Two-Day Scottish Winter Skills in the Cairngorms!

There is nothing more spectacular than the Scottish Highlands in winter but they can be intimidating without the proper skills. 

Over the course of a full and adventure packed weekend you will learn the essential skills to allow you to venture into the snow covered mountains safely, efficiently and confidently. 

Highlights 

• Navigate the beautiful Scottish mountains
• Become proficient with an ice axe and crampons
• Learn avalanche avoidance

Course Overview 

Our popular Winter Skills Course is the perfect quick hit. During the course we aim to provide you with essential winter hill-walking skills including the use of crampons and an ice axe, winter navigation, avalanche awareness, emergency procedures and understanding the winter environment. The course is ideal for anyone looking to get stuck into winter hill-walking for the first time.

Each day you will take part in a mountain journey where the skills will be introduced and practised in context. As your understanding grows your instructor will give guidance and encouragement to further refine your new found abilities. Our aim is to help you to gain familiarity with these skills, giving you the confidence to get out into the mountains independently to further practise and consolidate.

Complimentary crampon and ice axe hire is included.

Our winter courses are usually based from a central point in the town of Aviemore. Details to be announced in December.

Course Outcomes 

• Learn how to use crampons and ice axes
• Develop avalanche awareness
• Self-arrests
• Improve your winter navigation skills
• Emergency procedures
• Become independent in the mountains
• Better understand the winter environment

Course Information 

What to expect
YOUR WINTER SKILLS COURSE
08:45 - 16:30

MEET
Your instructor will greet you and check everyone has the required equipment for the weekend before explaining the objective and goals for the day.

COLLECT AND CHECK YOUR EQUIPMENT
You'll to check that your rucksack is suitably packed ready for what the weather may throw at you. If you have requested Ice Axe and Crampons, we will have them available. You will also be issued with the appropriate maps for the day's objective.

TRAVEL TO COURSE LOCATION
The exact location will depend on the weather and the aims and abilities of the group. Very often we would head up to the Cairngorm Ski Area, where we can drive high enough to access good snow conditions.
LOCATION:
102 Grampian Road, Aviemore, PH22 1RH

PRACTICAL SESSION
Our winter days are a combination of workshop-style activities along with enjoying a day out in the mountains. It will be based on real life scenarios and as a team you will get to enjoy several amazing days out as you explore the highlands, learning essential skills on the way.

BACK TO THE ADVENTURE HUB
Once we are off the hill we have an informal debrief. We summarise the key learning points from the day's adventure, discuss your progress so far and set some personalised development targets for day two.

Equipment
We will provide you with a complete kit list upon booking but the key points are:

• All your usual summer hill-walking equipment
• Stiff soled, crampon compatible boots, at least B2 rated (these can be hired locally if required)
• Walking ice axe and crampons (complimentary hire available if required)
• Helmet (provided)

Pre-requisites
Summer hill-walking experience

Environmental considerations

• We encourage car sharing and the use of Public Transport wherever feasible.
• We offer free camping kit for guests looking to cut down on luggage.
• Our staff are trained to prolong the life of equipment used on this course, where it is possible to recycle equipment at the end of its life, we do so appropriately.
• We operate in small teams at low ratios to reduce our impact on the venues we use and other countryside users.

When does the course start and finish?

Start time: 09:00 - Finish time: 16:30. Please note, these times are approximate and could be subject to minor changes. Please leave plenty of time when booking public transport.