Winter Climbing & Mountaineering in Scotland & Wales

For anyone who wishes to experience the thrill of swinging and axe and ascending memorable routes in the magic of winter. We often climb grade II or III routes using classic venues in Glen Coe and on Ben Nevis.

Key Points Covered

• Routes include Curved Ridge (II), Ledge Route (II), Dorsal Arete (II), No. 3 Buttress (III)

Throughout the course we will coach a variety of climbing techniques, ropework and anchors to keep you safe. We can also cover avalanche prediction and route choice. There would also be the option of learning to lead once you are comfortable seconding various routes.

Experience: You need to have worn crampons before and know how to ice axe arrest. First time in Winter? Book an extra skills day first.
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SC Gully (III), Twisting Gully (IV), Crowberry Gully (IV), Tower Ridge (IV), Point 5 (V), NE Buttress (IV), Orion Direct (V) and the rest. All classic climbs around Fort William that we guide on. Big days out that are rated amongst the best climbs anywhere.

Key Points Covered

• Advanced Climbing Coaching

If you want to climb classic winter routes, have fun yet be challenged then this is the course for you. We tailor each day to your aspirations and previous experience. If you want to push your grade we will coach new axe and crampon techniques be it on steep water ice or the joys of hooking up mixed ground.

Experience: Seconded winter routes before. If you want to try a big grade V route then experience on III / IV is needed, which can be covered if you book multiple days.
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If you new to winter or previously been walking in the winter mountains, then this course will enable you to sharpen your current skills in winter navigation, avalanche awareness, use of crampons and axes and emergency survival techniques. It also allows you to progress forward to safely negotiating steeper grade I ground. This may involve the use of a rope, so snow and ice anchors will be demonstrated and simple belaying methods.

Key Points Covered

The aim of the course is to give you the confidence to build towards completing such mountaineering routes as the Aonach Eagach ridge, which involve simple winter scrambling. A 2 day course will allow us to touch on the various skills, the 5 day course allows a full day on each and the opportunity to practice, near the end of the week.
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All the above courses are also run in Snowdonia, North Wales. With short walk-ins and plenty of quality routes on ice, mixed and mountaineering terrain there is something for everyone.

Key Points Covered

Cwm Idwal is well know for its quality of ice close to the road. However Snowdonia has much more to offer the budding winter mountaineer and climber with the Black Ladders, Trinity Face on Snowdon, Cwm Lloer, Cwm Glas plus winter ascents of scrambles like N. Ridge Tryfan and Crib Goch.

In recent years the conditions have been variable. If conditions aren't wintry then we can run the course in Scotland instead. However last year the conditions were consistently good and with snow down to the valleys in November 2010 it seems the same will happen again.
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