A British Mountain Guide features in a new short film from Arc’teryx on the subject of risk assessment and decision-making by mountain guides. Filmed in France and Canada in summer 2014, the challenge for the team was to get inside a guide’s head (sometimes quite a scary place to be!) and show some aspects of the profession that are often hidden from view.
Andy Perkins of the BMG spent 3 days with the crew, being interviewed for his thoughts on the guiding profession, its highs and lows, its challenges and rewards, as well as working with 2 clients in classic alpine terrain. A month later, the crew were with our Canadian colleague Marc Piché in the Bugaboos filming in much the same format to compare and contrast the mountain environments and our thoughts on the risk assessment and decision-making processes during a typical working day.
The finished film got its premier during the Arc’teryx Session at the Kendal Mountain Festival in November 2014.
For anyone interested in the details, it was filmed at the Refuge de Plan de l’Aiguille, the Pointe Lachenal and the Contamines Grisolles on the north face of the Mont Blanc du Tacul. The results are great, showing the similarities and differences between our working environments.
Andy Perkins remarked: “I was struck by the parallels in our thought processes when it comes to working with overly “pushy” clients, and our evolution as guides from newly qualified to the seasoned state we’re both in now.
It was great fun to make, and I’m really happy that it delivers a clear message on the value of an IFMGA mountain guide.”
Thanks to the whole team:
Clients: James Bronson and Katy Dartford
Camera: Angela Percival
Mountain Safety: Korra Pesce
Mountain Accomodation: Claude and Eddy at the Plan de l’Aiguille
Editing: Kuba Wiatrak
Production: Arc’teryx