Birthday honours for BMG founder member
Ron James MBE
BMG founder member - Ron James - has been awarded the MBE for services to mountaineering.
Ron James has been awarded the MBE for voluntary services to mountaineering. In 1959 he established Ogwen Cottage as an outdoor pursuits centre and a mountain rescue post, and five years later he co-founded the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation. Ron has been a "BMC" Guide since 1960 and was the founder member of the BMG (as we now know it). Ron went on to be President of the association of British Mountain Guides from 1996 to 1999.
Ron has also been an active new router and guidebook author, making first ascents of some classic routes, including The Plum at Tremadog in 1961 and The Girdle Traverse of the Lower Amphitheatre Wall on Craig yr ysfa in 1966. In 1970 he wrote ‘Rock Climbing in Wales’, a selected climbs guidebook to 200 of the best climbs in North Wales – possibly the first selected climbs guide to be published in Britain. In 1988 he wrote the Alpine Club double volume "Dolomites West and East" a detailed guide book to many of the best routes on the magnificent limestone rock walls of the area, which he updated for the new edition published in 2005.
Now a retired Guide, Ron lists writing, lecturing and photography among his recent business activities. He is still climbing (and also mountain biking and general mountaineering) but only for pleasure!
This latest honour is yet another reason why the BMG can be proud to have Ron as a member.
