Overview
Have you ever fancied tackling some of the UK’s classic mountain days in winter but been worried about how to handle steeper snowy/icy rocky steps? Or maybe you want to tackle one of the classic summer scrambles such as Ledge route on Ben Nevis as an exciting winter adventure to the summit. This course gives use the time to introduce the essential skills for these winter mountaineering adventures and develop them through experiencing different routes, whether rocky, snowy, or icy. With 5 days, there’s more time for us to individualise your learning and provide more opportunities for mountaineering adventures on this course.
DETAILED INFO
AIMS
This is a winter mountaineering course for experienced winter walkers. This course aims to develop a good level of skill across the broad range of techniques required for independent winter mountaineering. Five days will allow us to develop skills tailored to your aspirations, not just introduce techniques.
Our first objective will be to establish your existing boot, axe, and crampon technique. Initially this will allow us to introduce snow and mixed terrain techniques on short steep sections of mountaineering ground. As the 5 days progress, we’ll also look at and develop methods of using a rope to protect sections of a mountaineering route. This will include the use of climbing equipment, snow anchor construction and rock anchor use. Our approach will support you to progress your skills, starting with friendly and accessible local venues where lots of practice can be had without time pressure. With the advantage of time, we can plan around the weather and conditions and potentially travel to different areas of the Highlands to experience a wider array of locations.
As your confidence and skills increase, we can put the technical skills into context on a variety of longer mountaineering routes that would be difficult to do on a shorter course. Throughout the course we’ll also cover winter navigation, avalanche awareness, and emergency procedures.
PRE-REQUISITES
Summer scrambling useful, winter walking essential. Be comfortable in use of crampons and ice axe. A physically demanding course.
IS IT FOR ME?
Develop an in-depth practical knowledge of all the skills required to tackle winter ‘scrambling’ type terrain, up to grade I/II, on Britain’s mountains. It makes the assumption that you have good solid core winter movement skills e.g. use of an ice axe in both ascent/descent as well as crampons. To get the most from this course previous summer scrambling experience would be useful. Previous winter walking experience (including use of axe and crampons) is essential.
CONTENT
You will usually be in a group of no more than four with one instructor. Meeting your instructor on the first morning provides an opportunity to discuss everyone’s experience and aspirations enabling the instructor to plan the programme based around these. The main topics to be covered are:
- Establishing core winter movement skills using axe and crampons in ascent and descent.
- Introduction to movement skills over grade I/II winter snow and ‘scrambling’ type terrain.
- Mountaineering equipment, ropes, harnesses, rock protection, and snow and ice equipment.
- Constructing and using snow anchors such as bucket seats, buried axe, snow bollard and Deadman).
- Selecting and using natural rock anchors.
- Abseiling using snow anchors.
- Route planning, route finding and guidebook use.
- Further skills development and consolidation while on mountaineering routes, developing decision making.
- Avalanche awareness, risk assessment and implications for safe terrain choice.
- Winter navigation.
The programme is flexible considering individual needs and aims, weather, etc. Evening lecture topics may include winter hazards and emergency procedures, winter navigation and avalanche awareness.
DATES & PRICES
| 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COURSE DATE | COST (no accommodation) |
PLACES | BOOKING | |
| Date27/01/25 | Cost (no accommodation)£695.00 | PlacesFULL | Contact Us | |
| Date03/02/25 | Cost (no accommodation)£695.00 | Places | ||
| Date10/02/25 | Cost (no accommodation)£695.00 | PlacesFULL | Contact Us | |
| Date17/02/25 | Cost (no accommodation)£695.00 | Places | ||
| Date24/02/25 | Cost (no accommodation)£695.00 | Places | ||
| Date03/03/25 | Cost (no accommodation)£695.00 | PlacesFULL | Contact Us | |
| Date10/03/25 | Cost (no accommodation)£695.00 | PlacesFULL | Contact Us | |
| Date17/03/25 | Cost (no accommodation)£695.00 | Places | ||
| Need a different date? Call 01479 861 256 to arrange your own date, or email [email protected] | ||||
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USEFUL INFORMATION
WHAT'S INCLUDED?
Instruction
Use of kit
Packed lunch and afternoon tea each day
In-course transport
NEED TO KNOW
ON YOUR LAST DAY
Check out time is 10am on the final day of your booking, we have changing areas, showers and left luggage facilities on site. All courses will finish by 5pm.
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
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.
- 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
- Goggles
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.
