The possibilities for winter mountaineering in the mountains of Fort William and Glencoe are endless. This course is aimed at those who aspire to tackle steeper ground and graded winter climbs such as grade 1 & 2 gullies, ridges and buttresses and is suitable for those of you who have plenty of summer scrambling experience, have completed a winter skills course or have winter hillwalking experience. During this three or five day course, we will revisit core winter skills such as arresting using an ice axe and movement skills before introducing climbing techniques, ropework, building winter belays, avalanche awareness and navigation. This will all be put into context by making ascents of graded winter mountaineering route.
Skills that will be covered during the course:
- Gear and equipment
- Planning a winter mountaineering day out (including weather interpretation, conditions and avalanche risk)
- Use of ice axe and crampons
- Movement on snow and ice
- Ropework
- Building winter belays
- Navigation in winter
- Avalanche awareness & safe route choice
Examples of mountaineering routes include:
Ledge Route, Ben Nevis
No. 2 Gully, Ben Nevis
Aonach Eagach, Glencoe
NC Gully, Glencoe