Peer Led Workshop looking at practices and techniques for working on this popular guided ridge.  including:

- Approaches + Access

- Common Issues and challenges

- Emergencies + Incident management

The day will be led / facilitated by Pete Greening, experienced MCI and over 10 years working on the ridge including managing a number of incidents.

Booking - on here and email Pete at petegreening@hotmail.com  

Equipment - Bring rack and ropes suitable for guiding 1-2 clients on a multipitch climb

**This workshop is open to trainees**

Event Report

Bosigran(Commando) Ridge is a unique, yet well-known feature on the North coast of West Cornwall.  It has always been a popular climb (Graded Very Difficult). Since gaining notoriety through exposure on several TV programmes, it has become a common guiding request from clients, to AMI members operating in the SW.  It is not a straight forward guiding task, as even descending to the start involves at least one abseil, scrambling, and the ability to correctly assess the sea conditions to safely gain the start.  Also, rescue from the Ridge can be difficult.  The Coast Guard (who have the responsibility for rescues on the coast) do not have the ability, skills, equipment or procedures to come to the aid of a casualty, unless it’s by helicopter.

Aims/Objectives:

1. Provide an opportunity for members to spend the day looking at the Ridge in detail, including approaches to the start, rough sea options, route variations, escape options.

2. Provide an opportunity for members to share guiding ideas and route choices and try them out.

3. Provide an opportunity for members to appreciate the difficulties of bringing an injured/incapacitated climber to safety, either alone, or with assistance from the Emergency Services

4. To see which mobile phone company provides the best coverage on the Ridge.

5. To provide an opportunity for members to socialise/network, particularly as most work independently and in isolation.

What Happened:

After everyone arrived, we went to the Climbers Club hut (The Count House) for a brew and to discuss the plan for the day.  After intros and affirmation of the intended aims and objectives, participants were given the opportunity to add their own aims/objectives to the list.  Pete Greening, who has been involved in assisting the Coast Guard in the rescuing of injured persons from the ridge in the past, spoke at length about the difficulties the emergency services have with dealing with an incident on the Ridge, and that the use of a helicopter to winch a casualty off was their “Go-To” option and was something that could take longer than most expected.

We then went over to the top section of the Ridge and discussed the various options of how to access the other side to ultimately gain the start of the route.  The group then went down the grass

on the eastern side, to a point where it was easy to gain the Ridge about half way along its length, and then crossed and descended the western side to a point where one would need to abseil/lower clients.  Discussions took place about the management of clients to this point, the alternatives, people’s top tips etc, plus what to do if it all went wrong and you had to get someone up and off knowing that you might have to wait for a helicopter.

Having returned to the top end of the Ridge, participants split into 3 groups and then descended to the bottom end by various means, before choosing different places to access the Ridge to start climbing up it.  Some went to sea level to discuss ways of judging whether the prevailing sea conditions would prevent access to the Ridge at this point, while others looked at the various alternative starts.  Teams then progressed along the Ridge, in their own time, trying alternative lines, stances, client management scenarios and teaching/instructing opportunities.  We all kept checking our phones to see which network had best coverage.

Once everyone had completed the route, we went back to the Count House for another brew and to discuss the day and to share people’s findings and experiences.

Were the Aims/Objectives met?  Yes

Lessons Learnt:

1. Most agreed that the Ridge, despite being a simple climb, it is complex in nature, requiring anyone guiding it to have, and use, a multitude of skills and experience to give their clients the best, and safe, experience.

2. It is important to check the sea conditions/tide of the day forecast, prior to arriving, then begin to monitor the actual conditions as soon as one can on the descent, and to always err on the side of caution, if things look 50/50

3. As a venue, the Ridge provides many teaching opportunities. The trick is to use those opportunities for the benefit of the clients.

4. Whilst on the Ridge, mobile phone signal, on any network, is virtually non-existent. Two participants said they have already invested in satellite communication devices (Garmin In-Reach Mini). Because of this, and the discussion that took place, at least one other participant has also invested in a satellite communication device.

5. Most participants were unaware of the difficulties the Emergency Services would have in extracting a casualty from the Ridge. This reinforced the need to ensure good and safe practice was carried out at all times, even on the approach/descent to the start. Keeping pitches short and belaying in sight of a client would aid communication and increase safety.

6. Socialising is important for people’s well-being.

Participant Feedback:

“There’s more to the Ridge than just the ridge”

“The difficulties in the management of clients to get to the start”

“Exploit the teaching possibilities”

“Nice to see folk”

Thanks:

Thanks to Rob Seymour, Count House Custodian, for the use of the hut.

Participants:

Pete Greening (Lead) MT No: 61235

Barry Thomas

Georgia Thomas

Matt Thomas

Charlie Chambers

Adam Hill

Richard Mossee Moss*

*Richard Moss’s membership lapsed because of not accruing the prerequisite CPD points, hence him attending.

Start

21/10/2021 09:30

End

21/10/2021 16:30

Total Days

1

Maximum Bookings

6

Bookings

6

Venue

Bosigran

Town

Penzance

County

Cornwall

Postcode

TR20 8YX

Country

United Kingdom

Latitude

50.17409

Longitude

-5.61305

Name

AMI

Phone

07841746334

Website

Email