I am just back from a great two days in the Scottish Mountains in the North West enjoying a wonderful time. I missed the massive callout in the Cairngorms where another family suffer the tragedy of losing one they love in the mountains. My first thoughts are condolences to the family who lost a loved one and my thoughts are with them. Also for the Helicopter crews, Rescue Teams and Search dogs and all involved in the search and recovery in such weather. Yet I was over on the West enjoying a great spell of weather in a remote location, at times I was on my own where a slip on the full on winter conditions could have been very serious but I was confident and acknowledged the risk I was taking. People knew where I was going, I had map , compass and the basic skills and equipment for the environment and was happy where I was. Last year I fell in the Cairngorms helping a walker who was stuck in the goat track and was very lucky to get away with a few broken ribs. Accidents can happen to anyone and I even after all these years in the mountains learn new skills every winter.
Scottish Mountain Rescue – Any hour, Any Day, Any Weather. Read the report on their website for 2011 and other issues, very informative.
Unfortunately the Press at times are quick to jump on the bandwagon of mountain accidents and this programme yesterday was no exception. It was the usual call for Insurance, restricting access closing the hills by the Press or a politician who wants to make a name. This time it was even worse by a poor research which quoted over 50 deaths in the mountain is 2011. As a past Statistician for the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland I knew this figure was incorrect as it contains also the figures of non – mountain fatalities. In the end the figure was 21 Fatalities everyone a tragedy but not over 50!
Please read Mountaineering incidents in 2011 fatalities. Some of these may include medical problems heart attacks etc.
Non-mountaineering incidents cover a wide range of scenarios. A non-mountaineering incident as one where the casualty or missing person is not involved in climbing, scrambling or hill walking. It is important to understand that this category relates to the activity that the casualty or missing person was involved in when the incident occurred, not the type of terrain or height above sea level. Non-mountaineering incidents may still require the skills, resources and capability of a mountain rescue team to deal with them. They may take place in poor weather, on a mountainside, in a cave or in terrain only accessible using climbing techniques. Non-mountaineering incidents may be searches, rescues or both. • The incidents defined as non-mountaineering are those involving:- • Water sports (kayaking, fishing and swimming). • Fell running, triathlon, • Mountain biking, • Pony trekking • Hangliding, parapenting and paragliding. • Aircraft crashes. • People reported missing from residential/nursing homes, hospitals, etc • Work related incidents such as Forestry, game-keeping etc • Assistance given to individuals, local communities or emergency services during severe weather etc. If the correspondent had read the Mountain Rescue report for 2011 they would have found that out. The 2011 figures and report is on the Scottish Mountain Rescue website and well worth a look but read it all please. The questions asked on the programme were” Are Scottish mountains worth the risk? News of rescues, avalanches and tragic accidents in the hills seem a daily occurrence of late and Kaye asks if people are putting themselves in too much danger for a hobby? Our hills, climbs and crags attract people from all over the world, with mountaineers proud of our stunning scenery and the ‘most enlightened access laws in the world’. But should more be done to control walking in Scotland and to help keep people safe, should there be more education for climbers, or is the risk part of the thrill? I was very impressed by the answers on the programme from Cameron MacNeish, John Allan ex Cairngorm Leader and Heather Morning the Scottish Mountain Safety officer and various other members of the public. All put forward a compelling case and helped state the case for more education and training but also the element of risk that is inevitable in the mountains. I feel in Scotland we do a lot to assist in mountaineering education. In Scotland we have a free Weather Service and Avalanche Service funded by the government which help greatly educate those who go out in the hills. The Mountaineering Council Of Scotland also funds a Mountain Safety Officer who does so much to enhance mountain Safety in Scotland. All these post and money have been fought for over many years and in these days of cuts we need to ensure they stay in place. The main protagonist was Dorothy Grace Elder a well-respected journalist and who took no prisoners with her poorly informed views. She called for Restricted access to the mountains (however that would be policed?) Risk to the Rescuers and many other points, many sensation grabbing headlines. I find it hard though tragic these mountain deaths are every week we lose so many to drink in drugs in the UK, Yet now it is an accepted fact that this happens, day in day out week in week out. The government is pushing for a fit society and to get people out for the health benefits involved. Yet we spend an hour on a programme defending our sport but we must do. It maybe also helps relatives who have lost those they love understand why we go into the wild and mountain places. So we have to be careful of what we say. I have 40 years of experience of tragedies in the mountains and work hard for mountain safety and to try to explain why we love the mountains to the public. Hopefully we got our point of view over as I got the chance to get the last word and I tried to explain that her Stats were wrong and support the work already being done for Mountain Safety. I have lost over 10 great friends to mountains in my 40 years , to me one death is one to many and we must do what we can to educate and train people to enjoy the risk of a day in the mountains. One point did come up from John Allan and it was that unfortunately many of fatalities are from South of the Border. I feel he may have a point and maybe more could be done by the BMC and Central Government Funding to have a full-time Mountain Safety Officer for England as we have in Scotland? The BMC I know runs a training weekend for students at a low-cost. The Scottish Government for all its faults plays a big part in Mountain Education maybe this is point for the future down South? Scottish Mountain Rescue Teams are supported by the Scottish government of over £300000 annually and every little helps. Every penny was fought for and I am glad I was a little part during my time in ensuring that teams got some outside assistance. Again I stress that we do not take our eyes of the ball and all those who give Scotland such a” joined up approach” to Mountain Safety and education keep up the great work especially in these days of recession. It is not the time to relax we must keep pushing new methods and ideas of getting the points of mountain safety across. It is great that many of our mountaineering people are now “media savy” and get involved with the Press, we have to for the future of our sport. I regularly speak and lecture on mountaineering and always try to get mountain safety message across. Mountaineering is wonderful sport especially in winter and it has added dangers. There is always risk and unfortunately accidents happen. We must try to keep those to minimum
I would value any views on this Blog!
This is why we love the mountains and wild places especially in winter. Photo Pete Greening collection Fisherfield wilderness.
Thanks for those who emailed,texted or phoned me yesterday on my piece on the BBC Scotland programme.
Old mans thoughts and tales. 
I have been enjoying the Scottish hills in all conditions and at all times of the year since I was a teenager in the 1960s. My first experience was of the Cairngorms and Mamores with school led trips from Inverness but I remember the bravado with which a group of us set off as students from Aberdeen for Beinn a’ Bhuird in my early 20’s. We were really far too inexperienced and were forced to turn back when one of our party became hypothermic. A happy ending to what might have been a tragedy. The “near casualty” went on to qualify as a Doctor and spent time on the British Antarctic Survey.
The crucial factor tempering our youthful gung-ho attitude was the close proximity of the hills which we knew we could get to in little more than a couple of hours any other weekend. I am full of admiration for folk from the South who make at least an 8 hour journey to reach the hills but suggest that this factor alone must account for over ambitious outings – often with folk who may only have taken up the sport very recently.
It was only on joining the Moray Mountaineering Club in my 30’s that I realised the deficiencies in my experience when I joined a Winter round of the Fisherfield Munroes. At that age I was receptive to drawing on the knowledge of wiser heads and noticed how the Cairngorms were never on the list of Winter meets – for the very good reason that a bus load of folk of varying degrees of fitness and experience could not be guaranteed a full day out in safety planned for a pre-selected date in the calendar when weather conditions could not be known. Places like Creag Meagaidh where you could be back to near sea level relatively quickly were typical Winter choices
It’s inevitable that students will rightly feel that they are responsible adults and we should be proud of them for choosing the outdoors as a way to broaden their horizons. Perhaps Mountain Rescue Team advisers could focus on the seemingly harmless factor of being based a long way from the climb and how the need to be back at work or lectures imposes an artificial pressure on route choice in very variable weather conditions inherent to our northern maritime situation?
That said, it is unfortunate that the press seldom focus on the annual road fatalities amongst young people where the risks are far higher compared with the headline grabbing story from the hills.
Time, and the self imposed limits we set on it, is the silent common factor in these tragedies.
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Many thanks for that Allan – lots of comments coming in but such a shame the press works on sensationalism!
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Any death is a tragic one and particularly when the casuialties are young and living life to the full and the possibility of a full life ahead of them. My first outings to the mountains of Wales were with the Scouts aged 13, leaving the south-east in a clapped out minibus (probably more dangerous than any mountain) on a Friday after school and arriving back late on a Sunday night. This was how I caught the bug, learning my limits, understanding the mountains, reading the conditions and listening to some great instructors. Unfortunately, this kind of experience for folk of this age is so much more difficult, considered too dangerous, or not appropriate or heavily regulated due to past incidents. Although, safety is paramount, progressive learning experiences in a mountain environment are essential if you want to grow in the sport and gain so much from it.
At 17 I was travelling from Surrey by train to the Cairngorms to spend a week at a time camping at Glenmore and spending days bivvying at the shelterstone and climbing everything around. Were we reckless, ill prepared or plain stupid, I don’t think so? We had learnt the benefits of a team, looked out for each other, knew our personal limitations and yes on occasions pushed boundaries. We were risk aware, not risk averse, we minimised risk through learning and having the right equipment, but of course we could have had an accident. We had no mobile phones and no GPS, no goretex clothing or waterproof boots, tents without sewn in groundsheets, dachstein mitts and grey woollen socks!! We were loving every minute of our experiences in these wild places, we had our contingency plans, had left word with others and knew what to do in an emergency. The mountains were the making of us, the experiences formed us and the sense of team inspired us. We were not on the street, not on drugs and were not boozing to excess, we had a vision of a world brimming with adventure, of being at one with nature and being fit and healthly.
So to the media sensationalists, I say give those who venture into the mountains a break, accidents do and will happen and sadly so too will fatalities but restricting adventure will not reduce the death rates in those driven to the great outdoors. Obesity, drug and alcohol abuse, gang crime, etc all carry a heavier toll…………………….
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Ian – again I appreciate your comments!
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These vultures feed their careers disproportionally on others’ misery. Take these journalists to task, be prepared with a “thats the most ridiculous thing ive ever heard” anwer, detailing the errors and impracticalities of their ill informed suppositions. I wonder how the editors would respond to footage of an idiot hack being dismantled on air?
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We are trying, wish I had been on Newsnight!
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An excellent blog – thanks very much for posting it.
If Dorothy-Grace Elder is a well respected journalist then I am at a loss as to how she gained that respect when her research is so poor.
However, I was disappointed with John Allen when he said that many of the mountain fatalies were English (or Welsh), inferring that the southern mountaineers are somehow inferior to those in Scotland. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if southern fatalities outnumber Scottish fatalities, but he didn’t back that point up with any specific evidence. As mountaineers, those from England travel to Scotland for the much greater variety of mountainous terrain – 282 Munros compared to less than 20 such mountains in England and Wales. The English and Welsh outnumber the Scottish by over 10:1 and I would expect that southern hillgoers outnumber Scottish hillgoers by a sizeable number. As much as I respect John for his MR expertise and defence of mountaineers from the sensationalist D-G E, his off-the-cuff remark suggesting that Scottish mountaineers have better skills than the English/Welsh was unhelpful.
I am a member of a mountaineering club that has just cancelled a weekend meet to Glen Coe because of the lack of experience of those who wanted to attend. The cancellation was met with the realisation that the club acted in the best interests of responsibility and safety and nobody who wanted to go raised any complaint; they actually thanked us for making the decision.
There are always going to be people on the hills with a greater or lesser level of mountaineering skills, but to imply that that skill level might be determined by their nationality is poor, especially with no supporting evidence.
If anybody has got any statistics to prove John’s point, I’ll happily acknowledge them and, as an Englishman, re-evaluate my mountaineering skills.
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In defence of John’s the point and the one I was trying to make was that Scotland seem to have a more joined up approach to Education for mountain lovers. The numbers coming from the South will be far greater hence the Stats will be higher and in no way would I ever say that the Scots / English divide is in mountaineering abilities,it was just a point in the discussion and I appreciate your thoughts. It is a shame that you had to cancel your weekend in Glencoe. Many thanks for your interesting points.
Regards Heavy .
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Grace-Elder popped up again yesterday on Newsnight Scotland, her views just as strident and apparently unaffected by the facts as put to her on the radio by those who know better than she ever will (including your good self, Heavy). It all seems to have entered her head through one ear and exited rapidly through the other without ever encountering a brain cell in the space between. Sorry to be blunt, but the woman is a genuine idiot and it does the BBC no credit by giving her a platform just on the basis that she is a journalist and failed politican.
Maybe the problem is that mountaineering is one of the last redoubts of genuine personal freedom in an overregulated and controlling society and, as such, is offensive to those without the imagination to conceive that life can be lived without being “managed” by someone else all the time. A pox upon them all.
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Appreciated your comments I shudder to think that that woman received a fee from my licence for such rubbish!
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Heard the programme and was driving along, shouting at the radio when Dorothy Grace Elder was on. Not a woman known for her hill-skills. Thank the stars they at least had some actual mountaineers give their opinion. Yours was the voice of reason, Heavy. Good job, sir.
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Thanks Kev – Me reasonable I must be getting old!
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Thanks for your thoughtful and insightful article.
I was lucky enough to have spent a good deal of time in the hills with Graham Connell over the last year and he was a very close friend of my partner.
Graham was a very experienced and competent winter mountaineer, an excellent navigator, and qualified ML, who had spent a great deal of time walking and winter mountaineering in the area where he unfortunately had his accident. Although I’m a keen winter mountaineer with hundreds of winter hill days logged, and resident in Scotland for 13 years, Graham had actually spent far more time in the Northern Cairngorms during winter than I.
Although he lived in England, he spent a great deal of time in the Scottish Highlands during the winter and loved the place. I was away on a trip with him in the Southern Cairngorms in equally challenging conditions without mishap at the end of January, and it is with great sadness and shock I learnt of his tragic accident on Monday and Tuesday.
Whilst we aren’t fully aware of the circumstances of his accident, knowing of his generally cautious and sensible conduct in the hills, it is the opinion of those who knew him best that he was just unlucky, and prey to an unfortunate incident that could affect any walker or climber who ventures into the mountains in the winter.
These are the risks that the informed and prepared mountaineer mindfully takes on when venturing into the Scottish Mountains in winter, and I fully agree with the sentiments expressed above that we should be mindful of social commentators and journalists who clamour for regulation and prohibition with every new accident. Graham’s death has not affected my, nor my partner’s desire to enjoy winter mountaineering and he would be horrified by any suggestion that anyone should be discouraged from enjoying the sport he so loved due to the consequences of his accident which could affect any one of us.
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Steve
Many thanks for your thought provoking comments and an insight to Graham life as a mountaineer. To me all mountain accidents are a tragedy and we must first of all look after those who bear the brunt of our love of the mountains. I to have lost several friends in the mountains all very powerful mountaineers and appreciate your tragic loss.
Your words and thoughts will keep Graham’s spirit alive.
Take care,
Regards Heavy
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Interesting stuff Heavy. I’ve just had a call from the Sunday Herald, wanting to write a piece on the back of dear Dorothy’s campaign to have us all banned from the hills. Hopefully I managed to put the journalist right on all the mistaken points that Elder stridently announces. Let’s hope the SH publishes a better balanced story…
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Cameron it is good that we are all working together – We need all the support we can get and must get our educated thoughts out there, for to long we have sat back at times. The hills must be for everyone and unregulated as is our birthright. Thanks again Kind regards Heavy.
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I certainly don’t think John Allen was saying that English climbers are in any way inferior.
Perhaps he means climbers who have travelled hundreds of miles are more inclined to go out in less than perfect conditions to at least get something from what could be seen as a wasted trip. I’ve made the same mistake myself, and it’s not a national trait but a human one.
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Thanks for that input!
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Exactly, James.
Time is the forgotten element. And experience is a series of near misses.
I’m sorry not to have given much attention to the Dorothy Grace Elder viewpoint. Just sad to have people constrained by town living.
Scotland’s life expectancy rate, whether in urban or rural ghettos, gives no reason to gloat over any other group while we play the far more dangerous game of physically inactive lives.
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Cheers for the piece Heavy. A fine counter to the poorly-informed stridency of DGE.
It’s a danger in a Health and Safety obsessed culture that only identifiable negative outcomes are considered as the stats of interest in an activity – the rather less measurable (but more important) positive outcome on physical and mental well-being of participants is ignored as unimportant compared to headline grabbing incidents.
It’s also an issue that in the absence of participation figures the actual risk associated with our pursuit is not well-appreciated.
The apparent safety of sloth, Sky+ and the sofa is no safety at all.
Keep up the good work.
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Very true
Thank you!
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As a recap, lets make sure we all know that under the BMC’s terms of reference for the training and youth committee, they are responsible for providing both a student seminar for the executive committees of university climbing clubs throughout the country held at Plas-y-Brenin and the national tour of winter safety lectures in November. https://www.thebmc.co.uk/bmc-winter-lectures-2012
At the SAFOS/SAIS conference in 2011 we all agreed that a more co-ordinated and thorough approach to avalanche education was neccesary. The heuristic trap of believing that we might never get another chance at this ridge/climb/walk is a well documented and insidious danger that leads to people tempting things in less than ideal conditions. I don’t believe that there’s a grand sense of nationalism at the heart of saying that those who have travelled furthest are at the greatest risk of falling foul of this. What I would be interested in hearing people’s views on, is whether the presence of a mountain safety officer (in place of the training and youth committee’s terms of reference) at the BMC would actively improve avalanche awareness.
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Many thanks for that reply – Also understand the funding problems of a Mountain Safety Office and I am sure everything comes at a cost. I do think that the Government South of the Border could be far more helpful in many ways. Mountaineering has always been a poor relation in regards to other sports.ell done. What has been achieved in Scotland was at a cost and a lot of work by all concerned! Nothing is ever easy!
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There’s a fantastic academic paper on justifying the risks of mountaineering to non-mountaineers which if you’re not already aware of, would undoubtedly add some additional weight to the strength of your argument.
Click to access A-Plea-for-Risk_FINAL.compact.pdf
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Thank you Ben I have never seen this before.
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I think your article (and piece on Radio) nailed this excellently, But, am I right that the figure of 21 ‘mountain’ fatalities also includes several heart attack victims and maybe other injuries/illnesses that are largely unrelated to the activity being udertaken?
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I do not know the full extent of the 2011 Stats but my experience tells me that in that figure will include historically medical problems. I will look into it, the problem is the Data protection Act which makes things difficult in the gathering of Stats.
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Some very considered views expressed in your article. As a person who’s life has been enritched beyond comprehension though involvement in a wide range of sports that involve snow, mountains and water running off them it pains me every time I hear of someone (and their family/ friends) for who that environment will be forever associated with loss.
I agree that more could be done to engage participants and future participants in education. I strongly believe I the freedom to roam and adventure.
To defend the BMC, I feel that they do much to promote safe adventure. I also k kw from first hand that they are responsive to suggestions from within thier membership with regard to suggestions on how they can improve thier communication on safety in the mountains. Maybe those of us with the experience and awareness should do more to engage with them to help them build an ever improving strategy that encourages both participation and awareness of the mountain environment at the same time? Many hand make light work.
My personal view to heading out into the hills in winter is that Europeans, in particular those from the UK and other ever increasingly snow deprived regions should perhaps adopt a mentality more akin to that of mountain and snow sports enthusiasts in the Pacific NW. I also think that UK climbers and mountaineers could learn a lot very quickly by taking a look at the ski lift queues in Europe and N America. The vast majority of skiers even intending to head into the powder – never mind ‘out of bounds’ were wearing transceivers and backpacks containing shovel and probe. A significant number were also equipped with ABS systems. Expensive kit maybe -but perhaps some of the most selfless purchases you can make. Shovels, probes and transievers are mainly useful when your mates are in trouble.
So where do we go from here? My view is that it’s time to pull both the community and social media together. Its prime time and perhpas never been easier to educate our our own and enlighten the media, politicians and have a voice in the press than it is now.
I’ve been lovin the mountains since I was 7 and Chris Bonnington appeared on Blue Peter in ’75 to on the back of his Everest missions. I’m from an average background with no ‘priviledge’ and parents who had no mountain background. I would hate for future generations to be deprived the same enjoyment.
Your reaction to the press is spot on. It’s time we joined together and put them in order by ensuring mountaineers and aspirant mountaineers alike are equipped with the information, competence and confidence to get out there!
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Thank you for your comments – I am not criticising the BMC they do a huge amount of great work but maybe a more joined up approach would help and a re look at how we do things in Mountain Safety. We have to keep changing with the modern world and using its means of getting our message out.
Regards
Heavy.
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To be honest I read no criticism of the BMC in your piece at all – my read was that you were simply making the point that more could be done and making a suggestion on how resource might be directed. I think we are still a million miles from the point where doing more to promote mountain safety education and balance the media argument will enter the realms of marginal returns on any investment. My note was simply to recognise the efforts the BMC are already making toward that end.
Versus places like Japan that receive huge quantities of snow every year, yet have a relatively stable snow pack, the UKs is a nation where wind and ever changing weather conditions have a significant affect snow pack stability. Unfortunately our relative lack of snow often means that some participants are not as savvy as their counterparts in more snow-sure destinations. It’s a shame that it’s more than likely we will have to wait for another tragedy before the issue receives any further mainstream media coverage. Sadly I think we can all second guess the flavour of that coverage too.
If the BBC can justify putting our licence few toward putting out a weekly update on skiing conditions in Europe and N America, then why not add a 20-30 second piece covering the key points from MWIS and SAIS updates to weather bulletins -if only at a regional level? Surely that would do more to improve our awareness of present conditions and where to find detailed information than pushing bland snow-depth stats that can be found in any one of a hundred places on the web these days?
Despite being realtively well equipped and aware of some of the factors that lead to marginal conditions, I still welcome any resources and debate that improves my knowledge of this unexact science.
Thanks once again for your original post.
Antony
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Thank you for your thoughts – Avalanche & MWIS Weather could be added to news!
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Agree – I am sure at one time the avalanche report was on the news,weather reports!
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I did not mean to crisize the BMC as they do a good job, just a re look at how Mountain Safety is dealt with down South. At times we have to look what we do and re-evaluate our priorities.
Thank you Heavy
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Mountain tourism is debated less in England & Wales than in Scotland as we’re much less mountainous. Having just watched the Newsnight report, I doubt you would not get that sort of debate on the London version.
At the BMC we’ve been running the student seminar for twenty years now, and have produced good practice posters, an iPhone app, books, web films, booklets and DVDs – three of the latter in partnership with the MCofS. We run the Winter and Alpine lectures each year too.
As we all know, services such as SAIS and MWIS provuide excellent info to help people make an assessment of some of the risks associated with their planned winter mountaineering trip. I think the different challenge in England and Wales is not a lack of info, much of it free, but less experienced people knowing where to look for such information, or even realising that it would be a very good idea to!
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Jon – I appreciate your input and after mountaineering for over 40 years I am very aware of the difference in mountain areas of Scotland and Wales. I do feel that maybe at times we can re -evaluate what and how we do it especially in mountain Education. How we target those who need it will not be easy but we must keep at it and keep up with the times and modern communications. In Scotland a series of lectures occur throughout the honey pot climbing areas and even this takes funding away from other projects and is a constant battle to ensure this continues.
I do appreciate what you and the Mountaineering Council Of Scotland do. After a lifetime of attending Meetings and fighting for money from various agencies it is never easy but in the end worth while. Mountaineering has a low profile amongst those who make decisions in this country but the skills learned within this field are so transferable in life maybe we need to push this a bit more!
Take care and keep up the good work!
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Pingback: Tarmachan Ridge – why I head for winter hills | Project Mountain
Thanks for that Tarmachan – some great replies to yesterdays blog.
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Reblogged this on gasdoc2857.
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Thanks that aricle got a lot of views!
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