OVERVIEW
This winter mountaineering course is designed to help the summer hill walker or novice winter walker progress into steeper terrain such as open snow slopes, easy gullies, scrambling and easy winter ridges.
We hope to develop skills to allow access into the high mountains when covered in snow and ice, giving you the technical knowledge to understand how to remain safe in this dynamic environment; we will be looking at good movement skills, decision making, judgement of the terrain and any methods of safeguarding such as ropework and snow anchors.
We are hoping to help you progress onto graded mountaineering ground. We will be looking at moving as a rope team over this terrain and hope to tackle routes such as:
Number 4 gully
Ledge Route
Broad Gully
Fiaciall Ridge
East Ridge of Beinn a Chaorainn
COURSE OUTLINE
Gear and Equipment
Essential winter clothing, boots, crampons and axes.
Proper fitting of C2 crampons and other winter-specific gear
Route Planning and Avalanche Awareness
Identifying potential avalanche terrain and safe route selection.
Introduction to basic avalanche awareness and safety protocols.
Movement on snow
Look at using the boot as a tool, using the edges of the boot and kicking steps for security in steep, snowy ground.
Ice axe technique - for security and balance on steeper terrain and for cutting steps to aid movement up and down the slope
Ice Axe Braking/Self arrest
Looking at techniques from self belay through to halting a slip and arresting slides and tumbles, from feet first to head first and gaining control
Snow Climbing Techniques
Safe movement on snow-covered slopes, including ascending and descending.
Use of crampons for front pointing, axes for swinging; hooking and torquing.
Winter scrambling techniques.
Introduction to Snow Anchors
Bucket seats, buried ice axes, & snow bollards - using them for ascent and descent
Rock gear in winter and utilising it for winter scrambles
Avalanche Awareness
To stay safe and develop understanding of a hazardous and dynamic landscape. We will look at weather forecasting, avalanche reports and observations of the snow in the real world when out on the hill
Winter navigation
All those summer features become covered by snow; practice on a different scale map and winterise your navigation; looking at appropriate techniques and gaining confidence to navigate in white out conditions
Level: intermediate
YOU WILL NEED
You will need to wear suitable clothing for winter mountaineering, including a full set of waterproofs, warm layers, hat & gloves, ski goggles and winter mountaineering boots.
These boots should be rigid and rated to B1/B2 standard (we can advise during the booking stage).
Boots can be hired from LDM, subject to sizes and availability of our stocks.
We can provide crampons, ice axe, helmets and other technical equipment.
On the day, we will meet you at Tiso, in the Explorer cafe for meet and greet. We will then look to organise your equipment.
The course is based predominately in the Cairngorms but will head to Ben Nevis/Glen Coe to make use of routes/conditions - we can transport you over each day
| Cost | ||
|---|---|---|
Book Online - Intro to Winter Mountaineering
4 available
If the course date is less than 30 days away, please use this ticket and pay in full.
|
£295.00 | |
Book with 50% deposit
4 available
This ticket allows you to pay a deposit to secure your place on the course. We will be in touch when the full amount is due. The full amount will be due no later than 30 days before the course commences.
|
£137.50 |
Cairngorm Mountain
Cairngorm Ski Area
Aviemore
PH22 1RB
On Day 1 we will meet at Tiso cafe in Aviemore before coming to this location
All subsequent days will meet here, at the Cairn Gorm Mountain Resort
Amenities