Winter Mountaineering, Scotland
Learn winter mountaineering in Scotland. Five days of great company, top class instruction, amazing experiences and of course our legendary biscuit tin!
Over the first two days you will revise / learn winter mountaineering skills to ensure everyone is safe and knows how to use a rope in ascent and descent. We then take it steeper. Developing your knowledge and skills by tackling progressively more challenging winter mountaineering objectives. We only venture onto winter terrain you are comfortable with and the emphasis is on enjoyment not getting scared!
The first two days of the course are at a higher ratio of one instructor to four clients whilst we revise skills and then it reduces to one instructor to two for the last three days. This allows us to tackle objectives suitable for each persons ability whilst keeping the prices down.
Who is it for ?
This five day winter mountaineering course is for existing winter walkers who want to further their winter skills and learn how to take on steeper ground or more challenging winter ridges. You will undertake graded winter climbs at Grade I,II or III depending on your experience levels and conditions.
You must be a competent winter hillwalker or have attended one of our Winter skills / Introduction to Winter Mountaineering courses or something similar before attending this course. If you have some winter mountaineering experience and what to take things steeper then our two day or five day Winter Climbing courses are for you.
Winter Mountaineering Week – Course Format
The exact course itinerary will be flexible to cope with weather conditions. During the course, you will cover the whole breadth of skills that are required to move around the Scottish mountains in winter and undertake climbs of your own ability.
- Revision of ice axe arrest and crampons;
- Avalanche forecasts, interpreting them on the hill and avoidance;
- Choosing a route, safely navigating to it, up it and off it;
- Winter mountaineering skills of movement and balance;
- Use of a rope to ascend and descend;
- Creating safe belays;
- Leading winter routes (if desired);
- How to retreat (planned and unplanned);
- Lots of winter mountaineering!
We provide tea, coffee, and our legendary biscuit tin 🍪🍪🍪 at our base. Our winter base also has full AV facilities and plenty of space for teaching. You don’t have to budget an extra £15 per day for meeting in a cafe if you book with us.
Crampons, Ice axe, helmet and harness can all be loaned free of charge if required.
Course Details
- Location: Aviemore or Glencoe
- Cost: £695 per person
- Duration: 5 days
- Ratio: 1:4 then 1:2
- Level: Intermediate
More Information
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Course Dates
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Bespoke Dates and Locations
If there are a group of you that want the challenge and exhilaration of winter mountaineering, but there are no suitable dates available, or you would like to do something similar in a different area, please contact the office and we will arrange some dates to suit your diary.
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Meeting Point
For our Winter Mountaineering week, we meet at 8;45am at our course base in Aviemore on the first day (to allow boot collection etc) and subsequently at our Aviemore base at 8am.
In Glencoe we meet at 8:30 am on the first day at our course base near the Glencoe Memorial.
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Equipment Required
A detailed equipment list is contained in the Winter Mountaineering course joining instructions. Essentially, you need to be self sufficient for a day in the winter mountains.
We can provide an ice axe, crampons, harness and helmet if needed. Boots can be hired locally if required.
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Fitness Level
You certainly don’t have to be super fit to enjoy this course, and average fitness is quite sufficient. Experience of winter hillwalking is essential.
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Accommodation Options
The winter mountaineering course is non-residential to allow you to select between thermarest or 5 star hotel as you require.
There are hundreds of accommodation options in and around Glencoe and Fort William from luxurious Castles to campsites and everything in between.Some suggest options can be found on the Accommodation page of our website.
If you want a hand booking something or want something special, contact the office and we will endeavour to assist.
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FAQs
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How do I book a Winter Mountaineering course?
The best way to book on Winter Mountaineering is via this webpage. Choose the date from the options above and then submit your booking. You only need to pay the deposit if your course is more than six weeks away.
For bespoke Winter Mountaineering courses or other bespoke mountain events get in touch first so we can check diaries and if required give you a quote. Get in touch by either calling the office on 01142 631 155 or emailing us.
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Does the Winter Mountaineering course include accommodation ?
Not usually! We prefer to let you choose where you will be most comfortable whilst winter mountaineering. This may be in a tent or in a luxury hotel.
A range of accommodation options can be found on our accommodation page.
For bespoke courses and events we can arrange whatever you desire, from a bivouac under the stars to a spa hotel.
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Children, Parking, Dogs, COVID and everything else...
You will find all of the most frequently asked questions and their answers on our FAQ webpage.
