Page 33 - 1994 AMA Summer

An Old Poser !
Major Graham Turner in a relaxed pre-lunch mood.
CIVILIAN RECOGNITION OF
MILITARY MOUNTAINEERING AWARDS
The Mountain Leader Training Board has been providing training for leaders, instructors and supervisors for thirty years. Its awards are recognised by the Department for Education and by many other civilian organisations. While the services have always maintained strong links with the MLTB. the two organisations have recently been working towards harmonising military and civilian awards.
Mountain«alking Leader Award
It is now possible to attend Unit Expedition Leader and Joint Services Mountain Expedition Leader courses as an MLTB candidate. Provided you have already registered with the MLTB, the UEL course will count as training for the Mountainwalking Leader Award and the subsequent JSMEL course as assessment. Even if you didn’.t register with us but have got a UEL or JSMEL award then you could be eligible for exemption from training for the ML scheme.
Single Pitch Supervisors Award
The Single Pitch Supervisors Award, introduced in 1992, is available to anyone with a genuine interest in climbing and group supervision. While the military and civilian awards are not yet harmonised. JSRCI. Rock Leader or even Top Roping & Abseiling awards would be considered as part of an appli­ cation for exemption from training for the SPSA scheme.
Mountain Instructor Award
If you already have a Mountainwalking Leader Award (Summer) and substantial rock climbing and instructional experience then you can apply to register with the MIA scheme.
For registration details and further information on any of these awards, complete the coupon below and send to:
MLTB, Capel Curig, Gwynedd, LL24 OET.
Mountain Leader Training Board ¿/\ J
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Please send me details of:
□ MOUNTAIN WALKING LEADER AWARD ü SINGLE PITCH SUPERVISORS AWARD
□ MOUNTAIN INSTRUCTOR AWARD
N a m e .......................................................................
Bernard found a vertical fin of ice that jutted out towards the far side and roped together in two groups we front pointed out on one side of the fin and jumped the gap. A group of French clim bers had follow ed our lead across the glacier but baulked at this last move. Their guide attempted to flatten off the top of the fin with his ice axe to give them an easier platform, but they were having none of it and decided to opt for the long way round and the ‘tourist’ route to the summit.
Up till then, we had not been too impressed with Peter Halls’ weather provision, but our subsequent attempt on Mont Blanc led to a total sense of humour failure. The slog up to Mount Corbeau to camp for the nightjust below La Junction, was car­ ried out in a rainstorm. Bernard. Peter Hall, Stephen, and Peter Brierly, all aborted that evening having run out of dry clothes, sleeping bags and tents, leaving just three of us to wait out the sleet, rain and snow. In the grey light of dawn we stood at La Junction where the Bosons and Tacconaz glaciers meet, and looked across to where the Grands Mulets hut could just be seen in the murk. Fresh snow covered the jumbled mass of snow and ice in front of us, making it hard to spot the smaller crevasses. As we stood there, thinking about a route to cross over to the hut, the whole centre of the glacier began to move, deep crunching sounds arose from the flowing mass, blocks as big as houses sank or tipped over and like a river of dirty white lava, the centre of the glacier streamed off down the mountain. We all stood there mute with awe at the spectacle. Then, as the crunching sounds died away below us, without a word we all quietly packed our gear and set off down to the warmth of Chamonix and home. We had enough Alpine experience for one season! (PS. Thanks for the company, Peter, shame about the weather, don’t call us, we’ll call you!).
A d d r e s s
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