be fi ne for bringing somebody up a pitch but might be lifted off when holding a heavy leader. If the runner subsequently were to fail, the team would be left with no belay! In this situation, high anchors are preferable and multi-directional anchors such as threads are ideal. Long multi-pitch climbs are best treated Leon Skeldon on Tody’s Wall. like an expedition, and you should aim to Credit: Alex Messenger. be independent in the event of unexpected changes in the weather or incidents. It’s a Some have gear loops for carrying kit, and good idea for at least one of you (probably you might prefer an incorporated hydration the person seconding each pitch) to carry system, but personally I prefer the simplicity a small rucksack containing some drink and of a recycled water-bottle. snacks. It’s a good idea to carry a penknife as well. On mountain routes, light water- proofs are a sensible precaution, and a small Psychology Don’t rush into leading traditional climbs head torch with fresh batteries. You may before you fully understand and accept the well want to carry walking shoes to save risks: many people fi nd suffi cient excitement your feet on the descent. Don’t overload the simply from following climbs. Before leading poor second, though, weight is crucial and a climbs you will also need to have developed heavy rucksack will make the climbing feel the ability to fi nd opportunities to rest and far more diffi cult. Choose a light sack with recover. Hanging on long enough to place a a simple attachment point so that it can natural runner takes a lot more effort than be clipped into the anchor while belaying. clipping a bolt. A positive frame of mind is essential for Attaching to anchors continued leading climbs, so regular practice is essen- tial, particularly if you want to progress to Two anchors out of reach harder routes. If you don’t get enough time Clip both anchors and move towards clove hitch from the second anchor. to climb trad regularly, bouldering and walls desired position holding the middle bit of A large HMS karabiner may be sufficient can help you keep in trim. rope between the anchors and the slack to seat two clove hitches but if there is Desire is essential for leading climbs. rope. Clove hitch the middle bit of rope any concern of creating a load too wide from the first anchor, get into position for the karabiner two separate screwgate Don’t try a climb unless you really want to and adjust tension before adding a karabiners should be used instead. get up it. On the other hand try not to get despondent if you fail– it happens to the best climbers, you just don’t hear about it! Failure is useful - it teaches a good climber how to get better by working on weaknesses - it just doesn’t feel like it at the time! || Steve Long works for Plas y Brenin, the National Mountain Centre. PyB run a variety of learning to lead courses. See www.pyb.co.uk

Next issue: Winter Climbing for rock climbers. Then in issue 36, we’ll be cover- ing self rescue, assisted hoists, prussiking, and all the other emergency skills people are often reluctant to learn. 2 clove hitches 2 ‘D’ shape on a big HMS karabiners (LEFT) Diagram taken from the new MLTUK book, Rock Climbing. (FAR LEFT) Multi pitch action on Agags Groove, Glencoe. Credit: BMC

length. If the anchors are closer together, one move freely back and forth to the correct point of long (120cm) sling may be sufficient to link both equal tension. The risk is that if one anchor fails 35 but care must be taken to avoid wide angles. To there will be shock loading of the other anchor as ensure the anchors are equalised and independ- the karabiner slides along the sling. An overhand ent an overhand knot can be tied at the balance knot tied part way down the sling can minimise 46984_p08-64.inddpoint 40 and the karabiner clipped through both this shockload (see Figure 8.6B). This system is 09/09/2004 11:45:46 halves of the sling (see Figure 8.4A). Alterna- not recommended with natural or hand-placed tively an overhand knot is tied in a bight of sling anchors. creating a loop to clip into (see Figure 8.5). Three anchors may be linked with this method 8.2.4 Position of belayer but an extra long (240cm) sling would be needed The belayer may decide to sit or stand depending (see Figure 8.6). on a number of factors, such as the size of ledge Self-equalising methods of linking anchors and height of anchors. A sitting stance with feet are popular where bolt belays are the norm and well braced is the most secure for inexperienced when it may be necessary to alter the belay posi- belayers to adopt and is also appropriate when tion mid-way through the climb. The karabiner is the anchors are below waist level to avoid unnec- clipped through a cross in the sling so it can essary strain on the belayer’s back and legs when

84 ROCK CLIMBING – SINGLE-PITCH CLIMBING A&E

VITAL LINK By Ian Hey, BMC Technical Offi cer ByBy IIanan HHeyey,BMC,BMC TTechnicalechnical OOfficer.fficer.

h e h u m b l e Tkarabiner has a hard life. Slowly tortured against rock, abandoned alone on routes, stuffed thought- lessly into bags.

Like all things that usually work, they are taken for granted.

Until they fail.

46984_p08-64.indd 42 09/09/2004 11:46:19 arabiners may OPEN AND SHUT But surely the chances of falling on a kara- Beware: be stronger and biner with it’s gate open, and loaded on the K nose are pretty small? Well, perhaps, but as Have you clipped more reliable than a number of recently investigated incidents of broken karabiners will testify, the risk is your krab correctly? very real. VITAL LINK ever before, but Think about it for a second. If you clip any piece of equipment badly, such as a nut despite tougher wire, a bolt hanger, a sling, or even the rope itself, and leave it caught or hanging in the safety standards, karabiner’s nose, the system is all set for potential failure. advances in design A similar though less serious situation can still arise if the equipment is clipped prop- and stricter qual- erly and the karabiner is knocked somehow leaving a wire hung up in the nose behind ity control systems, the gate. This is hard to spot, especially with certain wiregate models, and results in they can and do a failure mode similar to loading across the minor axis, i.e. at a minimum of 7kN sometimes snap. The possibility of low failure loads due to If fallen on when clipped like this, loading away from the major axis has been the karabiner will be loaded gate And it doesn’t take a dramatic incident for known for some time and mention of it is open and could fail completely this to happen, it’s all down to that bugbear made in the Standard. Manufacturers are with a fall of only a few feet. of climbing equipment - forces. Karabiners required to ensure that if a rope or sling are designed to be loaded in a certain way, is positioned near the nose at loading, the and if the load is incorrectly applied they design should ensure that the rope or sling can fail from the forces easily generated in simply slips along the karabiner arm into common fall situations. If you fall when the a position against the spine. However it ‘s gate is open, or with the karabiner loaded not been possible to design a satisfactory over an edge, then you could be in for a repeatable test to check this quality, and as nasty shock! such some karabiners are more prone than others to cause slings and wires to snag up DESIGN near the nose. Karabiners are designed to take the force The critical thing here is the shape and size of the karabiner’s nose when the gate down their major axis, the spine. When Due to design, certain karabiners is closed, and some of the earlier designs of loaded this way, snapgates should withstand have increased space at the nose wiregate karabiners fare most badly. In some a minimum of 20kN according to the Euro- and are more prone to slings cases this is because manufacturers simply pean Standard for karabiners (EN12275). This and nuts getting hung up. It's took standard karabiners and substituted drops to 7kN if the gate is open and the load easy to see that some wiregate the normal gate for a wiregate without is along the spine, or the load is across the models such as the one above any further modifi cations to the shape of minor axis with the gate closed. are vulnerable. So no problems surely? As discussed in the nose. Summit 33, when the fall factor is 0.5 or The considerably lower volume of the above, with the belayer making a consider- wiregate leaves much more space in the nose able effort to hold the fall, the force on the for a wire or sling to hang up. A problem top runner is likely to be between 6 and 7kN. compounded by other developments such Well, that may be OK if the gate is open, but as modern narrow spectra slings of 12mm only if the load is still down the spine. and now even 10mm, more than capable of If the gate is open and the load is moved worming their way into any gap. away from the major axis towards the nose of the karabiner, then the increased leverage STAYING ALIVE applied will drastically decrease the force The best way to avoid making the types of required to cause failure. The BMC Techni- mistakes mentioned here is to anticipate cal Committee has done tests to determine any problems and always take a moment to fi gures, and these reveal that when the nose check that you’ve done things correctly. The in loaded in this way, forces as low as 2.5 last three incidents of failed karabiners in- to 3.5kN can be suffi cient to cause failure. vestigated by the Technical Committee were Depending upon the climber's weight and the almost certainly due to nose loading, yet all The new narrow spectra slings belay's dynamics these forces can be easily climbers were sure that they had clipped the can compound this problem. achieved during a fall of just a few metres. equipment properly. Here at least the gate is com- One of the incidents was at a wall, at pletely closed, but this may not the rope end of the . The other always be the case. (LEFT) Audrey Seguy on Pull My Daisy (E2 two outside, both at the nut end. In one of 5c), Rainbow Slab, Llanberis. Credit: Alex these cases the climber involved was able to Take time to Messenger. retrieve both parts of the broken karabiner for analysis, and close examination of the check your gear! inside of the nose clearly shows deep scratch

35 43

46984_p08-64.indd 43 09/09/2004 11:46:51 A&E Strange but true: HMS screwgate karabiners have been known to be levered open by a fi gure of eight descender.

Few examples are seen, but this scenario is known to have caused at least one fatality and led to serious injury in another incident. It’s caused by a very particular alignment between the fi gure of eight and the screwgate karabiner used to attach it to the harness. In the right confi guration the forces are suffi cient to force the krab open by damaging the sleeve of the screwgate (see right), with potentially fatal consequences But how would this happen?

tthehe weightweight ofof thethe climberclimber thisthis some sort of check to ensure all 1. Having attached the rope equates to not much more than the components are correct. But through the fi gure of eight, the body weight and can easily be how many people continue to climber attaches it to their har- achieved by the extra leverage watch their abseil device as the ness with a screwgate in the of the fi gure of eight or by any load comes on to it to ensure it normal manner. shock loading of the system. is aligned correctly? Figure of Take the example of a climber eight’s may be much less com- who weighs 80kg. Their gravita- mon in this country now, but 2. If tension is not main- tional force is 80x9.81 (9.81 is they are still heavily used by tained between the fi gure of the Earth's gravitational force) centres and on the Continent. So eight and the screwgate, there = 784 Newtons or 0.78kN. The next time you come into contact is a tendency for the fi gure of leverage produce by the fi gure with one, remember to keep an eight to turn over and take up of eight is of the order of 3 to 1 eye on it. an abnormal confi guration in so the force on the sleeve of the relation to the karabiner. karabiner is 3 x 0.78 = 2.34kN SOLUTIONS in a static situation. Any shock For a number of years DMM have loading of the system could 3. If the rope is then weight- produced their Belay Master eeasilyasily ddoubleouble tthishis rresultingesulting iinn karabiner, designed to prevent ed again the fi gure of eight can a forceforce ofof 4.68kN4.68kN - moremore thanthan both load the karabiner axially this very failure. It incorporates eenoughnough ttoo bbreakreak tthehe ssleeveleeve oonn a plastic catch that when put and apply leverage to the gate. mmanyany kkarabiners.arabiners. The size of loads generated in in place prevents the karabiner The abnormal confi guration of from moving and being cross abseiling and belaying when tthehe fi guregure ofof eighteight andand karabinerkarabiner coupled with this leverage can loaded. The catch cannot be rrequiredequired forfor thisthis toto happenhappen isis closed until the gate is done be sufficient to damage the vveryery closeclose toto instability.instability. ThatThat is,is, sleeve of the screwgate. up, a useful visual aid in an when loaded the natural inclina- instructional setting. tion is to straighten itself out The strength of the screwgate aandnd alignalign correctly,correctly, bbutut ccertainertain 4. Once this happens the sleeve is another factor. Plastic ccombinationsombinations ooff a fi ggureure ooff eeightight sleeves tend to be the weak- load forces the gate open at aandnd kkarabinerarabiner aarere llessess llikelyikely ttoo which point the fi gure of eight est and the bronze and steel rrealignealign andand areare moremore proneprone toto sleeves the strongest. There is becomes detached from the tthishis pproblem.roblem. IIt’st’s aalsolso wworthorth karabiner. Bad news. a proposal for an amendment ppointingointing outout thatthat thisthis failurefailure to the karabiner standard to ccanan equallyequally happenhappen whenwhen usingusing a test the sleeve strength, and ests on one particular type of fi guregure ofof eighteight toto belaybelay with.with. Tkarabiner showed that loads whilst this would not eliminate of just 1kN would be enough to the problem entirely, it would damage the gate and force the LOOK OUT require some karabiners currently karabiner open. Depending on When about to commit to an on the market to have stronger abseil most climbers go through sleeves fi tted.

marks in the metal. When tests were carried of the karabiner but they will affect the life THE FUTURE out on a similar karabiner with the wire of a of a rope, especially when fallen on. It’s already been shown that the design of nut hung up in the nose, identical marks were With bent and straight gate karabiners it a karabiner can play a signifi cant part in found to those on the karabiner submitted. used to be simple; bent gates are designed making sure that it is loaded where it is As more and more climbers migrate over for easier rope clipping, so no confusion strongest. A number of manufacturers are to using quickdraws with identical wiregates there. But if someone handed you a rack of now producing karabiners with no nose hook at either end it’s also worth remembering wiregates, there’s just no way of knowing to snag unwary gear. DMM, Wild Country, that you should always use one end of the which end goes where. , Black Diamond, and Austrialpin all quickdraw for clipping gear such as bolts To avoid this most companies produce have at least one model in this category. This and pegs, while the other end is only ever their wiregates in at least two different is good news, and it immediately removes used for the rope. colours. Make sure that you always use the possibility of equipment getting caught When you take falls on a karabiner clipped one colour for the bolt and one for the in the nose when clipping. Other improve- to a bolt or peg it can lead to small grooves rope, and don’t forget to ask if borrowing ments to the nose can also make it less likely being gouged on the inside of the karabiner. someone else’s! for slings or wires to hang up near the nose These don’t noticeably weaken the strength when the gate is closed. ||

44 35

46984_p08-64.indd 44 09/09/2004 11:47:59 events BMC Hut Seminar will be giving an insight into the world Kendal Film Festival of hard grit, and a new fi lm accompany- 2nd Oct, Plas y Brenin 12th - 21st Nov, Kendal ing Paul Pritchard and Jamie Andrew on The BMC Huts Seminar aims to promote good It’s nearly that time of year again! This year’s their ascent of Kilimanjaro. Tickets are £8. practice by sharing knowledge regarding hut Kendal Film Festival is from 12th - 21st No- www.paulnunnfund.com operation. Run by the BMC’s Hut Co-ordina- vember. This year there are 60 new exciting tion and Advisory Panel (HCAP), it’s open fi lms, the Extreme Film School, and a whole to all BMC members, whether hut owners or Hooking & Psyching host of lectures and presentations. On the users, and representatives from clubs operat- 22 - 24th Oct, Glenmore Lodge Saturday the BMC and Founda- ing huts are particularly welcome to come Glenmore lodge is hosting another season tion (MEF) are teaming up to present a four and share their management experience. of the popular Scottish Winter Climbing lecture series from expeditions supported Topics to be discussed are wide ranging and Performance Seminars Series. There are two this year. Don’t miss this chance to hear include the work of HCAP, Late Availability, seminars aimed at providing winter climbers the current generation of leading climbers Business Rates, Grants, Civil Liability, and with key training and performance-enhanc- describe their recent adventures. Building & Fire Regulations. Hot topics this ing beta. Hooking and Psyching is the fi rst, www.mountainfi lm.co.uk year will also be registration as a CASC to looking at developing the physical, mental, reduce business rates, Huts and Houses in and technical aspects for all winter climbers BMC Winter Meet Multiple Occupation (HMOs), the Disability - from newcomer to performer. It kicks off 27 Feb - 6 Mar, Glenmore Lodge Discrimination Bill, and Health and Safety. on the Friday night with an Open Dry Tool- Are you an experienced and keen winter Speakers include Iain McCallum (HCAP), ing Bouldering competition at the Glenmore climber? If so and you'd enjoy showing John Castick (Karabiner Club), Ken Jackson Lodge walls, followed by a DJ. Saturday then foreign guests the perverse pleasures of (FRCC), and Ken Taylor (BMC Rural Develop- has an impressive line up of speakers, includ- Scottish winter climbing, the BMC is look- ment Panel). It runs from 3.30pm to 8pm, ing Andy Kirkpatrick Ian Parnell, George ing for hosts for the 2005 meet. Contact followed by a hot buffet. Places are free but McEwan, Scott Muir and Dave MacLeod. This [email protected] for details. limited so visit the website or call the offi ce is followed by a premier of the fi rst full Scot- for registration forms. tish Winter climbing fi lm “Hot Aches”. www.glenmorelodge.org.uk BMC AGM Paul Nunn Lecture 23-24 April, Plas y Brenin 20th Oct, Sheffi eld Advance notice of the 2005 AGM at Plas y Karabiner Anniversary Brenin. 2005 is also the centre's 50th an- This year’s Paul Nunn Memorial lecture has 6th Nov, Llanberis niversary so this will be a good way to mark a fi lmy theme. Leo Dickinson will be speak- To mark the club’s 60th anniversary, the the occasion. It's hoped that the location ing about “being in the wrong place at the Karabiner Club is holding a dinner at will allow people to combine activities with right time” and showing footage from his the Quality Hotel in Llanberis. All mem- 46984_ROCK ON_QUART the 9/9/04 business 3:10of the pmAGM. Page 1 latest adventure, base jumping alongside bers and former members are welcome. Peregrine Falcons. Then Richard Heap www.karabiner.org

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46984_p08-64.indd 45 10/09/2004 15:49:24 ACCESS The Crow Has Landed

This September sees big changes in access to the countryside. The BMC has been campaigning hard for climbers’ and walkers’ interests, Graham Lynch explains how the CRoW Act will affect you.

go onto the moors that it also becomes access land. While we is that excepted land, that is areas such as If you today... there might may have had rights to use public rights of gardens, the curtilage of buildings, animal not be many surprises, but there’ll be a few way and been able to roam over much land pens where the new right does not apply, new things for you to see. Why? Because for many years, the CRoW Act does at least may appear as access land on the maps if the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 mean a legal certainty over access rights to it covers too small an area to be separately (the CRoW Act) is about to become a reality the land included. Crucially though, the Act removed. on the ground. does not remove any rights or freedoms of ac- Routes onto access land may be better Starting on September 19th with the cess already existing, nor does it prevent any in the future as Rights of Way Improvement south east and ‘lower north west’ of England activity taking place with the landowner’s Plans come into effect. Highway authori- (including the Peak District, Lancashire, consent. It’s worth noting that thanks to ties have been tasked with producing these Cheshire and some of West Yorkshire) the Act BMC lobbying, climbing is included in the plans, identifying gaps and opportunities for is going to be ‘rolled-out’ area by area – see right of access on foot, and that there is no improvement in the local rights of way net- the box overleaf for the current timetable. ridiculous night-time curfew work including identifying isolated parcels In May 2005, the new rights of access under Anyway, you’ll probably want to start of access land requiring access routes. As the CRoW Act will commence over the whole out looking at the map to fi nd this access always, available money will be the limiting of Wales. land, the fi rst new thing is that OS 1:25,000 factor to how effective this is. Just to remind you, the CRoW Act intro- Explorer maps have undergone a bit of a Having reached open access land, you may duces a statutory right of access on foot for revamp. The access land will be marked by well be greeted by the new access symbol open air recreation to land that has been a yellow wash with orange borders, gone is - a 10cm diameter roundel showing that mapped as 'access land'. This access land the old purple line denoting access land. It’s you are entering access land. The agencies is defi ned as mountain (including land over worth noting that the yellow shows other ac- assure us that the reverse ‘negative’ access 600m), moor, heath and down and registered cess land, including National Trust, Forestry symbol will be much less common and only common land. We expect a lot of Forestry Commission and certain other agreements, used where there is a real chance of people Commission woodland to be dedicated so not just CRoW access land. A further point wandering from access land onto land where

46 35

46984_p08-64.indd 46 09/09/2004 11:49:04 of way or land that is not open access land under the CRoW Act. It’s pretty inconvenient to turn up at your destination to fi nd a restriction in place, so the Countryside Agency and the Countryside Council for Wales will be running websites to show where and when access land will be closed. There will also be telephone helplines (0845 100 3298 in England, 0845 130 6229 in Wales). Unfortunately we’re told the call centres will not be able to give you site-spe- The two new signs that you might spot. cifi c info, which will not help users without (RIGHT) means open access land, whereas internet access. It remains to be seen how (LEFT) means keep out! much the restrictions system actually gets WWHAT'SHAT'S TTHEHE BMC Viewpoint? The CRoW Act has been criticised for being unnecessarily bureaucratic, wastefully expensive and a poor relation to the Land Reform Act in Scotland. As CRoW begins to take effect in England and Wales, it's perhaps a good time to refl ect on the why and how of the BMC’s involvement...

When Labour came to power in 1997 better While broadly supporting the progress access to the countryside was a manifesto of the CRoW Act, in no way does the BMC commitment and had been a Ramblers’ Access & Conservation team see it as a Association campaign for decades. With perfect, fi nished article - not everything consultation in full swing the BMC Access in the fi nal Act is as we would like it. It & Conservation Committee had to make a has been suggested that the right of access decision – do we support the Bill as it was under the Act is an ‘empty’ one as we were then or oppose it? We decided that being free to go to most of these places anyway. on board the process gave the BMC greater The benefi t is that this freedom is now infl uence over an event that was clearly backed up by statute and cannot be taken going to happen anyway. This meant the away from us arbitrarily. BMC was able to: Once made, the Act has to be imple- Ensure climbing was not excluded from the mented – again the BMC are not suggesting new statutory right of access. this process has been an unalloyed success. Fight off the threat of a night-time curfew As an example, the mapping process has on access by vigorous lobbying. taken a lot of effort and expense, and has Work with landowners representatives so not been well suited to including crags as that occupier’s liability with respect to mapped open country. It can be argued natural land features on access land was that this money could have been better reduced. spent on access in other ways, although it is debatable whether the money would have We continue to work with the relevant found its way to access for recreation in they should not be, such as private gardens. government bodies to: the fi rst place. Where mistakes have been Let’s hope this is the case as this is one made we will push for these to be remedied symbol guaranteed to wind up climbers and Ensure that ‘informal access management’, as a priority. walkers! such as BMC agreed restrictions to protect The other new signs relate to restrictions nesting birds and other agreements with The CRoW Act has involved the BMC in a and exclusions that may be applied to CRoW landowners, continue to be used in prefer- lot of work – the Act exists and it is right access land. These restrictions and exclu- ence to statutory restrictions. to seek to get the most out of it for our sions can be anything from complete closure members. In doing so we haven’t lost sight to simply limiting access to linear routes. Ensure interpretation of ‘activities under- of the importance of promoting our custom- Land owners, managers, relevant countryside taken for commercial purposes’ (these fall ary freedom of access to many, many places bodies and the MOD can apply for access to outside the new statutory rights of access) where CRoW will not have an effect – at be limited for a variety of reasons – land does not harm the interest of those educat- this time the access offi cers and volunteers management, to keep dogs off grouse moors ing and training others in the mountains. have around 20 active negotiations going or out of lambing enclosures, fi re risk, nature on with landowners to improve access for and heritage conservation and even national Make publicity materials as positive about climbing. While not perfect, the CRoW Act security. Land owners and managers also access as possible. should encourage a shift in attitude from have discretion to close their land for up to land ownership to land stewardship, and 28 days a year at will, though this does not Push for the CRoW Act right of access to we must continue to promote this idea, include Bank Holidays or summer weekends. be extended to include coastal land. promote the health benefi ts of being active The signs will be placed at entry points to outdoors and promote our human right to access land and detail the extent of these By working constructively with these agen- enjoy our mountains, hillsides and crags. restrictions or exclusions to access, their cies we are able to promote climbers and duration and who is responsible. Note that hill walkers needs from the ‘inside’. these restrictions do not affect public rights

35 47

46984_p08-64.indd 47 09/09/2004 11:49:21 ACCESS

Perhaps the most visible aspect of all this is the promotion of the new Countryside The Countryside Code Code, highlighting that with rights come responsibilities. This is being advertised on Be safe – plan ahead and follow any television with ‘Wallace and Gromit’ type signs. characters, and consists of fi ve headline points under the banner of “Respect – Pro- Leave gates and property as you fi nd tect – Enjoy”. Of course everyone reading this them. article will be well versed in how to behave in the countryside, but the heavy promotion Protect plants and animals, and take of the Code to school children can only be your litter home. a good thing. There is corresponding advice for land managers. To view the full Codes Keep dogs under close control. visit www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk or www. codcefngwlad.org.uk for both English and Consider other people. Welsh language versions. So that completes our tour of the impact the CRoW Act may have on you, and hope- Look out for the new signs when CRoW fully you’ve arrived unhindered on your crag lands from September onwards. or hill of choice. In reality we expect little CRoW landing dates to change – some but not all areas with ac- ENGLAND used, the agencies and National Parks are cess issues will be on open access land and South East 19 September 2004 promoting less formal ways of managing so have problems resolved (eg the Forest of Lower North West 19 September 2004 access (such as the BMC bird nesting restric- Bowland and some crags in Northumberland), Central Southern December 2004 tions) and the system seems offputtingly most people will probably stay on paths Upper North West May 2005 complicated. rather than roaming widely, but some restric- North East May 2005 Other key changes are the amendments to tions may be necessary and cause closures South West August 2005 wildlife protection law. Notable is the change and some confusion. West October 2005 that makes it a criminal offence to ‘reck- Clearly the CRoW Act is a complex piece of East November 2005 lessly’ disturb wild birds where previously legislation involving a lot of bureaucracy. We the offence occurred only where disturbance can’t cover everything in this short article, WALES May 2005 was intentional. This clearly means that but if you want more explanation the BMC climbers must be more aware of the danger website has a section with more information, ONLINE EXTRAS: www.thebmc.co.uk/ of disturbing rare birds and could possibly and you could also visit www.openaccess. outdoor/access/crow.htm stand a greater risk of prosecution. gov.uk or www.ccw.gov.uk. ||

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...... L Postcode: Slo Before you pull on your rucksack make sure you pack in the advice contained in this new video and Daytime Tel: ...... booklet. Beginners and seasoned hillwalkers can both benefit from the detailed skills advice contained in the 64 page BMC membership Nº (if known): booklet. The video brings this advice to life as you follow four hill walkers developing their skills through summer, autumn and winter seasons.

“An essential package for any walker venturing off the beaten track” Iain Peter, Chief Executive, Plas Y Brenin, National Mountain Centre Safety on Mountains www.thebmc.co.uk

British Mountaineering British Mountaineering Council 0870 010 4878 Council FREEPOST NAT 11244 Manchester M20 7ZA www.thebmc.co.uk FREEPOST NAT 11244 fax: 0161 445 4500 email: [email protected] Manchester M20 7ZA 48 35

46984_p08-64.indd 48 09/09/2004 12:11:09 winter lectures The BMC Winter Lecture Series in partnership with Lowe Alpine

Want to be inspired and pick up some top tips from the experts? This year we have two new lecturers, IFMGA Mountain Guides Martin Moran and Mike ‘Twid’ Turner.

artin runs a busy guiding business based in the NW of Scotland and has written a number Mof successful mountaineering books. Twid was until recently Head of Rock Climbing at Plas y Brenin before leaving to concentrate on private guiding work. Both have vast experience in the Scottish mountains over many, many years and will be sure to educate and inspire you to enjoy everything that the winter mountains can throw at you.

Tuesday 9th Nov: University of Birmingham Wednesday 10th Nov: University of Bath Thursday 11th Nov: University College London Tuesday 16th Nov: University of Newcastle Wednesday 17th Nov: University of Nottingham Thursday 18th Nov: University of Manchester

Tickets available in advance from the BMC offi ce, or on the door on the night. Price £4.00 BMC members, £6.00 non-members. Group discounts available (advance bookings only). Lecture venues and addresses to be confi rmed nearer the time, see the BMC website for details and maps. All lectures will start at 6.45 pm and run until approximately 9-9.30 pm. Bar available at/near most venues.

DOUG SCOTT PRESENTS ILLUSTRATED LECTURES JO ROYLE ROPES *MOMENTS OF BEING, **SACRED SUMMITS, Quality ropes made for Jo Royle Outdoor by Edelrid ***HIMALAYA ALPINE STYLE RRP JRO Price NEW CLIMBS AND EXPLORATIONS IN TIBET, BHUTAN, Rocky 9 x 50 £64.99 £55.99 FREE NEPAL, SIKKIM, ARUNACHAL PRADESH Sky Pilot 10.3 x 50 £85.99 £75.99 Postage & Packing October Fat Rock Slim 10 x 60 £119.99 £99.99 8th Inverness, Eden Court Theatre – 01463 234234 ** Skyline Longlife 11 x 50 £109.99 £89.99 9th Pitlochry, Town Hall – 01796 472215 * (CAN) Skyline Longlife 9 x 50 £75.99 £65.99 Other lengths & diameters 14th Newcastle, Northumbria University, Lipman Building – 0191227 4500 ** (CAN) Skyline Dry 11 x 50 £125.99 £105.99 17th Holyhead, Ucheldre Centre – 01407 763361 ** (CAN) available 19th Warrington, Parr Hall – 01925 763927 ** Skyline Dry 9 x 50 £89.99 £75.99 20th Long Eaton (Nottingham), Trent Lock Golf Centre – 01509 672607 ** 21st Newark, Palace Theatre – 016366 55755 ** Contact us for our climbing gear special offer price list 22nd Street, Strode Theatre – 014584 42846 ** Jo Royle Outdoor, 6 The Market Place, Buxton, Derbys SK17 6EB 23rd Ipswich, Corn Exchange – 01473 433100 * (CAN) 25th Milton Keynes, Shenley Leisure Centre – 01908 502488 ** 8.00 p.m. start Tel: 01298 25824 Fax: 01298 78545 27th Bristol, Chem.Lect.Theatre, Bristol University (CAN/IPPG) – 0117 929 9966 ** 28th Isle of Wight, Newport, Medina Theatre – 01983 527020 ** Email: [email protected] 29th Devon, Ashburton, Town Hall – 01364 652522 (Trail Venture) * (CAN) 30th Devon, Ashburton, Town Hall – 01364 652522 (Trail Venture) ** November 2nd Buxton, Opera House – 0845 127 2190 ** 3rd Burnley, Mechanics Hall – 01282 664400 ** JUST MAPS 4th Northwich, Memorial Hall – 01606 867588 *** Getting you there 7th Sandwich, Sir Roger Manwood’s School – 01304 612307/613286 *** (CAN) 8th Hampshire, Farnborough, Oak Farm Community School – 01252 401080 ** � Ordnance Survey � AA Publishing � Collins � Michelin 9th Telford, Oakengate Theatre – 019526 19020 ** � Geo Philip � Estate Publications 10th Cumbria, Moresby, Rosehill Theatre – 01946 692422 * (CAN) 11th Cumbria, Dalton in Furness (CAN/Dalton PTA) – 01229 897911 *** � Geocentre International � Geographers A-Z Map Co 12th Windermere, St Anne’s School – 015394 46164 ** 16-21st Poland, Explorers Festival – lecture Lodz 19 November ** Supplying maps for all your needs including A-Z, 25th Newton Aycliffe, Greenfield Community School – 01325 307147 ** Tourist & Atlas Products for the British Isles 29th Sheffield, Abbeydale Sports Club – 01 246 416145 * 30th Hartlepool, Town Hall Theatre – 01429 890000 * Foreign maps also available ALL LECTURES COMMENCE AT 7.30 PM unless noted otherwise Specialist Maps to order On sale at lecture: Books – Himalayan Climber, The Shishapangma Expedition, FREE POSTAGE & PACKING ON ALL ORDERS Doug Scott Mountain Posters – NEW selection Pick up information on Community Action Nepal (www.canepal.org.uk) and Contact us Tel/Fax: 023 92 595770 Community Action Treks Ltd (www.catreks.com) latest treks OR E-mail: [email protected] Telephone CAT or CAN on: 01228 564488 or fax: 01228 564431 Email: [email protected] Further details at: www.justmaps.co.uk 35 49

46984_p08-64.indd 49 09/09/2004 12:14:39 SKI MOUNTAINEERING

HEROES OF TELEMARK CHAD STADON RETRACES THE TRACKS OF THE SABOTEURS - WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM A KITE.

ne night in February 1943 a small in a deep valley about three hours west of Oslo. Just west of town the Krossobanen cable car whisks winter enthusiasts from the valley force of Norwegian commandos fl oor at 350m to 900m in just a few minutes. From there access to bombed the Vemork heavy water the plateau is a straightforward hour’s ski up well-laid tracks, with O good snow pretty much guaranteed from December to April. plant in the Rjukan Valley of central Norway, pressure of German forces behind then escaped onto the Hardangarvidda Without the us, it was with light packs and Plateau on skis. Some skied for more than a feeling of adventure that we set out, aiming to experience this historic route in a very 21st century style. Our kites were 4.5 and 300 km into neutral Sweden whilst others 6 metre ‘Little Devils’, recommended to us since they are relatively small and easier to get the hang of than the 9 to 10 metre models eluded German patrols by moving around the used by experienced kite-skiers when wind speeds drop. immense plateau till the end of the war. At least I had the edge of having fl own the kites before, albeit in warmer conditions, whereas my accomplice Mark was totally new to the sport, so we really had no idea how these things would perform the technology of the A-bomb was put well with skis. A day of trials on the edge of the plateau soon put our beyond Hitler’s reach, fi lms such as “The He- And so minds at rest. Setting them up, launching them, fl ying them, parking roes of Telemark" were born, and more than 60 years later we were them, and putting them away all proved a doddle, and even better, inspired to visit the area and retrace part of this “Saboteur’s Route” for their small size they packed a heap of pull. using another innovation - the new generation of kite skis. Pleased by the fi rst day out, and dreaming of an effortless cruise, The Hardangarvidda Plateau is open undulating terrain, about we were keen to get back up to the plateau and get started on the 1000m above sea level, much of it now contained within Norway’s route. The wind however had other ideas. For most of our trip the largest national park. In best Norwegian tradition the entire region prevailing wind was from the north, meaning we had to ski under good is well served by beautiful mountain huts run by private companies old muscle power against the wind, until we’d gone far enough to turn and DNT, the national touring organisation, removing any need to round and use the wind to take us back to our starting position. carry heavy packs stuffed with sleeping gear and cooking supplies. But all good things come to those who wait, and the terrain of Access to the plateau is easy from the town of Rjukan, located

50 35

46984_p08-64.indd 50 09/09/2004 11:49:57 thethe pplateaulateau tturnedurned ooutut ttoo bbee pperfecterfect fforor kkiteite sskiing.kiing. OOpenpen andand rolling,rolling, withwith fewfew treestrees oror scarps,scarps, therethere waswas widewide scopescope forfor tackingtacking withwith thethe wind,wind, andand thethe worldworld waswas soonsoon zippingzipping by at a very satisfying rate. ToTo ccontrolontrol tthehe kkitesites wwee hhadad a ttwowo bbarar ssystem,ystem, oonene oonn thethe llefteft aandnd oonene oonn tthehe rright.ight. EEachach bbarar hhadad a ssteeringteering aandnd brakebrake llineine aandnd wwasas ssimplicityimplicity iitselftself ttoo uuse.se. WWithith llargerarger kkitesites it’sit’s moremore usualusual toto integrateintegrate thesethese controlscontrols intointo oneone barbar clippedclipped toto a waistwaist harnessharness toto keepkeep oneone handhand freefree toto wavewave to spectators as you cruise by. FromFrom a ski-mountaineeringski-mountaineering pointpoint ofof viewview thethe responsive-responsive- nessness ooff tthehe kkitesites wwasas iimpressive,mpressive, pparticularlyarticularly tthehe aabilitybility ttoo quicklyquickly dde-powere-power tthemhem iinn ccasease ooff ddangeranger aahead.head. HHoweverowever thisthis responsivenessresponsiveness cancan backfibackfi rere inin gustygusty windswinds whenwhen theythey reallyreally dodo wantwant toto fl y,y, andand feelfeel likelike theythey mightmight taketake you with them! TheThe cruxcrux andand potentialpotential nightmarenightmare ofof kitingkiting isis thethe controlcontrol lines.lines. TheThe fourfour 25-metre25-metre controlcontrol lineslines areare mademade ofof 22-3-3 mmmm ccordord ooff a kkernmantleernmantle cconstructiononstruction rratherather likelike cclimbinglimbing rropes,opes, a rrecipeecipe fforor a ttangleangle iiff eeverver ttherehere waswas one.one. AndAnd toto addadd toto thethe trauma,trauma, thethe innerinner strandsstrands cancan ttwistwist iinsidenside ttheirheir ssheathsheaths mmakingaking rremovingemoving eevenven simplesimple tanglestangles quitequite challenging.challenging. TheThe keykey toto avoid-avoid- inging diffidiffi cultiesculties isis toto systematicallysystematically windwind andand unwindunwind youryour lines.lines. WithWith a twotwo barbar controlcontrol systemsystem youyou cancan windwind aallll ffourour llinesines iinn a fi guregure ooff eeightight aaroundround tthehe twotwo bbarsars ttogether.ogether. WWithith a ttowow bbarar ssystemystem tthishis iiss a little trickier, but in either case the most important thing is to wind in steadily, neither too tightly nor too loosely and to be prepared for a degree of frustration at the start.

high profi le expeditions have al- A few ready used kite-skiing systems for major ventures, such as Patrick Woodhead’s 2003 retracing of Scott’s epic Antarctic voyage. Invariably these expeditions also use pulks to transport their gear, adding another element into the system. It’s generally felt that the twin aadvantagesdvantages ofof removingremoving weightweight fromfrom youryour backback andand beingbeing ableable toto loadload mmoreore wweighteight iintonto a ppulkulk ooffsetffset tthehe iinconveniencenconvenience ooff ddraggingragging iit,t, bbutut this trade-off will be very dependent on the terrain being negotiated. Sharp slopes or rocky sections could make it unviable. But if dragging a pulk, the possibility of carrying more than one kite is opened up. I have to admit that after years of minimising KITE TIPS weight through such tactics as cutting the handles off toothbrushes the idea of carrying a selection of kites goes against the grain - but For smooth sailing with small kites the it does make sense. There’s not a huge overlap in the range of wind speeds that the different kites can accommodate, and even on our trick is to try and maximise pull. small trip we could have made good use of 9.5 or 12 metre kites in Learn to tack them back and forth across the prevailing wind the lighter winds. A 6 plus a 9.5 or 12 metre kite should cover most direction relatively low to the ground. There are two “sweet wind conditions, and with each weighing around 2kg this would spots”, located around 30 – 40° off the prevailing wind direc- be easily managed with a pulk. Trying to get away with only one tion and approximately 15 – 25 feet off the ground. Holding kite and thereby minimising weight is a bit like trying to get away the kite in either of these positions give the best and most with only middle size cams on your climbing rack – frustrating and consistent pull. ultimately counterproductive!

Because of the phenomenon of “apparent wind” maintaining thousand-dollar question. Are modern kites likely power sometimes does require tacking back and forth between to be useful additions to the ski-mountaineer’s So the these sweet spots. usual gear? Will they pay their way in utility and fun? Our answer is a resounding yes. Models like the Little Devils are light, robustly If for any reason you need to suddenly de-power the kite, just constructed and easy to use. They’re also full of safety features that let the kite go straight up into the air above your head where it largely remove the potential worry of being dragged into a crevasse. will happily fl y without providing much pull at all. Alternatively Training and experience will be a factor, but the learning curve proved pull back on the two brake lines causing the kite to defl ate and surprisingly quick to climb. sink to the ground in only a few seconds. In the right conditions nothing beats skimming across the snowy landscape behind a bright, beautiful kite, and we won’t be going More information - Our kites were supplied by Kite ‘n’ Sk8, 29 anywhere without ours in the near future. In fact I bet those Nor- Silver Street, Dursley, GL11 4NA. Email [email protected]. wegian Commandos wish they’d had them too. ||

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46984_p08-64.indd 51 09/09/2004 11:50:27 YOUTH SFASF SCHOOLS OUT

and more young an you remember how you started climbing? If you’re over 30, there’s a good chance it won’t bear any resemblance to how More people are being Cyoung people start now. For many, their fi rst steps are at an artifi cial climbing wall. Over time many of them want to make the introduced to climbing at indoor walls. transition from climbing inside to real rock and don’t know how to make the required leap in skill, experience and knowledge. Making those fi rst moves on real rock For the last six years, the Fell and Rock Climbing Club (FRCC) has run a weekend meet specifi cally for those young people who already can be a daunting experience after the have experience of climbing indoors and want to make the big step to the outdoors and perhaps in due course join the club. The FRCC security of plastic. But, as Nick Colton itself was founded in 1906 and although based in the Lake District, for which it produces its famous guidebook series, has more than explains, there are ways of making 1,100 members spread throughout the world. the transition safe and enjoyable and Organising a youth meet is a complex issue and the BMC is putting a lot of effort into ensuring they can be run to the high standards still meet public concerns about child now demanded by society. To their great credit the FRCC was prepared to put time and effort into organising a meet that not only involved safety. climbing multi-pitch routes in the Lake District but also involved a residential component at their club hut at Rawhead in Langdale. So what’s the best method for running a successful and safe youth meet? The fi rst step is appointing an Event Co-ordinator who has overall responsibility for organising everything. Ron Kenyon, a leading and respected fi gure in the club, has ably undertaken this role for the last six years. In consultation with the BMC he drew up aims for the meet and appointed key adults. The next big issue is child welfare. Recent high-profi le cases where young people have been harmed by those entrusted to care for them has heightened public awareness of the threat of child abuse. Though the possibility is hopefully small in our activity, it cannot be ignored. The BMC’s Child Protection Policy and Guidelines (BMC CPP) sets out how children might be harmed and what must be done if an allegation of abuse is made. On the ground, an event involving young people needs an adult with responsibility for child protection and welfare issues, see diagram below. This was David Staton’s role. He liased with Ron Kenyon and planned the welfare side. This included ensuring that adult volunteers were properly vetted.

Vetting of volunteers ensures that people who might to seek to harm children do not gain access to them. Obviously, in the fi rst instance, all the adult volunteers on the meet were well known and trusted by Ron Kenyon and David Staton. This, however, is no longer enough and additional safeguards need to be undertaken. The meet participants. Credit: Nick Colton.

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46984_p08-64.indd 52 09/09/2004 11:52:32 The main one is the Criminal Records Bureau check (CRB check) and completed a consent form that, amongst other things, contained the involves all those who have unsupervised access to children being BMC participation statement. checked against police and other records. The process takes about Each morning Colin briefed everyone and discussed with each three weeks. The form to start the process and procedures are set party where they were going and what they were going to do. At out in the BMC CPP. least two groups went together to a crag so there would be back up With all these responsibilities and the time involved in organising and support in case of an incident. Each party left a daily plan at such an event David and Ron had their hands full. In line with guid- the hut that detailed this information as well as an alternative plan ance from the Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU), the sporting side in case the original had to be abandoned. of an event – in our case the climbing, hill walking and mountaineer- Fortunately the weather was generally fi ne over the weekend but, ing – is co-ordinated by someone assigned that responsibility. Colin as we all know, it can change quickly in the hills. Thankfully there Downer, a well-known Lakeland activist with experience of working were no incidents during the meet but this cannot be guaranteed. in outdoor centres, took on this role. The hierarchy of responsibility Accidents can and do happen. So it is essential that a designated is shown in the diagram. person holds information about where everyone is and when they The meet started on Friday evening with parents dropping their expect to be back as well as medical details included on the parental children off at the Rawhead hut in Langdale. From this moment until consent form. they were collected on the Sunday, there always had to be someone Speaking to the young people it was clear they got a lot out of around in loco parentis. During those periods when the children the meet. They met new people, climbed with experienced as well as were not climbing or on the hill, David took charge of the boys and extremely competent and responsible volunteers, went to new crags Marion Staton assumed responsibility for the girls. But all adults on and did lots of routes they wouldn’t otherwise have done. Moreover, the meet had a duty of care towards the young people. they were introduced to traditional climbing and its ethics by people After arrival, Ron introduced everyone and clarifi ed roles and who really care and were shown a range of techniques and skills that responsibilities and went through safety procedures and sleeping were new to them. They couldn’t really have a better introduction to arrangements in accordance with the good practice guidelines in the what multi-pitch climbing on traditional crags is all about. BMC CPP. Colin spoke to adult volunteers and set out his expectations One young man even said afterwards that he’d learnt more on this in terms of procedures and good practice on the hill. weekend than he did on the climbing courses he’d been on. That’s The young people, 16 in total, had a wide range of climbing ex- high recommendation and proves the importance of such events. || perience. Each of them was teamed with an adult volunteer to climb with for the duration of the meet. For some of the youngsters this was the fi rst time they’d been away from their parents and some MORE INFORMATION were obviously reserved in a large group. The BMC Child Protection Policy and Guidelines can be found Each adult understood that during the time they were climbing on www.thebmc.co.uk. The BMC is in the process of producing they were in loco parentis for the young people they had been as- guidelines on running events involving young people, these will signed. Each had signed up to a common-sense code of conduct. be available soon. For details on the Fell & Rock Climbing Club Each young person had also signed up to a similar but slightly dif- see www.frcc.co.uk. ferent code of conduct before joining the meet and their parents had

Over 64,000 hillwalkers, climbers and mountaineers put their trust in the Insurance you can British Mountaineering Council to provide expert advice, services and information on the outdoors. TRUST BMC Insurance is designed by experts to give you reassurance and peace of mind wherever you travel. All our quality policies are designed to be free from unreasonable exclusions or restrictions. What’s more all surpluses from “BMC Insurance… BMC services are invested in work for me it’s the that promotes your interests only choice.” and protects your freedoms – Sir Chris Bonington so the only one to profit is you! BMC insurance • Simple and easy to purchase • Cover available for many sports • Immediate professional service including hillwalking, trekking, climbing, and skiing • Worldwide 24-hour helplines All BMC • Comprehensive medical, policies come with a • 10-point customer service charter search and rescue, repatriation personalised emergency 3-day to annual cover • and baggage cover come as contact card • UK, Europe or Worldwide cover standard with no hidden extras

INSTANT COVER British Mountaineering Get your FREE copy of the 0870 010 4878 Council BMC Travel & Activity FREEPOST NAT 11244 Insurance Guide www.thebmc.co.uk Manchester M20 7ZA fax: 0161 445 4500 email: [email protected] 35 53

46984_p08-64.indd 53 09/09/2004 12:16:20 LAST THOUGHTS (CONTINUED...)

The debate was personally especially enjoyable, as I had met Seb at the crag not long before, and he had recounted to me being down in Cheedale and fi nding his hammer in his rucksack, a leftover from a DIY project of his. Bored with climbing on the day in question, he decided to abseil down a new route of Squawk’s and smash two bolts. This made his moral superiority very funny, and the joy of his bandwagon seem ludicrous. During this, Ken Wilson pressed a printout into Andy’s hand and mine. After the moral pandemonium, the next item came up. In my hazy memory, I think it was some condemnation of Rockfax or something. We were given the fl oor, and eventually we read it out between us. It was a heart-felt impassioned plea for something or other. We were given a round of applause, then someone asked us a very basic question about our opinions. We both looked at each RAMPAGE £19.99 PLUS P+P other blankly, then, like two schoolboys about to wet themselves, pointed at Ken and said ‘We don’t know, he made us say it!’ Rampage follows Chris Sharma, There was outrage! Ken was Bah Baaahing in the crowd, and we Obe Carrion and friends on an outrageous were generally made to look like a couple of idiots. To suggest that two month Bouldering spree across the American we were mere pawns in a game would, I believe, be quite insulting West. Experience the rhythm of a summer on the to the intelligence of pawns. road. This DVD edition includes a 40 minute bonus The heat died down, then someone read out stuff about some film of previously unseen Sharma action. worthy stuff called access. After that, there was a beer break, and Andy entertained us all with his old yap about ice and bodily func- tions. More beer, then home. AUTOROUTE £21.99 PLUS P+P And that was my fi rst BMC area committee meeting. For some rea- (Full throttle climbing in Switzerland & ) son, I kept going back. The head elf turned out to be John Horscroft, Autoroute captures the full-throttle climbing odyssey and each time I would watch him battle with those who wanted to of Americans Dave Graham, Luke Parady and Joe let loose with Churchillian world views, those with nothing to say, Kinder as they test themselves on the most difficult and those who wanted to talk too much. (If this all sounds like one boulders and cliffs in Switzerland and France. Join person, then perhaps you have been to an area meeting yourself!) Through the weeks, those topics which would originally be a these gifted and driven athletes as they travel along turn-off, would, with more knowledge, become more interesting. Europe’s autoroute, in search of their next test-piece. Without ever being to an area meeting, I would have no idea of the volume of work that goes on in the name of access, for example. SESSIONS £18.99 PLUS P+P Although, I must admit, that I still feel none the wiser about what the BMC constitution is. Join Cooper Roberts on his tour of the finest The location has since changed, moving closer to Sheffi eld, now Bouldering in North America. See what all the hype situated in The Grouse Inn, under Froggatt. This move has opened is about in the redneck-infested lands of the south the meeting to claims of Sheffi eld bias, although it had had the eastern U.S and come to understand the true effect of creating greater numbers of regular attendees. It is now meaning of commitment in the non-stop force of chaired by Mike Hunt, who has successfully carried on Horscroft’s Joel Brady. style and format. The agenda is dealt with effi ciently, it is open and So kill the lights, crank the volume and enjoy. welcoming to all, and there are still good speakers regularly turning up to do lectures after. The format for the Peak area meeting has, for me, been a very Eastern Tide £19.99 PLUS P+P good one. I say this as one not particularly interested or effective at (One season in Nova Scotia) meetings. Yet the inclusive nature of the topics – covering not just Nova Scotia’s eastern shore is a landscape of constitutional affairs, but access to crags, chipping, bolts and other granite, scoured by glaciers a million years ago and issues that I, as a climber, can relate to – has allowed a way into beaten by wind and waves ever since. the darker corners somewhat. There is often argument about what an This title captures the beauty and raw energy of the area meeting should be, and some have suggested that the Peak is too much entertainment-orientated at the cost of real business. All Bouldering in Nova Scotia and the little known I can say about this is that I (and I suspect a lot of other regular locals who are setting the standard in the East. attendees) would never have managed to maintain attendance at a meeting that was of no relevance, and would never have developed an interest in the BMC issues in general. Baltic Sea Bouldering £21.99 PLUS P+P So what if people are just turning up after the crag for free sarnies This is a compelling and thoughtful film about and chips and some slides? For out of that crowd, a few will listen, Bouldering in an extraordinary setting. Baltic Sea out of that crowd, a few will vote, and out of that crowd, a few will Bouldering takes a fascinating look at how some of volunteer to help with access or with guidebooks or with youth. What Europe’s best climbers tackle an unclimbed highball John and Mike have done is to take something that belonged to the project that stretches mental strength to the limits. rank and fi le of BMC members - namely, a say in the running of the organisation, and a knowledge of what it is doing - and actually given it to them. And this can only be a good thing. ||

P+P UK £1.25/DVD Any thoughts? If you've got any thoughts on BMC Area Meetings, EUROPE £6.00/DVD get in touch via [email protected] and we'll pass them on to ROW £8.00/DVD the right people, or see the BMC forum on www.ukclimbing.com CALL OUR CREDIT CARD HOTLINE ON

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46984_p08-64.indd 54 09/09/2004 12:19:24 LAST THOUGHTS

NIALL GRIMES IN THE AREA FRESH MEET The BMC Area Committee meeting. Ahhh. of females, and a few faces I recognized. One of these faces was about to pour forth. Were there ever, in the canon of the The head elf at the front announced an agenda item about the removal of bolts from sport climbs in Cheedale. Quite an animated English Language, four more innocent debate then sprung up. Ian ‘Squawk’ Dunn, who was in attendance, had placed some bolts that compromised an existing trad route. Seb words put together with such devastating Grieve, also in attendance, had, in an act of moral outrage, abseiled down and pulverized the bolts. The two began to argue, and various power to induce unstifi lable yawns upon heated voices joined in. It was all very enjoyable. ..CONTINUED ON PAGE 54 the breaths of those who might hopefully "Area Meetings are impor- consider themselves to have – a life? tant for a number of reasons, Flexible. Open meetings not least because they are on single issues are sometimes as there ever a greater challenge to one's self image as an the foundation of the BMC a useful way of preventing W‘interesting’ person, than to fi nd your own name mentioned and its principal democratic conflict over contentious as an ‘attendee’ at such an event, to see one's own name on the forum. Equally, climbing matters. Change the format register, there for all to see? faces many challenges and if necessary. I was only moderately aware of such things as BMC area committee a well-attended Area Meet- meetings, when it so happened that I went along to one myself, led ing is a constant source of Proactive. Pre-empt there by a strange chain of events. At the time I was seeing a lot able volunteers. OK, sermon problems, use a network of of the great Overweight Mountaineer, Hull Nine Yards himself, Andy over! An Area Meeting has volunteers to nip confl ict in Kirkpatrick – all very biblical you understand – and he was to be to be a many splendoured the bud. doing an entertainment at the meeting, demonstrating his lantern thing, it must be: slides of his latest holiday. Ken Wilson had been in touch with Andy, Well informed. The and he had been volunteered to be a patsy for one of Ken’s plans. Relevant. If climbers BMC is a political animal and Andy then volunteered me as a fellow patsy, and we both drove off don’t feel that subjects of im- needs well informed Area one wet night to the Anchor Inn in Tideswell. portance are being discussed, Meetings to debate important It is often interesting to look back on your fi rst impressions of they won’t turn up. issues. something that goes on to become commonplace in your life. At the time in my life, I don’t think I had ever been to a meeting before, Fun. Area Meetings should And fi nally. Area Meet- and was surprised at the formality of it. It had a chairman sat at- be social events, a chance ings should be proud ambassa- tentively at the front. He had some elves on either side, scribblers to meet other climbers and dors for their region. Healthy and winkers, and around him, arranged in untidy chairs, were the discuss not only the issues competition between different townsfolk. These were ranged in various attitudes of attention, of the day but the brilliant areas is to be encouraged!" and amid a gathering of stout males were, surprisingly, a number VS you’ve just climbed. Slide shows and lectures are a good - John Horscroft (TOP) Don't be a sheep - make your opinion known at a BMC way of breaking the ice. area meeting! Credit: BMC.

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46984_p08-64.indd 62 09/09/2004 11:52:55