The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1903-12-25
.....a - s4s4as s-a5t1szsa q :
RISKS BY ALPINE GUIDES.
HAeir Profession II Growing More
Dangerous and Dimcult
Every Year.

with the increase In the number of
Cub huts. ladders and other facilities for
mountain climbing. it has become the
fashion. especially among those who
KNOW very little about the subject. to
speak OF the modern Alpine Ascension
ISL. though he had fewer dangers and
oimculties to encounter than the man
who undertakes to walk to Brighton.
But, while it is undoubtedly true that, for
instance, the ascent of Mont Blanc is a
very much easier task to-day than 1t was
when Jacques Balmat first made his way
to the summit in 1855. the Alpine guides.
rs class. are finding that their profess
sion is growing more dangerous and diff
ncult every year. says the London Times.
This is due to the fact that. as Switzer-
land is continually being opened up more
and more for the ordinary tourist, there
% an ever-increasing number Of men
land women. tool who, without possess
Ing any Of the necessary knowledge,
training or experience, are anxious to
emulate, and If possible Guido. the feats
OF world-famous members of the Alpine
club. The expert mountaineer. who has
made a careful study of his hobby from
the beginning. knows that the first and
most important thing to be done is to
choose guides that he knows he can trust,
and, having done so, to accept their de-
cisions and obey their instructions in all
matters In which their knowledge and
experience are likely to be superior to
his own.
The ''tenderfoot," on the other hand.
with his brand-new ice ak and carefully
coiled length of red thread" rope, i'm
AGNES that he is displaying his courage
and general superiority by overruling the
suggestions of his guides and insisting on
doing things which they know from ex-
perience to be both perilous and fool
hardy. The herr can choose his guide,
but the guide cannot select his herr, for
he takes his turn upon the roster. know
Ing always that the next applicant for
his services, for whom he will have to
answer with his life, may be either an
incompetent weakling or a conceited and
obstinate fool.
For this reason guide must be not
only man Of great muscular strength,
decision and resource, with an expert
knowledge of rock and ice and Of the
idiosyncrasies of the weather in his own
particular district, but he must possess
suhicient force Of character, personality
and tact to impress and convince his herr
when the latter thinks he sees his way to
a pinnacle Of glory. whereas the guide
knows that he is more likely to find him
self at the bottom of deep crevasse. It
Is this uncertainty as to the qualifications
Of his employer that constitutes the prin-
cipal danger Of the guide as compared
with the amateur
The statement that 1.-THE herr can
choose his own guide" holds good in most
Of the Swiss climbing centers, and any
member Of one OF the recognized Alpine
clubs has right to choice of guides. In
some places. however. and especially in
the regulations of the guides
bureau are very stringent, and they try
to enforce the tour de role on every pos
sible occasion. A somewhat striking in
stance of this happened three years ago. |
when two well-known climbers came to |
Chamonix intending to do some serious |
work. with two guides who had been |
specially recommended to them.
They found their men, but were told !
that these could not come without leave |
from the guide chef. The latter insisted |
on the tour de role with such obstinacy |
hat finally. in disgust, the two climbers |
went on to the post ONCE and telegraphed |
to Zermatt (where there Is no guides
bureau) for two guides whom they had |
already employed in that district. and
they engaged them to climb in the Cham
onix valley for six weeks at Ell day
zach. This was naturally rather facer |
Tor the red tape Of the guide chef.