Fiona Gunn, née Ducker - A life

 For what is it to die?

But to stand naked in the wind

and to melt into the sun.

And what is it to cease breathing?

But to free the breath from its restless tides,

that it may rise and expand and seek God, unencumbered.

Only when you drink from the river of silence

shall you indeed sing.

And when you have reached the mountain top,

then you shall begin to climb.

And the earth shall claim your limbs.

Then shall you truly dance

Kahlil Gibran "The Prophet"

How do justice to a remarkable woman, and share a life full of love family and adventure. Not an easy task but here is a eulogy to that remarkable person much of which was hidden under a self effacing manner and selfless character. She was a quiet Christian preferring to live her faith in acts of kindness rather than talking. Here's an insight into that person with some text and photos. The images will enlarge with a click over them if you wish.

Young Fiona already with flowers

Fiona was born in Bath 28/02/1960. A child full of character and with a mind of her own from an early age. She spent formative early years with her parents John and Mary in Africa where they were called for mission work, John flying a Cessna to various remote corners of Africa delivering doctors, medical supplies and doing important work. Mary manning the radio and bringing up Fiona and her siblings Chris, Pandy and Julia who arrived later. Fiona remembered the float plane and swimming in Lake Victoria after a Hippo check flypast, and memorable dirt track journeys to and from School in Jos Nigeria. Kenya, Sudan, Chad and Tanzania were countries they worked in over the years and John thinking nothing of a quick nip into the Ngorongoro crater to see the wildlife with family or friends. Africa left an indelible impression, some good some not so. A common thing with Mission children. Sadly we never got back to some of these places. North Africa was as far as we got and the edge of the Sahara where we were turned back because their was a war.

John, Mary Fiona, Chris and Angela (Pandy)

Fiona defending dolly from curious locals

Fiona at the Blue and White Nile junction

When a pre teen she came back to Wadhurst School in Sussex where she stayed until the family decided to come back to the UK and set up the Christian Adventure Trust on Tanera Mor just off Achiltibuie North of Ullapool. At 16 she was a boarder at Dingwall academy. Tanera was formative, it was here that a young girl evolved into a woman with a taste for adventure that could run rampant among the mountains and in the sea. Kayaking, Sailing and Mountaineering, sun bleached blond hair and brown as a berry from a life outdoors. 

Wild Child Fiona on her summer holidays at Tanera Mor

Fiona  right with one of the ponies on Tanera

The family moved from Tanera lock stock and barrel with staff in 1975 when the lease ran out on the Island. They moved to "Carnoch House" home of the late Hugh Grant, and re started as Carnoch Outdoor Centre. This ran from 1975 until 1988 before being bought and run by the Williams family as Glencoe Outdoor Centre which it is to the present day.

I first saw Fiona on her Icelandic pony riding bareback through the village with her sister Angela (known as Pandy by the family). Venga and Meshoni were the horses names. I was struck by this blond attractive girl looking a bit wild and interesting so meeting her at the Tidal pool one day didn't hesitate to ask her on a date. The date consisting of a walk to Clachaig and a pint of Cider for her and beer for me. The rest, well lets just say I had a girl/woman who didn't want to be tamed, was up for anything and always had a huge laugh and big smile not far from her face, even when half way up a deluge in Clachaig gully. 

Fiona in Clachaig gully retro style. Cynthia and her both soloed it one summer evening 1hr 50m bottom to top and back in the pub 

The 17 year old bombshell mucking about on Carnivore which she later did in proper shoes. EB's

17 years old at Dingwall Academy. A bit colder than Tanzania

At 21 Fiona was the first West Highland Way Ranger, a job she did for 3 years

She was just seventeen. Six months later we got engaged and Nov 1978 we got married in St Mary's Glencoe then moved into a tied house at Achindarroch Duror where I was working with a Forestry winch and Felling team clear cutting hundreds of thousand's of tons of old Growth forest. Some huge tree's and tragically some accidents including a fatal one to a friend. Fiona was involved as she was at home and the nearest phone for the emergency services. I was very much involved during our courtship and after with the mountain rescue team. Fiona came and helped on many rescues although not made to feel very welcome by some old hands, one of whom told her he came on rescues to get away from his wife and its no place for a woman! That she had climbed some of Glencoe's hardest routes and the complainant was no climbing star it was particularly ironic, and although it hurt it didn't bother her for long. She became a highly competent mountaineer summer and winter and shared a rope most often with me, but also climbed with many of the folks who went on to be IFMGA Guides or already had the carnet. 

Fiona and I about to do "White Wall Crack"

Fiona back right 3rd in next to Cathel MacLeod. Front runners Paul Moores, Jim Morning. The first Highland Cross event to raise funds for a CT Scanner for Raigmore. CT scans were to become a big part of life in the future. 

Fiona was also a very good skier doing her BASI 3 when in her early twenties and helping run the ski school at what is now Glencoe Mountain but back in the late 70'a and 80's was "White Corries". The outdoor centre took over the ski school and ski hire from Ronnie Weir, running it for 10 years. When Philip Rankin did some midweek opening the ski school did the ski rescue as the weekend volly's were not up. Fiona often took the lead in first aid and rescue using the MacInnes stretchers up the hill getting folk down the old chair lift to the bottom. Fiona skied with a neatness and economy of effort even on steep terrain. We messed up once in Verbier ducking some ropes on Mont Gele into a couloir, and its was rock hard ice. It was very scary near death experience in this 1,500 gully, but she held it together even managing a kick step above an ice pitch. I couldn't make the kick turn and dropped the pitch nearly loosing it totally. The cable car had stopped above us to watch and when we got to the bottom the pisteurs just shook their heads. Not sure if it was admiration or or bewilderment!

Below Easy Gully Nevis Range

Fiona was also a good sailor with an RYA senior instructors ticket which she gained at Cumbrae National Training centre on the Clyde, being assessed on the day of the famous 1986 Hurricane. We also did our windsurfing instructors awards there. Windsurfing was big part of our lives through the 80's. Any big wind day would see us loading up the boards or heading down to the Ballachulish sailing site to rip across the loch on our short boards or out to loch Linnhe for a bit of wind against tide wave action at Corran. Fiona also windsurfed the entire 26 mile length of Loch Ness on a Mistral short board, broad reaching miles more than the lochs length. She was a powerful and strong athlete, the term used these days would be ripped. With her bleached blond long hair she was bonny lass indeed. 

Spring 1979 seven months married

A foray off Arisaig on the long board during a family camping trip of which there were very many

Gunn Clan at the beach

We had married young. Fiona 18 and me 21. We had a lot of fun in our twenties, but settled after 12 years married and decided to have a family. One last adventure being us both working a full ski season in the French alps working at various resorts such as La Clusaz, Valloire, Vars, Les Orres and finally in Pra Lou until late April. From March we new Fiona was expecting as we had planned to start a family. It was hard work running the ski school, liaising with the ESF instructors and dealing with morning sickness, as well as odd days above 2,300m. Fiona didn't adapt well to altitude above 2,300m, I was fine, but I was not expecting.

On our return in May I met up with Dr Bob one of the British Association of Ski Patrollers' (BASP) founders. I had met up with Bob and fellow patrollers over the previous two years during and after the associations founding. He mentioned that the current association secretary was standing down and the position vacant. So Fiona's name was put forward and at the 1990 agm at Kingshouse she became secretary. Part time working from home it was ideal when Esther came along. She continued with BASP for the next 23 years developing both the association and first aid training programme. BASP became the leading provider of First aid and medical training for outdoor pursuits instructors and NGB's as well as many mountain rescue teams. Organising courses all over the alps and UK, and also international meets such as FIPS.  During this time we were blessed with Duncan my son and later with Rebekah. Juggling family and work long before Covid. 

Scottish Ski Patrollers training with the PHGM Modane crew at Tignes FIPS 2005. Fiona 2nd left

The family meant everything to her. "I love you to the moon and stars" her favourite saying

She used her instructional skills to help all our family become competent skiers and rock climbers as well as she herself taking to mountain biking like a duck to water, and our 3 children enjoyed it. Many family holidays were to the 7 Stanes, weekends at trail centres, or constructing our own tracks around Glencoe. She and I also road biked, entering Sportive rides or weekly road racing or time trailing with West Highland Wheelers or North Argyll cycle club. 

MTB Glen Feshie

Etape Caledonia

After 48 off road miles in the 3G's cycle race. We also won a pairs at a 10 under the Ben

After Cancer struck first in 2011 she raced less but did a lot of time keeping for the clubs. Always a good club volunteer. Until 2018 we biked a lot but that year the Cancer returned and major surgery on her skull between her eyes and then radio therapy set her back. Very few folk realised she had this as it wasn't visible. She basically had her forehead removed and put back but such was the surgical skill the big scars were under the hairline and not seen after the staples were out. She referred to the staples as her Tiara. She was back on the bike in a couple of weeks. I had by then got back into outdoor rock climbing as had my son Duncan, and the girls inside climbing.

During Chemo her project was clearing "The Secret Garden"

The secret garden was and is a work in progress which was her therapy as much as any treatment. Its now in the good hands of a group of community volunteers who all loved Fiona.

A woman who liked her hands in the soil and had very green fingers even the week before passing. She often used the language of flowers to express how she felt in giving plants to folks that had some meaning  to how they were.

Fiona's mastectomy and surgical implant and rebuild  of her chest wall meant she couldn't climb but she did belay us all, and in particular held my ropes from below on some hard sport climbs. She probably shouldn't have mountain biked but loved the thrill of a gnarly trail. She biked up until 3 months before she passed away. Despite an electric bike which she reluctantly bought, it was getting too much. 

After leaving BASP in 2012 she worked at West Highland College UHI until she passed away, enjoying 10 years with some great folk who became friends for life. She was a remarkable woman. Her grandmother who was a formidable lady aptly described her when she said "Ducker women are full of vim and vigour". 

Julia, Granny at 100, Angela (Pandy) and Fiona remarking that Ducker women had "Vim and Vigour"

Motor replacement in a Dyson. She loved cars and between us we stripped an engine and re bored it and replaced it and the gearbox ourselves when just married, and she serviced the carburettor and was really good at setting engine timing.

Fiona doing a bit of Yoga at 10,000ft above Durango the Colorado bouldering mecca

"Vim and Vigour". Very true, I count myself lucky to have married one with it in spades as she kicked me up the backside and made me whatever it is I became never ceasing to encourage, cajole and support. She supported me in mountain rescue, climbing, and all aspects of my life. It was she who recognised I had a good brain and should go into adult education and University. When I received my MBE I always thought it was hers and the family's more than mine. Behind every man is a good woman. That woman was Fiona to me and she was a stunning woman in every aspect. That she was in my life for 45 years is something I will always thank God for. We always felt we were the best for each other, and that glue kept us together until death parted us.

MBE day with the Queen at Holyrood. She was so proud and yet it is she and the others worrying at home while we are out on the mountains that deserve the medals

40th Wedding Anniversary

Two oldies

                   She lived to see Daisy our Grand daughter. A delight to us both

On the Death of the Beloved by John O’Donohue

Though we need to weep your loss,
You dwell in that safe place in our hearts,
Where no storm or night or pain can reach you.

Your love was like the dawn
Brightening over our lives
Awakening beneath the dark
A further adventure of colour.

The sound of your voice
Found for us
A new music
That brightened everything.

Whatever you enfolded in your gaze
Quickened in the joy of its being;
You placed smiles like flowers
On the altar of the heart.
Your mind always sparkled
With wonder at things.

Though your days here were brief,
Your spirit was live, awake, complete.

We look towards each other no longer
From the old distance of our names;
Now you dwell inside the rhythm of breath,
As close to us as we are to ourselves.

Though we cannot see you with outward eyes,
We know our soul's gaze is upon your face,
Smiling back at us from within everything
To which we bring our best refinement.

Let us not look for you only in memory,
Where we would grow lonely without you.
You would want us to find you in presence,
Beside us when beauty brightens,
When kindness glows
And music echoes eternal tones.

When orchids brighten the earth,
Darkest winter has turned to spring;
May this dark grief flower with hope
In every heart that loves you.

May you continue to inspire us:

To enter each day with a generous heart.
To serve the call of courage and love
Until we see your beautiful face again
In that land where there is no more separation,
Where all tears will be wiped from our mind,
And where we will never lose you again. 

Fiona Gunn 28.02.1960  - 25.08.2022

Glencoe's Low Level Cragging

Stunning Spring weather so I took a run up Glencoe to visit some of the roadside crags. "The Bendy" has many routes. I did routes at either end and one in the middle with Gary Latter back in the 1980's and Gary and Stork did some other ones. The Bendy is a great Spring and Summer morning venue and has a tremendous big swimming pool below it. Midge hell at night though. Sad to see the old Rannoch Club Doss debris after the fire. As a rescuer we were there a few times taking club members out who had broken legs on the wooden ladder climbing down into the gorge to get to the hut. Often on return from Clachaig.

Below this is the really good little "Dry Gorge Crag" an excellent evening crag which catches the sun and has easier less bold routes than the Bendy. Up the dry gorge is "The Squirrels Crack" and opposite a nice but short crack route that I did with Mark Tennant which about HVS 5a/b. Further up is the bold blank crag that Garry Latter did a few routes on.  I think these routes are in the new outcrops guide and some are certainly in Garys selected climbs guide Scottish Rock Vol. 1 South. If you want to study the images closer just click on them and open up a bigger size.

I

All that remains of  "The Rannoch Doss" a once well used and secretive hut below Allt na Reigh

Bang in the pic centre at the top of the wall is the final groove (with a peg runner) of "Simmering Psycho" E3 6a Davy Gunn lead and Chris Ducker (Fionas Brother) 1998

The left side has a cracking E2 5b that I did with Mark Waugh as second. In the middle wall are the E4 6a's that need RP's and have exploding crimps!  I did a FA of one with Gary and the others I think he did with Stork. There is a dry platform below so no need for wet feet. Quite a pool and roaring waterfall across from you.

The Dry Gorge Crag. A great little micro crag. Maybe 10m in height. Right to left. The grey wall on the right with a very thin crack is "Crimp" needing a couple of RP's is E2 6a and crimpy. Left again is the very well protected "Sin Nombre" E1 5b a bomber crack for cams and mid sized stoppers. Left again across the black streak is "Ascolatre" E1 5c again good pro but a bit thuggy. Then left is an alternative direct start to the same finish which is maybe 5b/c. FA's Davy Gunn with Chris Ducker and others.

Slightly further up on the same side as the dry gorge crag is"Crack Route" HVS 5b FA Davy Gunn and Mark Tennant. A damp little number but well protected with cams and nuts.

Even further up on the left side is "The Squirrels Crack" by - you guessed it, the Edinburgh Squirrel climbing club.  No give away at HVS 5a/b it used to have a peg runner at the overhang and is fairly well protected but no belay at the top so its a sit and squat job or leave a rope far back. You can get to this route from the top of the dry gorge by scrambling in from the high point.

Garys Crag has a few hard routes but no gear. Multiple bouldering matts might suffice as they are "highballs"

Looking up into the bowels of Beinn Fhada in the middle is a slot. The right side has a detached pillar with a route called "Triple C Special" HVS 5a. You can take it that it's pretty much ungradable much like KAK it's V-Diff neighbour lower down which in the old english would be XS. Both would be nice for those liking a JH Bell style such as Chimney Route - Severe Aonach Dubh "where the last 20 feet are on rock"!!

Looking across from the top of "The Squirrles Crack" to Allt na Reigh home of  Downie's Barn (on the right of the cottage) which is often mentioned in Alastair Borthwicks book "Always a Little Further". This later became Hamish MacInnes's workshop when he started making ice axes and stretchers so is a bit of Glencoe's history. Under the old road bridge (this is a new one) used to be another doss which in my day the donkey jacket clad "Black Frank" lived in. He was a dirtbag climber who lived rough and climbed hard in the 1970's and who's favourite ice tool was shortened wooden grivel axe with a bent pick he had shaped over a gas stove.

À la recherche du temps perdu - or getting an MOT?

When to the sessions of sweet silent thought

I summon up remembrance of things past,

I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought,

And with old woes new wail my dear time’s waste …

Shakespeare Sonnet 30

Today has started as a stunning cold sunny March morning so I decided to walk back after dropping my car for its MOT. An enjoyable wander where I bumped into an old climbing and rescue colleague and we chatted about all things mountain. In conversation he said, by the way I must thank you again for saving our lives, me and my belayer 27 years ago. Not quite what I expected! Among the many boxes of memories some locked away, it took me back to the night in question and especially the guys who I was with. Great guys and sadly one, Millsy, no longer with us.

Paul Mills "Millsy" and Rescue 137 Sea King

The night in question was late February, bitterly cold and moonlit to the point of making a head torch largely redundant. Al, a very experienced local climber had set off earlier that day with a local lad learning the winter ropes. Their route was North West Gully Stob Coire Nam Beith. NW Gully is a modest 450m grade II/III winding its narrow way up past "the Pyramid" and "Sphinx" and if taken direct can be a bit harder on steeper ice. The rock architecture is fantastic and although the route is 450m in the guides, its actually a lot longer than that to the summit and feels quite alpine in scale. That day it was bullet proof neve and in great condition. No mobile phones back then and no great shakes to be a little late back so Al's wife was not too concerned when he wasn't home by five o'clock, although like myself we often started early and expect to be back 4 o'clock-ish.  However, when they had not come back by Eight she phoned Hamish. He wasn't at all concerned as Al was experienced and no point in calling the team out when they were probably just finishing late. She however felt something wasn't right so called him back again at Nine to get the same response. Meantime, as one of Al's friends she called me and asked what she should do, so I said I would get a couple of the lads next door and we would go have a look. I radioed the team and said three or four of us were going up for a nosey to put her mind at rest. My neighbours at that time were Peter (Chalky) White on one side, and Paul Mills on the other. Chalky was a forecaster with the SAIS, ex RAF MR, and a damn good mountaineer and rescuer. Paul "Millsy" was working as an independent MIC after leaving Glenmore Lodge and at that time was staying in a wee damp hovel of a cottage next to Tigh Dearg which has since been knocked down. Gary Latter was in it before him. Someone else came out as well but I cannot for the life of me remember who!

Pete "Chalky" White.
Wearing the safety gear of the day building Glencoe Mountains new chairlift 1990

We set off up into the corrie moving pretty fast as it was now about ten pm at night, and made our way around the right of the corrie to near the "Rognon" a raised feature on the West side up towards Hidden Gully, and started shouting. Faintly we heard shouts back and could just about make out that one was injured. This changed things a lot and we moved into rescue mode, called up the team and asked for a SAR helo. Millsy and I headed down towards "the Gate" and around as we were a bit lower and started soloing up NW Gully. By this time its getting on for eleven. We climbed up until we reached the right fork of NW and a variation finish, and Chalky was able to direct our lights to the shouts and a faint beam of light he was able to see. The right fork goes up the Sphynx to the Mummy where there is a hard pitch up to the shoulder. This is probably old fashioned grade IV, short and steep and a bit of a sting in the tail after a long climb. We got to just below their belay at about midnight when SAR 137 a sea king, the first we had seen as the Wessex had just been retired, arrived in the hover above us. It was horrendous from downdraught and blowing snow and bitter cold. We could tell Al's leg was very badly broken, Tibial plateau in pieces, and tibia open # out the knee after a fall and crampon catch. And the young belayer hypothermic and in a poor state, going down fast. The helo stayed in the hover above us for about 40 interminable minutes for a highly technical winching operation from difficult ground. John Greive could be seen in the door and was ready to be winched down if needed to help. The winchman did a fantastic snatch rescue courtesy of a knife and balls of steel. We never again doubted the Sea King after as previously we thought it wouldn't be up to the job like the Wessex.  

That left us in the gully smothered by spindrift and frozen with a back climb of 350m+. Bugger the abseiling as too cold. The gully we found had loaded up with slab to a depth of about 50cm or more from the hover and a funnel effect from the summit slopes so we had to be careful.  Its a complicated area but we knew it as well as anyone so headed down, but wanted to avoid the steeper section of NW Gully above Isis Buttress. I knew a shortcut down a narrow corridor left of Isis. I remember going first into the gully facing forward both axes placed and a whump and roar as it went off below my feet, I had to climb over the crown wall with Millsy following. We didn't give it much thought as shit happens. Down into the corrie where we met Chalky and whoever, and in the wee small hours as the light was coming up we descended back down the path to the Elliot's. The Elliot's were all in bed, the team had gone home so it felt a bit of a let down, but nothing for it but home for a brief sleep and for me at that time back up a hill to Ski Patrol at Glencoe where Pete Weir was manager.

Al's tough,  and a long rehab after reconstruction at Raigmore followed.  The young belayer survived but only just and would certainly have died that night if out any longer, as might Al. It's a dilemma often occurring in mountain rescue where experienced folk are late and no one wants to embarrass them by calling out a rescue team too hastily, and when is the right time to worry and take action? There are no right answers and I have put my own wife in that position when late back from a new route and she was calling John and he rightly said we would be fine as I was with Arthur and Andy and surely we couldn't all be dead!  He was right. And of course John had good keen instincts and saved many lives by taking no chances and getting the team out early on many future occasions when leader. Hamish made a call that night, and we as our brothers keepers made one too. There is no right and wrong and such are the heavy  burdens of a rescue team leaders role. The public are probably unaware just what a big responsibility that is in teams like Glencoe and Lochaber, and in my own time as both deputy leader and team leader I also had to make them on occasion.

Post Script:

I felt I need to get this tale down. Surviving 10 hours hanging on a rope with a shattered leg with a relatively novice young climber freezing to death while also cajoling the novice to stay with it and encourage them to survive took a lot of courage from Al. Not all survival stories are on the telly, and courageous men walk among us, and even on days your car is in for its MOT you might meet one.

PPS: Since publishing this I have discovered the 4th person was Al's son Malcolm who was a second generation rescuer and good climber who has recently retired from MR.

1987 A sad outcome for two climbers killed by an Avalanche in NW Gully.
MR can be brutally pragmatic

Reflections on Rescue Medical Care

All of us had an interest in first aid. Some more than others. I was an early school leaver with no qualifications other than cutting down trees and hard work. Then I was persuaded by Fiona that I was clever and bored at school so should do some adult learning and get some qualifications, so I decided I wanted to become a doctor. Along the way I collected qualifications in human physiology, pharmacology and eventually became one of the first UK paramedics. I never got to be a doctor but I did get invited into the Royal College of surgeons Faculty of Pre Hospital Care as a founder member and BASICS full member.  Life is journey and I would never swap these early years in the woods and the people I met for any degree, or the adventures life brought later. Some of the best of which was my time with Joint Services Mountain Training and the folk I met and had fun with.

Reflections

Way back in through the mist of time as a young mountaineer and volunteer rescuer I remember after yet another harrowing mountain rescue wondering what more I could do for the broken often quite young folk we evacuated. Frequently they were in acute pain and circling the drain hole of life, where survival was at best 50/50 and some sadly not making it home. Mountain Rescuers whether medical/clinically minded or technical have to make two immediate choices on scene. Is it better and safer for the patient (and rescuer) to first rescue the patient from the scene before medical interventions, or is it a critical situation for the patient where immediate medical intervention must take place before rescue from the scene in order to save the patient’s life.

3 Avalanche Victims injured Twisting gully. Hamish overseeing and me doing the splinting. 1977

Let’s be clear, rescue from the scene with good basic first aid is the default position and one which mountain rescuers in Scotland are very adept. But back in the early 1980’s nothing much had changed in the application of basic first aid in the UK for decades. Ambulance service staff were a transport service with limited interventions and the same was true for search and rescue. Pre Hospital care was in its infancy. Changes in the UK were on the way, often reluctantly by the establishment, and those adopetd based on taking the better aspects of the American DOT Emergency Medical Technician and Paramedic programmes for pre hospital care (think Emergency Care on the Streets by Nancy Caroline) and ATLS the American“Advanced Trauma Life Support” course for accident and emergency doctors coming across the pond.

Late 1980’s I was already as far up the ladder as I could go for “First Aid” and was lucky to be invited onto the first Scottish and only the second UK ATLS course. ATLS is a structured approach to managing trauma. I had also done some college courses and gained qualifications in human physiology and pharmacology to help with  background knowledge as a Paramedic and for my next stage which was Advanced Cardiac Care including paediatric care and a course with BASICS the British Association of Immediate Care Specialists. After some clinical placements at that time requiring 40 intubations and at least 40 emergency cannulations this allowed me to become a state registered paramedic of which there were probably only half a dozen in the UK by 1991. I was maybe first in Scotland? I know of a couple of SAR aircrew who also came on board but I am not sure if they were before me. Later came the Health Professions Council (HPC) which I successfully registered with as a Paramedic. The public randomly attribute being a Paramedic to all providers of emergency care, but in fact it is a protected title and those that use it are trained beyond the level of most, and it's not easy to get registered. Its illegal to call yourself a Paramedic if not registered.

Taking this structured and algorithmic ATLS approach to treating immediate life threats (AcBCDE) reducing pain and reducing complications from hidden injuries unseen using a proactive approach to managing and immobilising a patient (a form of packaging) then perhaps we also could reduce both mortality (deaths) and morbidity (long term consequences) in the mountains as well? It was worth trying. The challenge was applying this in a hostile mountain environment safely, with benefits to the patient, and no delay in rescue or rescue safety compromise beyond that already acceptable to a group of skilled mountaineers. This also required other rescuers coming on board and acting much like the core group of practitioners you will see at any major trauma in a UK A/E dept with folk working simultaneously on various aspects of care.  In addition for mountain rescue, also aspects of physical rescue from the scene such as belays, ropes etc need taken care, so it's an integrated approach.

The rescue team leader takes overall control of the rescue including the evacuation, this leaves the medical folks to treat the patient, often led in much the same manner as an A/E trauma but without the monitors and scanners. I have to pay tribute to Hamish MacInnes for supporting this, and to John Greive who took over after Hamish retired and at a time when, and for almost a decade after, there was a big increase in rescues overall and in particular victims with life threatening trauma. Patient centred care with John leading from the front and co ordinating some very difficult rescues leaving me to treat the patients worked well. 

While this article is about the medical aspects it should never be forgotten that mountain rescue is a team business and strong leadership medically and of the rescue in general gets things done safely and timely. There were times when objective dangers nearly changed the outcome, such as avalanches but these are best talked about over a dram not an article.  I like to think this team approach might just have made the difference for a few poor souls.

Me patching up on Central Buttress with Andy Nelson who is now GMRT Leader asking is it Henna or Blood

Many of the team's first aiders became BASP EMT’s and were very adept at managing a patient well with my advanced skills not always required or appropriate. One skill I had which I used more frequently than any other was to give intravenous pain relief with strong opiates or similar medications. Sticking a needle or “Cannulation” into a cold frightened and distressed patient was a skill I was strangely very good at and gladly so for many folks who went from high pain scores to comfortable while enduring long tortuous evacuations over rough ground or down long climbing routes such as North Buttress hanging beneath my legs for 500 feet in bad weather when no helicopter could fly.

As a paramedic I had a range of resuscitation equipment and analgesia to bring to the patients. While I could and did intubate, these poor souls were often too far gone, but close attention to maintaining the patient’s airway and delivering oxygen were crucial.  I had the first ever defibrillator in MR delivered in 1990 from Marquette via RL Dolby. Some ridicule from many in MR circles ensued with comments of “all you will give them is a curly hairdo” from the legendary Mick Tigh.  However, within a year the defib was in action several times and on one occasion the Laerdal FR 1 delivered 27 shocks to a patient before her heart re started.

Rod MacIntosh who later became a course director for BASP EMT on his EMT course in 1999 doing treatment on steep ground. After being delivered by a sea king I managed to get for the scenarios

Around 1991 Tony Cardwell and I, through BASP  the British Association of Ski Patrollers started the BASP Emergency Medical Technician Course. For some 14 years we took turns as course directors. We had the course endorsed by the Royal College of Surgeons (Ed) to give it a bit of clout and for many years pre “Cas Care” it was the go to course for advanced medical care for mountain rescuers and ski patrol. It still runs to this day which Tony and I are very chuffed about. These EMT’s were/are the backbone of medical provision in Scottish MR and none of my advanced training could mean anything without these fellow team players. Often my role was medical team leader keeping a close eye and only stepping in if I had some intervention they could not give such as (rarely) a chest decompression, or when things were going a bit South (a very rare requirement) and my having slightly more experience and diagnostic skills might change the treatment. I take my hat off to them as a very skilled bunch capable of making a difference if I was there or not. Apart from the obvious medical skills one obvious advantage I often had was being very fit and a strong climber so could always get to the patient needing care be it Clachaig Gully or 5 pitches up Swastika or Central Grooves the tale of which I have also hyperlinked.

The other aspect of taking advanced medical techniques to the mountains is medical equipment that’s up to the job. The kit for immobilising fractures had not changed much for decades. Some teams still had Thomas splints but with pre hospital care there was a rethink and re design of some kit. Quite a lot of pre hospital medicine was influenced by dated military practise and some of the equipment. For example, MAST or “Military Anti Shock Trousers” squeezed blood into the patients core like a G suit but then they bled out more (letting the tap run with the plug out) or fluids used to replace lost blood volume increased blood pressure but were not the only true colloid which is blood carrying oxygen, and so morbidity was increased as they bled out. The pre hospital treatment of shock we took and applied was to plug all the holes you can see by looking at the patients back, front, left and right, maybe apply a tourniquet or coagulation dressing, and a helicopter as fast as possible to a surgeon at the local hospital constantly being updated directly or via the Police so that their A/E and surgical team were ready.

Geoff Lachlan, Dave Sedgwick, Brian Tregaskis and Belford staff were great support on and off the hill and Dr David Syme then medical doctor to the mountain rescue committee was tremendous support in supporting trials of new kit to me with a view to making them standard MR issues if worthy. Also no article would be complete without acknowledging the tremendous support from within BASP from Dr Ian MacLaren consultant in A/E Monklands and the late Dr John Scott London HEMS both who encouraged and trained me over the years. In particular "the doc" Ian Maclaren who was huge support and always there at the end of the phone for a debrief after a difficult resuscitation. Later players coming into the mountain pre hospital trauma side from the clinical/medical were such as Ian Macconnel then resuscitation officer at Wishaw General who crossed to the light after helping out on EMT courses and being rescued (it's ok Ian so was I!). Ian later joined GMRT and took over as medical officer from me when I left. My last ALS course was by invite from him down to Crosshouse hospital to see how I compared to the hospital pro's. I think I did ok as I passed, despite a hangover. It's well worth asking him to describe running a defib refresher for the teams EMT's at the old Glencoe Police station while a local worthy was locked up in the cells. The noise from the Laerdal Heartstart 2000 put the offender of his head, it's a very good tale.

One vital bit of kit I was pleased to introduce first to mountain rescue was the American “Hartwell" Vacuum Mattress. Spinal injuries are not uncommon in fallen mountaineers.  Before the vacuum matt we had no way of immobilising these life changing injuries. We were also the first to routinely apply extrication collars which when used appropriately are life and limb savers. I am absolutely sure GMRT saved many people from devastating life changing injury by the careful handling and immobilisation of their spinal or neck injury. I also had LOTS or “Level One Trauma Splints” sent across from the USA and some of these excellent splints are still in use. Other notable imports were the Colorado “Wiggies” casualty bags to keep the patient a bit warmer and the first Pulse Oximeters to monitor SpO2.  

Trussed up like a Turkey and going no where. Packaged!

LOTS splints in action

SpO2 is not so reliable in mountain injuries due to cold and the oxygen dissociation curve moving left, but it looks also gives a pulsatile flow rate (HR equivalent) and a wave form to monitor how strongly the blood is flowing and the heart is beating. This also proved useful when reducing fractures into alignment to ensure blood flow. A useful tool in the context of other checks. I am very pleased that maybe my skills and the equipment brought to bare made a difference. What I hope you take out of this is that at the time of my training, pre hospital care was in its infancy and up a mountain advanced medical care thought impossible. Speaking purely about the rescue team I was involved with I can with some pride say they bought into the concept whole heartily and along with the teams leaders and enthusiastic first aiders/EMT’s we achieved a quality of medical care and patient centred decisions which was ahead of its time. Chapeau to all those folks, some of whom are still rescuing the day and night shift.

Morphine and Cyclizine on board then package. Hartwell Vacuum Matt in use below Ossians cave
 

One of my first mountain rescues was an avalanche when about 16 so in 1972 when I was a team apprentice and mad on climbing. I wasn’t allowed to be full member until I was 18 and could be insured. The climbing I did as a youth gave my parents many sleepless nights not least of when rescued hanging at the end of a rope November 1972 on the North Face of Aonach Dubh with Euan Grant and two others, all stuck when the rope ran out in an icy gully. It was kind of fitting that my last Glencoe mountain rescue was also an avalanche where 3 folks had lost their lives and I probed and found the last victim.  As a medic and climber I was oblivious to background issues and driven by sticking to the guidelines that have proven to save lives such as ICAR’s for avalanche victims. When seeing these ignored by another agency, I would speak my mind. This often brought me into conflict with them and sometimes other rescuers. In the heat of battle/rescue things happen, and its important to talk about them and learn for the next time. Fiona was struggling to continue to support me. 30 years married 3 kids and wondering if her husband would come back and if she was to be a single mother takes its toll. Families need 100% confidence that their partners rescue colleagues are their “brothers keeper”  and she began to doubt this. I knew I could look after myself up a mountain having soloed some big routes and survived some epics and lost friends, but it was just plain not fair on the family if they were scared of loosing their dad. I still miss it though, that sense of tribe and sense of purpose. Ski rescue certainly has it moments and digging an avalanche victim out still alive was a bonus rarely enjoyed in mountain rescue.

A probe find by the author. Yet another sad tale of mountaineers not "being searchable"

The unsung heroes of MR are those back home. Seldom acknowledged, they get no fancy gear allowance, free dinners or the kudos of membership of an exclusive tribe. And it is exclusive. Don’t imagine it's easy getting out of a warm bed on a bad night to wander over the Aonach Eagach looking for someone. Rescue team members need exceptionally good hill and mountain skills and not everyone has them, or is a good fit to an often very close knit group.  I was fortunate that my rescue colleagues were often my climbing partners and so working together on a rescue was easy. I would say it’s still mostly the same and I see a very dynamic and young rescue team in action now and doing a great job. It’s good to know there are folk willing to bust a gut to go out in all weathers and make a difference. Also these folks now have access to TRIM something not available to my generation. Stress did take its toll at times. PTSD and Talking

Day shift work, no head torch required

These days I still rescue from the mountains on day shift with Glencoe Ski Patrol. That as mentioned also has had it’s moments, but that’s another story. I have let my Paramedic registration lapse as at 62 I don’t feel my clinical skills are sharp enough and the yearly CPD is a toil. I do complete the ski patrol training requirements and annual refreshers so not all my skills are lost, and new ones are found as things change.  For the last 10 years I have run avalanche rescue courses and become a trainer for Recco. I am also a pro member of the American Avalanche Association and an Ortovox avalanche safety partner. I train MR teams in Recco and advise on other aspects of avalanche equipment and rescue. Oddly to just about every other team than the one I was in for 38 years! Joking aside, they have a plethora of knowledgeable folk of their own.  Climbing is still a big part of my life and I still bike and ski. Goals for 2022 is to still send onsight a 7a sport route in better style. I had an epic on the Tunnel Wall route “Uncertain Emotions” but still doing ok sending the odd  6c/7a and V6 so life in the old dog yet.

Me contemplating getting my leg over the "Snotter" 6b+ last year

Thanks to all my colleagues past and present and most especially my family. And safe rescuing to all those on the 24 hour shift that is mountain rescue and of course the hard working ski patrol pro's on hard dayshifts 

Here's a selection of pictures from a collection of many. All survived!

Sean, Malcolm, Ian, Frazer and Paul waiting on the yellow taxi.  Rock climber both lower legs #

Pneumothorax see the air around the eyes, surgical emphysema and frostbite

North Buttress in winter. Direct spinal injury and lowered by Andy Nelson on ropes for 500ft between my legs this wasn't comfortable for the patient or me! Rescue from the scene due to bad weather.

As above with bony injury obvious.  Good recovery though

Keep your ice axe in your hand while self arresting

Warthogs go into the ice not your palm

Wearing a ring rock climbing

Pattern Bruising - what lies beneath?

The stranger side of MR