Abacus Mountaineering, Climbing Instructor and Mountain Guide

Winter Mountaineering

A winter mountaineering course will give you all the skills needed to operate in winter including ice axe and crampon use, avalanche awareness, navigation, basic ropework and emergency response. For summer hillwalkers a five day course will include all the winter mountaineering skills and time to practice them, giving you the confidence to explore the hills in winter on your own and tackle some grade 1 and 2 snow gullies and ridge scrambles. Two day refresher courses for those with winter experience are an excellent way to start your winter season's mountaineering, making sure all your skills are up to date. Being guided gives you the chance to experience those classic routes like the Aonach Eagach that you might not consider on your own. Winter mountaineering is particularly demanding and requires good fitness, equipment and determination to enjoy the hill even in poor weather.

Open Courses

We have Winter Mountaineering Open Courses scheduled on the following dates. The price is Ł400 per person and there are four places on each course. There is no minimum number of people required per course and individuals or groups are welcome. To book your place simply use the relevent Buy Now Button to make a deposit and come back to pay the balance four weeks in advance. We'll send an email asking for further booking information when we receive your deposit.

2nd to 6th January 2012

30th January to 3rd February 2012

13th to 17th February 2012

12th to 16th March 2012

Private Courses

For your Private Course, be it personal guiding on Munro's (Scotland's 3000' hills) by the day, two day introduction course or five day winter mountaineering course, please use the table below for prices. A group of up to 4 is ideal for mountaineering. The prices are for the whole group, divide this by the number of people for the price per person.

People	1 day	2 days	3 day	4 days	5 days
1	Ł200	Ł400	Ł600	Ł800	Ł1000
2	Ł220	Ł440	Ł660	Ł880	Ł1100
3	Ł240	Ł480	Ł720	Ł960	Ł1200
4	Ł260	Ł520	Ł780	Ł1040	Ł1300

What to expect on a Winter Mountaineering Course

Navigation, avalanche awareness and safe travel are themes that run throughout all of our courses with daily input.

Possible Course Outlines

Two Day Course

Day One	Discussion of course outline, equipment necessary, how to pack your sack and general approach to winter mountaineering. Snowcraft (how to move around on snow efficiently), use of ice axe to assist walking and to self-arrest a slip, use of crampons.
Day Two	Avalanche awareness and route choice, snow anchors and ropework for major snow gullies.

Five Day Course

Day One	Discussion of course outline, equipment necessary, how to pack your sack and general approach to winter mountaineering. Snowcraft (how to move around on snow efficiently), use of ice axe to assist walking and to self-arrest a slip, use of crampons.
Day Two	Route planning, navigation, route choice. Avalanche awareness, emergency shelters, snow holes.
Day Three	Rope work for grade 1 and grade 2 gullies, for example Number 2 Gully, Ben Nevis.
Day Four	Rope work for grade 1 and grade 2 ridges and buttresses, for example Ledge Route, Ben Nevis.
Day Five	Put it all into action on a suitable winter route such as the Aonach Eagach.

A two day course is usually aimed at highlighting the skills necessary and differences between summer and winter whereas a five day course allows us to fully practice all the aspects of winter mountaineering.

Download the printer friendly Winter Mountaineering kit list.

To make an enquiry or booking read the Course Information.

Go back to Winter Courses.

Grade I gully on Stob Ban

Early sunset in December

Climbing Western Rib (II)

Windy conditions on Stob Ban

Belaying with an Italian Hitch