Winter Meet Training

Back by popular demand, we are once again running two subsidised training courses aimed at beginners and intermediate winter mountaineers. These courses are running on the Sunday and Monday of the Winter Meet, letting you find your feet before setting off into the hills for the rest of the week! The course spaces are open to everyone, but priority is given to those on the Winter Meet.

Additionally, we are pursuing the option to have an advanced winter climbing course.  This will be a single day, with two climbers to one guide.  This is a completely tailored day that will allow any climbers to have an invaluable day with an experienced guide.  This will be on the Tuesday of the winter meet.  If you are interested in this, please register your interest by signing up below.

Sign up for the Winter Meet here

We are offering three courses:

Winter Skills (two days, £45, 6 people)

• Selection and familiarisation with equipment for winter hiking
• Movement on snow (kicking steps, use of ice axe for walking, self-belay, cutting steps)
• Ice axe arrest
• Using crampons in ascent and descent
• Emergency procedures
• Avalanche awareness
• Winter navigation
• Reading weather reports and their relationships to the mountains
• Snow shelters (if there is time/appropriate conditions)

Winter mountaineering (two days, £80, 4 people)

• Practising the above skills
• Rope work
• Belays
• Moving safely on route
• Leader placed protection
• Retreats

If you have never been ‘on the hill’ in the winter then the Winter Skills course is essential to allow you to understand the added safety challenges that winter brings. Without the basic skills of ice axe arresting, using crampons and avalanche awareness then you’ll be struggling to make the most of the trip.

The Winter Mountaineering course is a great next step if you know the skills from the Winter Skills course. It allows you to use the techniques, such as snow belays and bucket seats, in climbing situations and helps to progress you towards graded routes. This content of this course is tailored towards the group

Winter Climbing Course (1 day)

The Winter Climbing course is for those climbers who have a few seasons under their belt and would like to take their climbing to the next level.  This will be a 2 on 1 day with an experienced guide.  We are currently seeking if there is sufficient interest to hire guides for this, so if you are interested then please sign up below.  The cost for this will not be more than £115 per person.

Sign up below

You must use the comments box to send us the following details.  This information will be passed onto the Stewart Mountaineering Skills and is required.

1. Please also provide your emergency contact information. 
2. Finally, please give details of any relevant medical information
3. Provide a short statement of your previous winter experience:

For the Winter Mountaineering:

• You are familiar with aspects covered in the basic winter skills course (snow holes not essential).
• Confirm you have Scottish winter hiking experience (days/weeks out in the hills)
• Provide further details of your experience e.g. any graded winter climbing routes (lead or second)
• Please detail summer climbing experience – can you lead trad routes, multipitch and at what grade.

For the Winter Skills:

• You do not need to have any previous experience, however we still would like to know what you have done in the past.

Required Kit

Stewart Mountain Skills have given us the following kit list.  Everyone on each course is required to have the following items:

On your body

• Thermal base layer – long sleved
• Trousers – thick outdoor style or fleece/powerstretch
• Fleece/powerstretch type warm top
• GoreTex Trousers – salopette type recommended
• GoreTex Jacket with good hood
• Hat
• Thin/medium gloves
• Thick walking Socks
• Gaiters
• Winter Boots – B2 or B3

In your bag

• 30-40 litre rucksack
• Extra insulating warm layer – synthetic down duvet, one big thick one or two thinner layers
• Thick winter gloves or mitts
• Neck Gaiter/buff
• Walking/mountaineering crampons (C2) in a crampon bag
• Single walking Ice Axe – 50-60cm recommended
• Helmet
• Flask and/or water bottle – at least 1 litre in total
• Ski Goggles or Sunglasses (check the forecast)
• Personal first aid kit
• Head torch with fresh batteries
• Mobile phone
• Map 1:50k sheet 36 for Aviemore courses
• Map case
• Compass

If you do not have this kit, you will not be taken on the hill!  Remember that the club has a small selection of winter kit that is available to all members.