STAR LETTER: No spray like home

I lived in the States for seven years, and it was in the magical landscape of Utah that I first took up climbing: Potash Road, Indian Creek and the San Rafael Swell are my first climbing memories.The Americans were very proactive about looking after their crags and I always turned up to Access Fund events. There was plenty of ‘spray’, but also lots of hard work and a great feeling of community and goodwill. When I landed in the UK five years ago, I looked for the same sort of thing, but found nothing. However, over the last 18 months or so, I’ve watched a steady stream of BMC initiatives relating to crag regeneration, gardening and other forms of ‘crag husbandry’. Maybe they were happening long before that and I just wasn't looking in the right place, but my message to the BMC is simple – well done. It needs the BMC to organise it because people are generally lazy, but will always follow where the confident lead. I went to the recent Egerton clean up and was delighted to see 20 people cutting, dragging, sawing and, most importantly, having fun. At each Access Fund event, more people always signed up. There was never any shortage of new members, and always plenty of reasons to join. So if you want to increase your membership, you're on the right track. I hope this letter piques other’s interest to find out what's going on at their crags. See you at the next clean-up, especially if there's more free cake!
Liz Davey, Summit 50

See www.thebmc.co.uk/yourbmc for details of the latest crag clean-ups.

Courage

The courage displayed by many contributors to Summit – most recently by Nigel Vardy in Last Thoughts, issue 49 – has really helped me regain my feet. Just under two years ago I was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, which led to three bouts of surgery and a prolonged course of radiotherapy. I now no longer have lymph nodes in my lower body, have some very significant scars and lymphodema in my legs and groin. I joined the BMC just before my diagnosis and the inspiration provided by the publications (both web and terrestrial) have helped me in the mental and emotional struggle to recover. Reading of the tenacity shown by others has helped bolster my courage to deal with this illness. I’ve also taken up climbing, albeit still indoor, and hope to undertake some winter mountaineering in early 2009. Thanks for a great publication – it helps in more ways than are immediately apparent.
Seb Morgan-Clare, Summit 50

Wolves at the door

Does anyone know of any companies than insure outdoor professionals? I know of Perkins Slade and JLT, but the add-ons soon mount up if I want to include all the activities that I offer. I’m an BAIML, BCU, SMBLA, Institute of Outdoor Learning (APIOL) member and there doesn't seem to be any discount for having higher qualifications, like there is for being a advanced driver. Insurance in this large market seems to be a closed shop. The BCU and SMBLA (for mountain biking) offer their own insurance cover depending on the level of membership. Does this mean that mountaineering has to suffer again? I’d be glad of any help in this matter. As a freelance instructor, keeping premiums to a minimum helps keep the wolves from the door.
Stuart Smith, Summit 50

Mountain girl

‘Mountain Girl’ in Summit 49 was a real breath of fresh air for all us ‘women with altitude’. Being a foot shorter than my male climbing companions, I was left chortling at the descriptions of frustration at not being able to reach the same holds, or not wanting to take the same risks as the boys. It’s really encouraging to see that women do have a place and a voice in serious mountaineering. It was great to see an article on it in Summit, and it proves that it really does cater for all BMC members. Still, with less than 2% of Swiss guides being female, there’s still a long way to go. Keep up the good work.
J. Allsop, Summit 50

STAR LETTER: Call of the wild

Wolves could be making a comeback in Britain. The last one was variously reported to have been killed in Killecrankie in 1680, or near the river Findhorn in 1743. However, as if we have been missing them, a scheme has been approved to create a home for wolves in a safari park near Inverness and enthusiasts want to release a number into the wild. Given the history of supposedly captive species escaping – Iron Age pigs from Glen Dessarry and mink from Appin - the chances are they’ll get out anyway. I’m no ecological expert, but I expect the wolves will have a fine time eating deer and sheep. This will open a new dimension to winter mountaineering. Imagine sitting round the bothy fire on a snowy night waiting for companions to arrive – or not – with howls resounding around the hills. Fangs for the memory! Will the BMC participation statement cover this risk under ‘danger of personal injury or death’? And why stop at wolves? Why not bring back the bears? Does the BMC have a position on this? Should we welcome the wild becoming a little wilder, and greater ecological diversity? Or should we be concerned over the potential loss of members?
Geoff Nichols, Summit 49

China crisis

It was with dismay that I learnt that the BMC chose not to make any expression of concern to the UIAA about the shooting of the Tibetan nun in September 2006, as investigated by Ed Douglas in Summit 44. I initially raised the matter at my February area meeting, where it was thought that the BMC should complain to the appropriate authorities - the UIAA. I also introduced the item at the AGM Open Forum, only to be met with a stunned silence. Yet in 1992 the BMC, along with the Chinese Mountaineering Federation, signed the UIAA Kathmandu Declaration. This is nine separate statements of ethical objectives, including “respect for cultural heritage”. At the Open Forum it was quite apparent that quite a few, both on the top table and on the floor, were quite unaware of the Declaration. But thanks to the efforts of my area rep, National Council did discuss the matter in April, and decided to seek some information from Amnesty International – although why it was necessary to approach them is beyond me, the Ed Douglas article was comprehensive enough. In September the Council discussed the matter once more, and again decided to “re-approach Amnesty for an update”. Amnesty replied on November 5th, too late to raise the matter at the October Assembly of the UIAA. I was not seeking to start WW3, merely an expression to the Assembly of concern, yet it seems to me that putting your signature to an international document counts for nothing in the BMC. In his article Ed Douglas asked the question “do mountaineers care?” The answer is obvious.
K.C. Gordon, Summit 49

Exotic disappointment

I read the Dave Pickford’s article in Summit 48 with great interest. It occurred to me that as access to increasingly remote locations becomes easier, that some sort of 'cautionary tale' database could save an awful lot of disappointment and wasted air miles. I’ve just returned from an extremely unsuccessful climbing trip to Palawan Island in the Philippines. But on a more positive note, I can definitely recommend the island of Soqotra and the northern highlands of Ethiopia.
David Bruton, Summit 49