Abacus Mountaineering, Climbing Instructor and Mountain Guide

Introduction to Winter Skills

An introductory winter skills course will give you all you need to walk the hills in winter. Core skills such as what to wear and how to wear it, how to use your winter boots, ice axe and crampon use, avalanche awareness, navigation and emergency response. For summer hillwalkers a five day course will include all these winter skills and many more besides, giving time to practice them fully and giving you the confidence to explore the hills in winter on your own. We can also include a two day snowholing expedition too!

A two day course will show you all that is required for safe winter walking and get you started on your own winter adventures. Winter hillwalking is particularly demanding and requires good fitness, equipment and determination to enjoy the hill even in poor weather.

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 skills course, please use the table below for prices. A group of 4 to 6 is ideal for hillwalking. 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
5	Ł280	Ł560	Ł840	Ł1120	Ł1400
6	Ł300	Ł600	Ł900	Ł1200	Ł1500

Possible Course Outlines

Two Day Course

Day One	Discussion of course outline, equipment necessary, how to pack your sack and general approach to winter walking. What to wear and how to wear it, how to use your winter boots, use of ice axe to assist walking and to self-arrest a slip, use of crampons.
Day Two	Avalanche awareness and route choice, winter navigation, emergency shelters and snow hazards.

Five Day Course

Day One	Discussion of course outline, equipment necessary, how to pack your sack and general approach to winter walking. What to wear and how to wear it, how to use your winter boots, 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 and snow hazards.
Day Three	More movement skills including cramponing on hard snow and ice, how to use an ice axe on steeper ground. Emergency shelters and snow holes.
Day Four	Pack for the overnight trip, walk in to the snowhole site and dig your home for the night!
Day Five	Pack up early, finish the course with a summit and head down for a good shower.

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 walking.

Download the printer friendly Winter Skills Kit List.

To make an enquiry or booking read the Course Information.

Go back to Winter Courses.

Winter walking

Cutting steps

Snowhole expedition

Sleeping in a snowhole

Ballachulish Horseshoe