Overview
Winter in the mountains can offer incredible opportunities for adventure and confidence building. This new 2-day course allows you to experience winter hillwalking as a family, to see the fun and challenges it offers in a supported environment, and to learn the essential skills that will allow you to go on and enjoy independent adventures together. This course is perfect for parents and teens (aged 14 and up) to attend together.
These 2 days will leave you feeling confident with the use of ice axe & crampons, winter navigation, and preparing for and coping with winter weather. You’ll gain avalanche awareness, an understanding of how to plan winter hillwalking days and how to generally equip yourself for the hills at this magical time of year.
DETAILED INFO
AIMS
This course is designed to introduce you and your teen to a range of core skills that will enable you to enjoy and move about the UK’s mountains in winter conditions, competently and confidently.
PRE-REQUISITES
Summer mountain walking experience is desirable for this course. Please note that we can only take 14-17 year olds on this course when they are accompanied by a parent or guardian over the age of 18.
IS IT FOR ME?
To get the most out of this course, we recommend that attendees have summer hillwalking experience and a suitable level of fitness that allows you to undertake two consecutive days on the hill. Winter hill walking is arduous so a good level of fitness will allow you to cope with what can be harsh and physically demanding environmental conditions.
This course is perfect if you’ve been looking for a way to experience winter hillwalking adventures with your teen in a supported environment, where you’ll both learn how to plan and enjoy safe winter days out.
CONTENT
The main topics we’ll aim to cover include:
- Selection and organisation of personal kit appropriate to winter hill walking
- Personal movement skills on snow, including kicking steps and using the ice axe for walking, self-belay, cutting steps, and self-arrest
- Use of crampons in ascent/descent
- Emergency procedures
- Avalanche awareness and safe route choice
- Core techniques of winter navigation
Through the winter at Glenmore Lodge, our experienced Instructors also deliver evening lectures. Sessions may include a winter navigation talk and avalanche awareness talk.
The programme is fairly flexible, and the Instructor will adapt their plans to take into account the weather, conditions, and the abilities and aspirations of everyone in the group.
DATES & PRICES
| 2024 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COURSE DATE | COST (no accommodation) |
PLACES | BOOKING | |
| Date21/12/24 | Cost (no accommodation)£220.00 | Places | ||
| Date28/12/24 | Cost (no accommodation)£220.00 | Places | ||
| Date30/12/24 | Cost (no accommodation)£220.00 | Places | ||
| Need a different date? Call 01479 861 256 to arrange your own date, or email [email protected] | ||||
| 2025 | ||||
| COURSE DATE | COST (no accommodation) |
PLACES | BOOKING | |
| Date17/02/25 | Cost (no accommodation)£220.00 | Places | ||
| Need a different date? Call 01479 861 256 to arrange your own date, or email [email protected] | ||||
USEFUL INFORMATION
WHAT'S INCLUDED?
Instruction
Use of kit
Afternoon tea & cake each day
In-course transportation
NEED TO KNOW
WHAT WILL I NEED
YOU WILL NEED (Glenmore Lodge can provide if required)
- Waterproof jacket and trousers
- Insulated synthetic jacket with hood
- Winter Boots
- Gaiters
- Crampons
- Ice Axe
- Helmet
- 40lt rucksack
- Walking poles
EQUIPMENT YOU NEED TO BRING WHICH WE DO NOT HAVE IN THE STORES
What will you need to bring? Listed here are the essentials; this is not an exhaustive list.
- Personal clothing
- Winter outdoor wear
- Insulating layers
- Winter climbing / mountaineering trousers
- Hat & gloves, several pairs of.
- Goggles
- Watch (you’ll be using this for timing navigational legs)
- Whistle
- Compass – Silva type 4 recommended with a 1:40,000 romer ***
- Waterproof map case.
- Headtorch
- Rucksack liner (or sturdy bin liner) / dry bags
- Hydration system (water bottle / flask)
- Box or bag for packed lunch.
- Personal first aid kit
- Personal toiletries & medications (towels are provided)
- Suncream & sun hat
Map information – we encourage everyone on mountain courses to have a map covering the Northern Cairngorms with a 10km radius from the ski area. There are now a range of scales and maps available OS 1:50,000, OS 1:25,000 and Harvey Map 1:40,000. If you have digital mapping and can print off map sheets a suggested area would be:
NW corner NH8514 NE corner NJ0314
SW corner NN8593 SE corner NO0393
Glenmore Lodge will provide any technical equipment required on a skills course e.g. climbing ropes and racks.
