Instructional Courses
Instructional courses are aimed at developing the skills to enable you
to have the confidence to go Winter Mountain walking for yourself. The
low ratios on all courses ensure a highly personalised service and allow
us to make sure you develop at a pace appropriate for you. Whether you
have never walked in the Winter Mountains before or are looking for the
confidence to help you tackle tougher challenges Climb-Mountains can help
you improve. Throughout the course we will involve you in all the decision
making so if there are particular mountains or areas you wish to visit
let us know and we will do our best to build that into the program.
Winter Walking Skills
General Outline: For summer hill walkers looking to
venture out into the Mountains in winter conditions.
Minimum Pre-requirements: Previous summer hill walking
experience. Good level of general fitness.
Course Length: 2-5 days
Content: This course concentrates on the crampon and
ice axe skills that make winter walking so different to a summer day
out. A strong emphasis is also placed on the importance of good footwork
and balance that are essential to safe winter walking. We will also
look at the differences between navigation in summer and winter and
the challenges of navigating in a white out, as well as the many careful
judgments that need to made during the course of a typical winter day
out. During the longer courses (3-5 days) we will aim to underake many
of the classic winter walks once the basic skills have been covered.
Max Ratio: 1:4
Guided Winter Mountain Walks
Guided Winter Mountain Walks give you the opportunity to visit some of
the most spectacular and rugged parts of British Mountains while letting
someone else take care of the logistics and navigation. Perhaps you do
not know the area very well yourself, or are slightly lacking in the confidence
to go it alone. Maybe you have done most standard routes and are looking
for something a little bit more challenging. Our local knowledge and years
of experience enable us to find new and less frequented routes to the
summit of most mountains.
Guided Winter Mountain Walks
General Outline: Guided Winter Mountain Walks.
Minimum Pre-requirements: Previous winter walking
experience and knowledge of correct use of ice axe and crampons.
Course Length: 1-5 days
Content: Come to us with specific plans of what mountains
you would like to do, or a rough idea of the type of walk you fancy
and let us do the rest. A round of the Carn Mor Dearg Arete on Ben Nevis,
an ascent of Buachaille Etive Mor in Glencoe or an exploration of the
high peaks of the Cairngorms. Alternatively if you have no knowledge
of the area at all we can select a suitable walk taking into account
the prevailing weather and conditions and any previous experience that
you may have.
Max Ratio: 1:4 to 1:6 depending on route.
Further Information
Equipment Provided by Climb-Mountains. We will provide
all emergency equipment including group shelter, rope and first aid kit
all you need to provide is your own personal equipment.
You will need to provide the following: sufficient
warm clothing made of fleece, soft shell, or synthetic fibres (down or
cotton equipment is not suitable). A spare warm layer, (not normally worn
unless stationary for long periods). Good quality waterproof jacket with
a large fixed hood and waterproof trousers that can easily be fitted without
removing boots. Hat, neck gaiter and gloves/mitts with spares of each.
Comfortable walking socks. Stiff 4 season boots suitable for taking a
C1 crampon. Gaiters. Articulated walking crampon (C1) that fits your boot
securely. Walking Axe. Food and drink sufficient for a long day. Flask
for hot drinks. Headtorch and spare batteries. Though we will provide
a comprehensive first aid kit we do ask that you bring along your own
personal blister kit. If you are in any doubt that the kit you have is
suitable please get in touch in advance to discuss the matter. We are
only to happy to help and its is far better to find out in advance that
the boots you have will not take a crampon than to discover it on the
day of the course! If you do not have crampons and an axe we may be able
to supply them. Please let us know at the earliest opportunity.
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. All Mountain walking courses
and guided days can run with a maximum ratio of 6 clients to one instructor.
On some more challenging walks this will be limited to 1:4. Please note
the group can only move as fast as the slowest member. If you are booking
as a group try to ensure you all have a similar degree of fitness otherwise
the possible itinerary could be limited by the least fit member. All mountain
walking is made so much more enjoyable if you are not disparately out
of breath all the time.
Something Different. If you have something in mind which
is not covered on these pages please get in touch so we can discuss it.
