Instructional Courses
Instructional courses are aimed at developing your personal scrambling
skills. This includes both the technical skills associated with rope-work,
belaying and gear placements but also the coaching of movement skills
and route finding that will enable you to scramble with greater confidence
and safety. The low ratios on all courses ensure a highly personalised
service and allow the instructors to make sure you develop at a pace appropriate
for you. Instructors always aim to teach in a realistic situation with
as much learning as possible done while actually scrambling. In doing
so we maximise the time spent scrambling and “doing” and minimise
time spent standing around listening. We also never forget that scrambling
is a fun activity, that should be enjoyable as well as exciting.
Whether you have never scrambled before or are looking for the
confidence to help you tackle tougher challenges Climb-Mountains can help
you improve.
Intro Scrambling
General Outline: For anyone keen to try scrambling
for the first time.
Minimum Pre-requirements: Good level of general fitness.
No previous climbing experience neccesary.
Course Length: 2-5 days
Content: Learn how to move over steep ground. Interpret
guidebooks and the grading system. Route-finding through complex terrain.
Simple rope-work. Spotting team mates on short steps. Although there
will be considerable time spent on technical aspects of scrambling there
will be also be a strong emphasis on the careful judgments required
for safe scrambling. Without care and attention scramblers can easily
find themselves in the exposed situations frequented by rock-climbers
but without all the same equipment. We will teach you how to make sensible
decisions based on your abilities and the prevailing conditions.
Max Ratio: 1:3
Guided Scrambling
Guided scrambling allows you the opportunity to fully enjoy some of the
best scrambles in the N Wales and the UK. We take care of all the route-finding
and party management which leaves you more time to enjoy the flow of continuous
movement over ridges, buttresses and gullies. Scrambling often provides
the most interesting and often least frequented and direct routes to mountain
summits. If you are an experienced walker looking for a challenge and
a way off the well trodden paths scrambling can be just the thing. Alternatively
if you already have scrambling experience but would like to try some of
the longer, tougher scrambles a guided trip with an experienced instructor
can let you get the most mileage from the time available to you.
North Wales Scrambles
General Outline: A chance to experience some of N
wales best scrambles.
Minimum Pre-requirements: Good level of general fitness.
Previous hill-walking experience and preferably some scrambling. No
previous climbing experience necessary.
Course Length: 1-5 days
Content: For a relatively small compact mountain area
N. Wales is blessed with a large number of excellent scrambles at all
levels of difficulty. Some like Crib Goch are justifiably famous and
we are unlikely to have them to ourselves. While on others like Sentries’
Ridge on Mynydd Mawr through no lower in quality we are far more likely
to have the mountain to ourselves. Other possible options include: North
Ridge of Tryfan, Bristly ridge and Dolmen ridge on Glyder Fach, Cneifion
Arete on Glyder Fawr and Clogwyn y Person on Crib y Ddysgl.
Max Ratio: 1:4 (exact ratio depends on routes to be
attempted)
Scottish Scrambles
General Outline: A chance to experience some of the
best scrambles in Lochaber.
Minimum Pre-requirements: A high degree of mountain
fitness. Previous hill-walking and scrambling experience. No previous
climbing experience necessary.
Course Length: 3-5 days
Content: The mountains of Scotland are bigger and
more rugged than elsewhere in the UK. That also makes the scrambles
longer, more challenging and ultimately more rewarding. It also requires
a greater degree of fitness. We concentrate on the area around Glencoe
and Fort William where there are many classic scrambles including: Curved
Arete on Buachaille Etive Mor, the Aonach Eagach ridge and Ledge Route,
Castle Ridge and Tower Ridge all on Ben Nevis.
Max Ratio: 1:4
Cuillin Ridge Traverse
General Outline: The best high mountain ridge traverse
in the British Isles and the only one of Alpine proportions.
Minimum Pre-requirements: A high degree of mountain
fitness. Considerable mountain walking experience and either previous
scrambling or climbing experience. You must be used to long days of
continuous movement, (10 -12 hours a day).
Course Length: 3-5 days
Content: The route can either be undertaken as one
VERY long day or done as 2 days with a high mountain bivvy on the ridge.
Both are very demanding trips that require great fitness. Done in one
day we will be on the go for around 12-15 hours. Done over 2 days will
give shorter days but we will have heavier loads because of the need
to carry full bivvy kit. Either way we will have to carry all the water
you need for the full crossing because once on the ridge there are no
water supplies. If the 1 day method is preferred the mimimum course
length is 3 days. If the 2 day method is taken the minimum course length
is 4 days. This gives us some scope to be flexible with the weather
and have the option to do a preliminary scramble when we can stash more
food and water on the ridge.
Max Ratio: 1:2
Further Information
Equipment Provided by Climb-Mountains. We will provide
all technical equipment for climbing, including ropes, rack and helmet
and harness for each client. If you have your own helmet and harness you
are encouraged to bring them but your instructor will need to check to
make sure they are in serviceable condition.
What you need to provide. You will need to provide suitable
warm clothing for the time of year, a full set of waterproofs (top and
trousers) and walking boots. Ideally boots should be a 3-4 season mountain
boot or a dedicated scrambling boot. All these boots have a rigid enough
sole to make standing on small foot holds possible. If the sole is too
flexible it makes the scrambling less enjoyable and increases the chance
of slipping. You will also need a rucksack (30 - 40 litre capacity) and
food and drink for the day.
Prices. A list of all prices can be found here.
What is not included. Prices do not include, transport,
accommodation, meals or insurance.
Ratios and course sizes. Scrambling is best done in
teams of 2 or 3. For the Instructional Courses the ideal is therefore
2 or 3 clients to 1 instructor. Instruction can be arranged for an individual
1:1 but this does limit some of the things that can be covered. For example
when the instructor is teaching the client how to belay, there really
needs to be a third person scrambling on the end of the rope for it to
be a realistic exercise. Guided climbing is slightly different and it
is possible to work at ratios up to 1:4. However at this higher ratio
it will only be possible to undertake the easier scrambles. If you wish
to tackle some of the more challenging scrambles the best guided ratio
is 1:1 or 1:2.
Something Different. If you have something in mind which
is not covered on these pages please get in touch so we can discuss it.
