International Mountain Leader Summer – Assessment
Qualify LEVEL | 4 day(s) | Ratio 1:4 | From £1,115.00
Overview
This course is based from St Luc Centre, Saint-Luc, Sierre, 3961, Switzerland.
COURSE OVERVIEW
This is a practical assessment over 4 days generally with two day walks followed by a 2 day, 1 night hut based expedition. There will also be some evening work reviewing the written paper, leader’s resource pack, environmental presentations, reviewing and planning the days. We aim for an 08.30 start. The exact meeting place and time will be confirmed by email at a later date along with contact phone numbers and other details. The assessment will be finished by 5pm on the last day after results and individual debriefs. Any travel arrangements must not encroach on the course start and end time and date. This is a practical course which allows fitness, leadership, environmental knowledge, route choice, group care, navigation and many other skills to be assessed. Candidates will complete a home paper and present their fact file as part of the assessment. Candidates should arrive for this expedition-based assessment, fit, acclimatised and familiar with all aspects of the syllabus.
Please note this course is Non-Residential. You will need to arrange your own accommodation.
*Your course can be booked online by making payment in full, or by calling the booking office on 01479 861256 to pay a non-refundable deposit (25%) * *Please note this course is not guaranteed to run. Please do not book flights until we have confirmed it is going ahead*
DETAILED INFO
AIMS
The IML is the professional qualification for individuals who wish to lead trekking parties to all mountain areas except on glaciers, and where the techniques or equipment of alpinism are required. The International Mountain Leader can also operate on easy snow-covered terrain, providing it is of a gentle, rolling (“Nordic”) type in the “middle” mountains.
PRE-REQUISITES
- Summer ML Award, completed logbook with overseas trekking experience. Syllabus available from the MTUK website; http://www.mountain-training.org
- Candidates need to be familiar with and prepared to demonstrate all aspects of the International Mountain Leader summer syllabus.
- Log book: Candidates need to make sure their Dlog is complete and up to date and includes evidence of the following:
- Twenty quality international summer mountain days
- Further experience as appropriate
- Record of attendance of a 5 day IML training course (Before Booking on to assessment)
- Record of pass from speed navigation test (undertaken during training)
- IML personal profile page completed by a referee
- Please use CV Files in Dlog to upload the three prior learning subjects below prior to course commencement
- Leader Resource Pack; Each candidate must produce a Leaders Resource Pack, it should include information that would assist in leading a group in the assessment area, such as transport information, hut information, emergency information and environmental facts relating to the area. This should be in a format that allows it to be carried during the assessment.
- Home Preparation Paper; Candidates must complete the home research paper prior to the course and bring this to the assessment, there will be a review of this during the course.
- Prepare two 10 minute Environmental Presentations; Candidates will be asked to present two informal 10 minute presentations on different environmental topics chosen from the list below. The content of the presentations should be at an appropriate level of knowledge and interest for IML candidates and be able to be delivered whilst on the hill. Candidates should have sufficient understanding of the topic to deliver the presentation fluidly, with limited notes for support and be able to respond to questions. Each candidate should produce a crib card for their talk (no more than one A4 sheet maximum) that they are able to upload onto CMS prior to the course.
- Fitness and Acclimatisation: Candidates for assessment need to be physically fit for 4 days walking in an Alpine region. As a guide to the level of fitness required the syllabus states that candidates, “must be capable of sustained physical effort over approximately six hours, whilst carrying a 10kg rucksack and gaining between 1300 and 1600m of ascent at the rate of 400 to 500m per hour.” The assessment will take place at altitude so candidates need to be suitably acclimatised to operate at approximately 3000m.
IS IT FOR ME?
Before booking the International Mountain Leader Assessment Course you must have the following in place.
Completed the Summer Mountain Leader Award and IML Training Course
Have a minimum of 20 international quality mountain days Have a minimum of 20 winter quality mountain days
Have registered with the MTUK on the IML scheme Please note that you will not be allowed to attend the course without being registered prior to the start of the course.
Language: As a leader in foreign country it is desirable to be able to speak at least a little of the local language. We are not expecting you to go on a crash course but coming equipped with a phrase book or dictionary and a willingness to get stuck in is vital. Leaders will be expected to communicate with hut wardens, book transport and manage a mock rescue in the local language.
CONTENT
Glenmore Lodge runs the course on behalf of the Home Nation Mountain Leader Training Boards.
The syllabus is contained in the booklets provided by the MTUK . You can download the syllabus and prospectus from the http://www.mountain-training.org/walking/awards/international-mountain-leader .
Assessment content
The programme may be revised at short notice to take account of weather and other considerations, in such a way as to satisfy the spirit and detail of the International Mountain Leader syllabus.
A course welcome and full briefing on the first morning will be followed by a short period of preparation and departure by midmorning. The assessment will take place over the following four days and will taek the form of two day walks followed by a 2 day hut based journey with overnight in high mountain huts and gites.
The areas of assessment we aim to address during the course are as follows:
- Leadership
- Navigation
- Broad environmental knowledge
- Client care in a variety of environments
- Personal movement skills and fitness
- Response to emergency scenarios
- Emergency use of rope to include some fixed equipment
- Route choice and hazard awareness in a variety of terrain
- Organising clients in overnight accommodation
DATES & PRICES
| 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COURSE DATE | COST (no accommodation) |
PLACES | BOOKING | |
| Date21/07/25 | Cost (no accommodation)£1,115.00 | Places | ||
| Need a different date? Call 01479 861 256 to arrange your own date, or email [email protected] | ||||
USEFUL INFORMATION
- Start Time:
- 08:30
- End Time:
- 17:00
- Meeting at:
- Saint Luc, Valais, Switzerland
DOCUMENTS
NEED TO KNOW
WHAT WILL I NEED
Sheet sleeping bags will be needed for the Huts. Candidates are expected to provide all of their own equipment, including group emergency hill rope, slings karabiners, group shelter, first aid kit and ice axe.
Candidates should bring clothing and equipment for European trekking conditions.
Additional costs; The course fee does not include: Accommodation or meals – this is a non-residential course. The cost of One night in a mountain hut is approximately £100 per night which Glenmore Lodge will pay for and invoice candidates prior to commencing the assessment. Please do not leave your travel arrangements until the last minute as this will inevitably lead to frustration and additional expense.
Food – When staying in mountain huts breakfast and evening meals are included in the hut fees you pay. However you will need to supply lunch and snack food for the duration of the 2 day expedition. The exact meeting place and time will be confirmed by email at a later date along with contact phone numbers and other details. We recommend digital (e.g Viewranger App) as well as traditional paper mapping.
Course Documentation:
International Mountain Leader Summer Assessment Home Paper Leaders resource pack
Minimum of two 10 minute presentations that can be delivered outdoors relating to the mountain environment
