Winter Mountaineering for Hillwalkers Overview
Winter transforms the mountains, bringing new challenges, new skills and a completely different way of experiencing familiar terrain.
Our Winter Mountaineering for Hillwalkers course is designed for experienced summer hillwalkers who want to make that transition with greater confidence. We’ll build on the skills and mountain judgement you already have, helping you adapt them to winter and develop the additional techniques needed to travel safely and efficiently over snow and ice.
Instruction is tailored to your experience, goals and aspirations. Courses can be arranged in the Lake District or Scotland, from a single day developing specific skills to several days building broader winter experience. If you’d prefer a more guided approach with a particular mountain or objective in mind, we can build the day around that too.
What We’ll Cover
The exact content will depend on your experience and the conditions, but typically includes:
- Winter clothing, equipment and preparation
- Winter navigation
- Route planning and choice
- Safe and efficient movement over winter terrain
- Reading terrain and making good decisions
- Using an ice axe and crampons effectively
- Recognising and avoiding winter hazards
- Ice axe arrest and emergency techniques
The aim is to give you more than a collection of techniques. We want you to leave with greater confidence, better judgement and the skills to start planning and enjoying your own winter mountain days.
How many can participate?
This course works well with a maximum ratio of 1:6 (instructor to participant) and can be booked for one to three days in duration. This low ratio will ensure you receive quality instruction.
How much will it cost?
Our standard rates are for private one-to-one guiding or instruction. Additional participants can join for £50 per person, per day, subject to suitable ratios for the activity.
For longer adventures, bookings of five or more consecutive guiding days receive a 10% reduction on our standard guiding fees.
How to book
Let us know which course you’d like to book, along with your preferred date/s a brief outline of your experience. We require a 30% deposit to secure all bookings with full payment due prior to the start date of your course.