Learn Winter Mountaineering (2 days)
Learn LEVEL | 2 day(s) | Ratio 1:4
Overview
If you are an experienced winter walker you’ll appreciate the mountaineering potential of many classic summer scrambling routes, such as Striding Edge and the CMD Arete on Ben Nevis. Easy summer scrambles can turn into serious winter mountaineering challenges that require a different skill set. With this course, you’ll learn how to tackle just this type of technical ground and gain the skills that will open up new winter mountaineering adventures.
DETAILED INFO
AIMS
This is a winter mountaineering course for experienced winter walkers. As such, our first objective will be to establish your existing boot, axe, and crampon technique. We’ll introduce snow and mixed terrain techniques on steeper mountaineering ground, before aiming for some short journeys that give us opportunity to practice and give context to the movement techniques.
We’ll then rapidly move onto rope techniques that can be used to protect short sections of mountaineering in ascent or abseil descents. This will include the use of climbing equipment, snow anchor construction and rock anchor use.
Finally, we should hope to do short local mountaineering journeys to put all the new skills into practice and context. This will also give an opportunity to address avalanche avoidance in steep terrain.
PRE-REQUISITES
Summer scrambling useful, winter walking essential. Be competent and confident in the use of crampons and ice axe.
CONTENT
Day 1 – Planning a journey using weather and avalanche forecasts, winter equipment and packing. On the mountain we will continue avalanche awareness, winter navigation and winter hazard awareness. We will develop your existing core movement skills, learning how to use your winter mountaineering boots, crampons and ice axe to travel safely on steeper snow and rocky mountaineering terrain. We may introduce elements of the rope skills that we will develop on day 2.
Day 2 – Continuing to further develop all the skills from day 1. Introduction to winter mountaineering equipment, the rope safety chain, winter snowpack anchors such as bucket seats and snow bollards. This will allow us to practice dynamic belaying methods used in winter such as waist belays. In addition, we can practice abseiling from snow bollards using different techniques. We will also aim to make the best of local conditions to do short mountaineering journeys onto steep ground where we can apply our new skills in context, develop our experience, decision making and avalanche awareness in steep terrain.
Evening sessions may include a winter navigation talk and avalanche awareness talk.
The programme is fairly flexible taking into account individual needs and aims, weather, etc.
Media Gallery
USEFUL INFORMATION
- Start Time:
- 0900
- End Time:
- 1700
- Meeting at:
- Glenmore Lodge
WHAT'S INCLUDED?
• Instruction
• Use of kit
• Packed lunch and afternoon tea each day
• In-course transport
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
- Climbing harness
- 40lt rucksack
- Walking poles
- Map
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
- Insulating layers
- Winter climbing / mountaineering trousers
- Hat & 2 pairs of gloves
- Goggles (we recommend clear lenses)
- Watch
- Compass – Silva type 4 recommended with a 1:40,000 romer
- Waterproof map case
- Headtorch
- Rucksack liner (or sturdy bin liner) / dry bags
- Water bottle/flask for hot drink
- Box or bag for packed lunch
- Personal first aid kit
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.
