new blog

New address for blog is within the Apex Training and Ascent Training sites http://www.ascenttraining.co.uk/ascent-blog-2

Read below for issue with Petzl Gr Gri 2.

Detected dangerous failure in 2 of PETZL Grigri

News

The Grigri 2 of Petzl, which replaces the popular and long-lived Grigri in the same house, a fault in its design that makes it potentially dangerous. CampoBase received Grigri 2 provider of the company in Spain (Vertical SL) just three months, in order to test it, analyze it and conduct a review in the pages of our magazine (see next month's issue of July).

After securing the climber both first and second climbers and point out its strengths and failures, surprise jumped a few days ago when, after arresting a fall, the insurer (our tester) was unable to immediately rope climber, who wanted to repeat the step. We used a string of 10, 2 mm (the device supports ropes from 8.9 mm to 11 mm, with a diameter optimal use from 9, 4 and 10 mm, 3 mm). Our astonishment and surprise was enormous: the line had moved from his guide and was stuck under the bottom of the lever, dangerously pinched. A strong pull of the hand, still holding the rope inert, was used to unclog the line and allow the progression of the climber. But the shock had been tremendous. The rope has not lost his place to stop the fall, but did so when the climber grabbed onto it to go up, leading to the imbalance of the insurer, who grabbed the rope force and provided with that gesture to kick the rope guide the product (see photos 1 to 5). A gesture repeated a thousand times with the first version of Grigri that, however, never had problems of this type.

At first we blame the incident to an incomprehensible accident, but did not lose sight of the incident. Two days later, there was the same and also by chance, this time during the maneuver of lowering of a climber who had completed his route. With the device locked while the climber dismounted the road, the simple gesture of grasping the tightrope again lead to the same abandon its colase space and the left side of the device. Again the rope pinched dangerously.

This time, I discussed with a group of climbers who were in the same school, and to our surprise, one of them confirmed that he had suffered the same problem. Then asked about other climbers have entrusted us with the same comment on the Grigri 2. In successive days, very easily provoke a dangerous maneuver (with the climber hung almost to ground level), confirming the shortcomings of a device that, today, should lose his place in the market.

The characteristics of the first version of Grigri prevented these blunders: the lever was oversized and was close to the hook further back on the rotation axis thereof. Moreover, and above all, the tab is behind the string out of the force is significantly larger in Grigri, that the Grigri 2, and less vertical position, creating a 'dyke' by which rope does not leak to the left, which does not achieve the new version of the device.

The failure Grigri 2 is the more important if one considers that many climbers use nine-millimeter rope with which it even easier to escape the rope is pinched and dangerously. In addition, once tweaked, the device stops to block the rope, which slides down the device!

We checking with a string of 9, 2 mm and the result was negative eloquent.

Text and photos have been already forwarded to the Petzl distributor in Spain and hope that motivates a thorough investigation of Grigri 2 by the French manufacturer. Certainly not recommend using this device.

What we've been up to

The inevitability for being busy is I've been a bit slack keeping the blog up to date. Since the last posting we've had about four school bookings, an ML assessment and ML training course, an SPA refresher and I've squeezed in a family holiday.
As Chair of AMI I've had a visit to Ireland for the MLTUK board meeting and had a few days climbing afterwards.
So overall a busy time and lots on in the coming weeks. There are a couple of places available on the ML courses in June.

Film support work for BBC The One Show

In March Paul supported The One Show's (BBC) nature expert Mike Dilger in a quest to find hibernating bats in Ease Gill cave. With the expert help from Professor John Altringham we descended Link Pot and had an extremely successful day.
The show was screened on Thursday 21st April and can be seen here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b010jrqr/The_One_Show_21_04_2011/

April ML courses

A fantastic week of weather in the Lakes and 20 people on ML courses. 12 very happy people on training and 8 on assessment with 7 passing and the 8th just a night nav re-assessment to undertake. So congratulations to all. May MLA is full but places on the training. Other courses still have places available.

Caving work in the Dales

Just completed an excellent week of caving work with IM Marsh students on a course organised by Duncan Morrison. Duncan delivers the LCMLA caving courses for Apex Training. We had an intro caving trip into Longchurn on day one and then a teaching SRT day followed by a short vertical cave and then a longer SRT trip on the second day. These two days were then repeated for the next group. Motivated, able students' made it a very enjoyable week.

Safety alert on abseiling with prussik on leg loops

Safety alert on abseiling with prussik back up on leg loops
This came to me from Pat Littlejohn in the British Mountain Guides newsletter and makes interesting reading:
Summary - Using a prussik loop back up on your leg loop can open the buckles which are 'cinched' tight (by pulling), now increasingly found on modern harnesses, with dangerous results.
" Last summer on a Technical Alpinism course I taught clients how to protect an abseil with a French prusik clipped into the harness leg loop, a standard technique used almost universally. While using this later abseiling from a gendarme, one client allowed the prussik to bite whereupon the harness leg loop opened and he was left dangling from his waist belt with the prussik jammed against his belay plate. Luckily he was nearly at the end of the abseil and other clients helped him to unweight and free himself.
Wanting to see how this had happened I tried it using his harness and the leg loop undid every time. We then tried other harnesses in the team (which were not identical but similar construction) and again this happened.
All were new harnesses which had leg loops with buckles which 'cinched' tight (by pulling) rather than being back-threaded in the old style (as the leg loop buckles on the harness I was wearing). What happens is that the karabiner of the prussik lodges at the buckle, which then opens because it is being pulled at an angle which 'cinching' buckles won't take, i.e. a force from behind the buckle. This is much easier to demonstrate than to explain!
So many modern harnesses now use 'cinching' buckles on the leg loops, or are in the “Bod” style, that we may have to revert to the method of protecting an abseil with a prussik by clipping the prussik into the belay loop of the harness (usually with a quickdraw or cow’s tail to extend either the prussik or the belay plate), I have always thought this was a safer method anyway, but a bit less convenient and involving more gear.
What worries me is the number of people out there who have been taught to abseil with a French prussik clipped into leg loops with 'cinching' buckles - a lot of people I suspect. "
I've tried to get this to happen on a new Wild Country harness without success - see pictures below. Climbers and instructors should, however, be aware of this possibility.

Mountain Leader Training (MLTUK) board meeting

As Chair of the AMI one of my roles is to represent the association at the MLT board meetings. These happen four times a year and yesterdays meeting was at Glenmore Lodge near Aviemore. With so many people around the room and a large agenda I was surprised how efficiently the day went. Decisions were made and jobs for boards and associations before the next meeting at Tollymore in Ireland in May.

After this meeting members of the ACWG (Associations Collaboration Working Group) which comprises of the British Mountain Guides, AMI, BAIML and MLTA got together with Steve Long the Chair of the group from MLT to discuss how the projects we have are moving alone. This again was a successful meeting.

I then had a mad drive home as my kids were being looked after by my parents as Anne, my wife, is away skiing.

Filming in Easegill cave

On Tuesday 1st March I trained Mike and Dave who work for Icon films to SRT (Single Rope Technique) at the Lakeland Climbing Centre (AKA Kendal Wall). This was in preparation for a descent of Link Pot in Easegill the next day in search of Bats with Professor John Altringham. The filming was for the One Show, I'll post when it is due to go on telly.
The training went very well and both Mike and Dave picked up the skills very quickly.

The next morning we met Professor John, Anita who works with John, Ian Burton the cameraman (Asgard Project and Onsight fame) and Mike, Dave and Charlie (from Icom) in Casterton.
The weather was fantastic and to cut a long day short we descended found hybernating bats, filmed all day and ascended in darkness - a very successful day.

ML refresher

An excellent day on Monday with Clare and Moray in preparation for their ML assessment. The snow from last week has pretty much disappeared from the lower fells so we were back to summer conditions.
 They were both keen to concentrate on navigation so we spent the afternoon and evening on the excellent Coniston Moor area.

Upcoming film work

After a morning swimming with the kids I got together all of my caving equipment needed for a film shoot next week. Icon Films are producing a piece about bats in Easegill with Professor John Altringham of Leeds University. We will be going into Link Pot on Wednesday after some training the day before. I'll report on that next week.

ML refresher

Just had two excellent days out with Chris who is soon to take his ML assessment. Conditions were definitely wintery in the Lakes with snow from 400m. However windless and low cloud meant we therefore had white-out conditions for two days solid. Good practise for a SUMMER ML!

Few days in the office

Had a few busy days in the office last week. Meetings with accountant, a colleague to arrange caving NGB courses and taking bookings and checking emails. Plus some work as AMI Chair Looks set to be a busy year. We are delivering a few ML refresher courses this coming week.

Warning about counterfeit Petzl gear

This I picked up from the AMI forum today.

http://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/201...ing-gear-found

A climbing gear manufacturer has warned of fake versions of its products which have potentially dangerous defects.

Petzl issued the warning after finding Chinese counterfeit copies of their products on the market which do not perform properly and do not conform to standards.

The fakes, which include carabiners and ascenders, are virtually impossible for the public to distinguish from genuine products, the French company warned.

A statement said: “They have been reproduced in a way that makes them very difficult to identify. The following features have been reproduced nearly identically: design, colour, product markings, batch number, instructions for use, down to the most minor details, and packaging.

“Only an in-depth analysis allows us to identify these counterfeit products, due to minor differences in the tools used to produce them.”

Counterfeit versions of the equipment all failed when forces lower than the rated ones were applied. Models that have been counterfeited include the Croll B16 and Ascencion B17 ascenders, Rescue P50 pulley and Attache M35SL carabiner.

Petzl said only a few examples had been found on the market, but climbers and cavers buying the products should only use authorised retailers.

The company added: “Petzl is working hard to stop these counterfeits, which put users’ lives at risk, from reaching the market.”

Petzl products are distributed in the UK by Lyon Equipment, of Dent, Cumbria.

AMI AGM

Over the last year I have been working, with the help of a a small team, on a Mandatory CPD proposal for the AMI. This was to be voted on at the AMI AGM on the weekend of 29th/30th January.
Prior to the AGM I took part in a workshop by Chris Ensoll titled Turbo Short Roping. This was an excellent day and challenged the way I have previously managed two people on a rope in the terrain that short roping is suitable. Thanks Chris a good day as agreed by all that took part.

Well the AGM kicked off at 5pm and soon I was puting my case forward. There are a few folk unhappy with the idea and voiced this but the vote was very positive. 93 Yes, 5 No and 6 Abstained. So that was fantastic news and I was then to stand as Chair of the association.

So there are now 3 challenging years ahead as Chair but exciting ones to. For more information on the AMI please click the logo below.

Climbing in the Northern Corries

Prior to the AMI AGM Steve Stout and I had two days climbing, and good days they were to be. On the first day, after a late start, we did the Genie V,7 (in powder conditions) and on day two The Seam and Invernookie both in excellent conditions.
While we were doing these two routes Andy Turner was cranking away to lead The Hurting X1,11 a phenomenal lead.

Impressive ascent of The Hurting

Mat Heffer leading the Seam

Steve Stout P2 - The Genie

A challenging week

This week has been challenging but not because of the weather. I moved into my new office on Monday (still at the same address) and openreach moved the line and BT took it away. So one week later I'm still without my home and office phone and broadband. So my sincere apologies for delay in sending paperwork though hopefully emails from my BlackBerry have been picked up? I'm promised all will be sorted Monday.  So I'm now Chair of the AMI after last weeks AGM, mandatory cpd was also voted in.

AMI Working the Ben CPD

On the 22nd and 23rd January 12 members of the Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI) met at Alan Kimbers house - Calluna in Fort William. Under the guidance of Alan, Mike Pescod and Richard Bentley everyone gained a huge amount knowledge in the use of Aonach Mor and Ben Nevis. The weather was excellent both days but a little warm.
Winter climbing conditions are good in Scotland and due to be getting cold from Wednesday. Courses and private guiding available. 

Historic meeting at Glenmore Lodge

On Friday 21st Janury a historic meeting convened between the AMI (Paul Platt and Ed Chard), British Mountain Guides (Mark Diggins and Terry Ralphs, BAIML (Izzie Inglis and Nigel Williams), MLTA (Rachel Hinchcliffe) and chaired by Steve Long from MLT. There are exciting plans ahead that will be very benefical for all members of each of the associations and hopefully joint marketing opportunities that will educate the public as to the skills of each association/qualifications - exciting times ahead!

Pre Christmas winter action

Apex & Ascent Training folks had a good run on the crags in the cold weather before Christmas. If you fancy some quiet, low to medium grade mixed routes, then you could do worse that Shelter Crags at the end of Langdale. Jon and I climbed ‘The Big Issue’ IV, 5, well worth its 3 stars. It’s a longish walk to the crag, but if the weather’s really Baltic you could go via Whorneyside Force II/III to break the journey.
Viking Buttress on Helvellyn was quiet and in good shape on the 21^st. Phil and I had this much-loved route to ourselves. He did a great job on the crux pitch which could do with re-seeding – there isn’t a lot of turf on the one move where you really want it!

Low Water Beck III or IV, on a clear night is a blast. The ice was quite different to a couple of weeks ago, which makes it all the more worthwhile repeating the route.

On Christmas Eve, Dave and I shared Cautley Spout III with a few other teams in beautiful weather. Bring on a frigid winter 2011.

Dave on Cautley Spout

Jon Sykes climbing in Langdale

 

Evening ascent of Low Water Beck