I have just read several breaking news reports that has named the Young lady from Bangor University, who recently died in a Zip Wire incident in Saas-fee. Reports seem to say that she opted to not use the breaking system that is recommended. I guess life is a story of choices we make, be they good or in this case very bad.
I did some work with the SSHES courses earlier in the year, and may well have taught this young lady how to climb. Many of the Bangor Uni degree’s in Sport Science, have fairly large element of Outdoor Activities. The second year is often seen as a use of the rope in a variety of outdoor settings. It was through this that I worked on the last couple of weeks of the course, taking those students that possessed the knowledge, experience and desire to make their first easy lead climbs.
As well as this death, there was another tragic accident early this year, from another Bangor University Student, who fell off whilst climbing in Llanberis Pass and severely injured her foot to the extent that I don’t know whether this girl kept her foot, as the last time I heard it was touch and go.
Personally I doubt it is a case of a problem of the teaching at the school, but one of students attitude towards climbing and risk, which can often be one of a do or die approach. More often it is the men who get fired up in a game of one upmanship competed in their minds for superiority. I guess it is a human trait that during adolesence we can, just like our primate ancestors jockey to be the Alpha Male.
However it seems that in these cases it was young women who knocked at the door of adventure, and got a nasty surprise when it opened. It is a total waste of a life, and a sad time for all at SSHES.
Interestingly BUMS has the tag line ‘Having Epics since 1952’.