Kazbek via Karmadon valley

MCS AlexClimb position about safety of the mountain climbing programs.

As it was mentioned not a once, mountain climbing programs and rockclimbing programs of MCS AlexClimb School it is NOT the same thing – they are absolutely different directions, targeted on the different clients's audience. You must understand, that the difference between alpine and rock climbing is big enough, for letting us to speak about these two sportive activities as of a different kinds of activities, connected with different goals, tasks, ways of their realization, with its own difficulties and dangers.

The base, which connects mountain climbing and rockclimbing in the work of MCS AlexClimb School it is comfort and safety of the participants of our climbing programs. With that postilion are connected some limitations and obligations, which the organizers put on the participants. That conditions are different for two main directions - for Mountain (Alpine) climbing and Rockclimbing.

Mountaineering – self standing activity in the frame of MCS AlexClimb School Project. The characteristic of this direction is certain technical complexity of the organization of programs, existence of certain risk which depends on the level complexity of the program, and very uncertain possibility of success. In the mountain programs of MCS AlexClimb School, the Safety is the only basis - as well as in the rock-climbing programs. This safety is always put in priority ahead even of the success of the program. We are professionals in the moutnains and on that our position to the Safety is based.

The guides working at climbing programs of MCS AlexClimb School are specially trained and have experience of behavior in extreme situations, our Guides are equipped with the modern equipment for navigation and communication which is of the top importance in the wilderness conditions where on the abilities of the Guide depend lives of ohter people. But it doesn't mean that they will lead group on to the mountain in any weather or route conditions. Absolutely on the contrary. Guides have no right to attempt any route in case of existence of reasonable doubts concerning weather. That is, the guide has to count not only time necessary for a safe ascentsion of a mountain top, but also possibility of safe descent. All experience and the equipment are intended for rescue the people in an extreme situation, but not at all to come into this situation and to risk lives of people. Climbing programs, even of initial levels, comprise a certain element of adventurism and a set of factors which can't be controlled – weather, a condition of a route, a state of health of participants, other factors complicating realization of the task set in the program. The failure reasons in mountain program there can be many, but here it would be reasonable to draw attention of potential participants of the climbing program of MCS AlexClimb School to some standard situations in order that the participant has a clear idea of our position and priorities. It is very useful for the avoidance of misunderstanding, disappointments and personal frustration connected with possibility of not achieving of desirable result.

We will give some typical examples:

1. Reasonable doubts in weather conditions can become an obstacle for attampting of a mountain route even in case of existence of the acceptable weather at the time of the beginning of the ascent.

What are the reasonable doubts? Any of the following factors: the adverse weather forecast for the area of ascension, visual signs of deterioration of the weather - the ciclon coming, thunder sounds from behind the mountain range, passing of the "cyrrus clouds", sharp falling of atmospheric pressure. Any of these factors and any their combination can be the sufficient reason for not to start an ascension of the mountain route. It doesn't mean that guides can use any reason not to go anywhere, but they have full authority of the such decision. From the participant of our Mountain Climbing program we require the total understanding of a level of responsibility of the Guide, trust to our professional level and respect for Guides decision in any situation.
Balance between "it is possible to go or it is impossible" often is very thin, the correct decision requires an extensive experience and intuition. But, as it was specified in the beginning of this text, for us in priority always is safety, and in case of existence of any doubts concerning safety of a situation, the Guide is obliged to incline scales exactly towards safety, endowing thus success of action.

2. A disease of the participant or suspicion on a disease

Care about own health – a personal record of each of participants. The age qualification for participation in climbing programs of MCS AlexClimb School – 22 years, on condition of absence of medical contraindications to intensive physical activities and stay at height. That is, the participant has to be completely healthy for participation in the climbing MCS AlexClimb program. We don't demand any formal medical certificates from participants, signing of the agreement on participation in the climbing program is the statement of the participant that he is completely healthy. The MCS AlexClimb school doesn't assume any responsibility for possible consequences in case of existence and an aggravation at the participant of any disease. During the Guide program watches closely a state of health of each participant. At emergence of symptoms of a disease the guide is obliged to take all measures for prevention of continuation of the program by the sick participant, and for his evacuation in case of need. Any forms of an indisposition – cough, headaches, gastric frustration, AMS signs (a mountain illness) can be symptoms of a disease. Each participant of the climbing program has to understand that any diseases, insignificant in the city or on the plain, can lead very quickly to fatal consequences in the conditions of highlands. For an example, simple cough at the height of 3000 meters, after rise on 4000 within days can lead to an inflammation and hypostasis of lungs, and to death. At the height of 6500 meters people died of transient quinsy in 6 hours. Therefore, it is necessary to understand that any disease of the participant on a route is the unconditional emergency demanding immediate actions and full concentration of forces for safety of the sick participant.
2. A disease of the participant or suspicion on a disease

Care about his own health – a personal obligation of each of participants. The age qualification for participation in the mountain climbing programs of MCS AlexClimb School – 22 years, on condition of absence of medical contraindications to intensive physical activities and stay at altitude. That is, the participant has to be completely healthy for participation in the mountain climbing MCS AlexClimb program. We don't demand any formal medical certificates from participants, but signing of the agreement on the participation in the Mountain Climbing Program is the statement of the participant that he is completely healthy. The MCS AlexClimb school doesn't assume any responsibility for possible consequences in case of the existence and an aggravation of any disease which the participant did not declare on the applying for participation in our Mountain Program. During the Program, Guide watches closely the state of health of each participant. At emergence of symptoms of a disease the Guide is obliged to take all measures for prevention of continuation of the program by the sick participant, and for his evacuation in case of need. Any forms of an indisposition while being in altitude – cough, headaches, gastric frustration, AMS signs (Acute Moutain Sickness) can be symptoms of a disease. Each participant of the climbing program has to understand that any diseases, insignificant in the city or on the plain, can lead very quickly to fatal consequences in the conditions of the highlands. For an example, simple cough at the height of 3000 meters, after rise on 4000 within several days can lead to an inflammation and hypostasis of lungs, and possibly to death. At the height of 6500 meters people died of transient quinsy in 6 hours. Therefore, it is necessary to understand that any disease of the participant while climbing of a mountain route is the unconditional emergency demanding immediate actions and full concentration of forces for safety of the sick participant. The disease of the participant during ascension is the unambiguous basis for the termination of the mountain Program and an emergency evacuation from the area (in case there is no possibility of division of group and evacuation of the diseased with the attendant).

3. A conflict situation in group, inadequate behavior of the participant

Being in the mountains, we became in in the unusual and, often, uncomfortable for us situation, connected with performance of duties, unusual for us normally, interaction with new people, serious physical activities. All this very often changes habitual behavior model of the person, shows him from the new side, both for others, and for himself. In such situation people can act differently that in theiar normal life, sometimes behave childly, inadequately. For example: desire to be photographed on the brink of a cliff, to swim in the mountain river, to take a walk alone in a glacier, despite a reasonable advice of the Guide, to refuse to perform the public duties, disrespectful or offensive behavior to other participants or to the Guide, attempts of manipulation by other participants of the group with the purpose to undermine authority of the Guide – all this can come to the tragedy or to become the reason of failure of all the Mountain Program. The professional obligation of the Guide in such case – to be the correct psychologist, to try to level behavior of the person, to give the chance for self-control. However, not always and not in each situation the "soft" solution is possible. On technical part of a mountain climbing route, safety of all group fully depends on adequate behavior and discipline of each participant. As well as in case of reasonable doubts in weather conditions, the Guide also has to estimate psychological readiness of a group for ascension of a mountain, timely reveal the tension points, the coming conflicts which are capable to prevent safe realization of th eMountain Program. In case if the behavior of the participant creates a threat to security of a group, the Guide has the right to discharge guilty participant of his further participation in the Mountain Program. If this discharge can't be organized in a safe form (to leave the participant in hotel, habitated place, base camp, resque station), the termination of the Mountain Program for all the group can be the only possible decision. Each participant has to understand that his comfort and safety depend first of all on his own behavior in relation to other participants of the Mountain Program, that goals of this Mountain Program can be reached only together and amicably, that all participants of the Mountain Program have gathered together for achieving the common succhess. Thus, mutual respect, attention to each other, understanding and patience, are the most important components of the SAFE MOUNTAIN CLIMBING.

Let's sum up the result. Mountains are motionless millions of years, and people come and go. And then come back if something didn't turn out rightly. But for coming back it is necessary to survive and stay alive, and for that sometimes we have to retriet. That is philosophy of MCS AlexClimb Mountain Climbing School - and that is base on which we guarantee the safety of any our Mountain Climbing Program.