Winter Lead Climbing Course in Scotland

Rob Johnson
Mountaineering Instructor (MIC)
& International Mountain Leader

Scottish Winter Climbing 5 day learn to lead Course

What have previous clients said?

"Rob
Hi, Sam and I received the CD with the pictures of the winter skills weekend
this morning and I just wanted to write to let you know what a wonderful
time we had. The instruction was first class, the setting was amazing
and we had a great time and had our aspirations totally met and
exceeded. I'm still assimilating the information passed on by yourself
and have found a new confidence to be able to look up at the winter
hills and not feel like its beyond us now. I also felt that we came
away having gained not just the skills but some new friends which is
always a huge bonus. In addition to all this we'd like to undertake the intro to scrambling
course with yourself. Thanks once more. Nik and Sam Winter Skills 2008

"I just wanted to drop you a quick line to say thanks very much for a great 5 days on your Scottish Winter Skills Course. I learnt a great deal and was impressed you even organised the weather". TP Dec 05

"Just wanted to say thank you for a great winter skills week! I felt I learnt a great deal about the skills required to place myself in a winter environment in the mountains. This course was a perfect introduction before completing my first mountaineering trip to the Alpsthis summer. I would strongly recommend this course to anybody in a similar situation. The course was tailored to compensate for the members current knowledge, fitness and experience so the week was always geared to be learning new skills. A big thanks, keep in touch and look forward to completing a course with you soon. Ice climbing I think!
P.S I'm still not convinced that the pasta water should be used for hot chocolate! All the best Rob. Ben Potts- Winter Skills February 2007".

"Rob,I just wanted to say thinks for your time during the Winter Skills course that recently we took with you. It went about as perfectly as we could have wished. I particularly liked the way that you took us through a range of learning in a very practical way, everything from diet through to a gradual and progressive development of technical skills, often without us actually realising how much we had learned until we practised again the following day. And of course, it was fun as well.We are now thinking about next steps and of course, how we engage you further.Thanks again and all the very best" Graham winter skills Feb 07

Thank you for the winter skills week it was absolutely fantastic. Once again thankyou and I will see you in April - Jason - Winter Skills 2008



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Scottish Winter Climbing 5 day learn to lead - Course Content

Location: Scotland - Aviemore, The Cairngorms
Price: £600 per person
Ratio: 1:2
Length: 5 days

Who is the course suitable for?
This course is for people who have done some winter mountaineering and plenty of winter walking and want to progress onto leading their own winter climbs. Because the course is run at a 1:2 ratio all week we can tailor the content to meet your previous experience and your aspirations. You need to be completely comfortable moving on snow in crampons and have previous experience of leading Diff. rock climbs or harder.

Sample Programme

Opening Night: We will meet and have a pre-course chat and a beer, get settled in and check out the weather and conditions for the week ahead.

Day One: Kit check & discussion
We will use weather and avalanche reports to understand the implications on route choice for the day. We will then head into the mountains to refresh your ice axe and crampon skills and to climb an easier grade route with me leading to refresh basic skills.

Day Two :
We will go and climb a grade 2 or 3 winter route, or harder if previous experience dictates. The weather will determine route choice but we will try and cover both gullies and ridges over the 2 days and teach you the skills to protect yourself and your partner on this type of ground.

Day Three to Five: Over the final 3 days of the course we will progress to you leading your own climbs. As a general rule I try to get people leading at a couple of grades lower than they are happy seconding. This allows you to concentrate on the new skills at hand rather than stress over the ground you are climbing on. As the course progresses we can be totally flexible about your own progression, you may decide to push your grade on the lead or you may want to second something hard on the last day - the choice is yours.

What does the course cover?
-Ice axe and crampon refresher
-Ice axe arrest refresher
-Avalanche Risk assessment
-Stance management
-Route Finding and personal travel.
-Use of the guidebook to find the route
-Belaying from above and below in winter
-Winter climbing specific protection
- Abseiling in winter
-Winter anchors & belays
-Winter descents
-Movement skills on ice & mixed climbs
-Psychological strategies
-Cold weather injuries and avoidance

Where is the course held?
We run the course in the Cairngorm's in Scotland and base ourselves at Aviemore Youth Hostel for the week. The Cairngorms offer good early season conditions, short walk ins (1 hour), a nice variety of easier routes and some nice cafes too!

Staffing
I hold the MIC. Not sure what this means - follow this link. I run all of the winter mountaineering and climbing courses myself.

What's included in the price?
The price includes my time and use of all specialist equipment such as ropes, harnesses, helmets etc. You will need to provide your own boots but I can provide axes and crampons if you do not have them already. Boots can be hired locally if required.

Previous Experience & Fitness
You need previous experience of hill walking in winter conditions. This can be in the form of a winter skills course (not necessarily with us) or more than 15 days of personal experience using ice axe and crampons. Previous experience of seconding winter routes is an advantage but not essential. You also need to be leading summer rock climbs at grade Diff or above. These courses are strenuous and you need to be physically fit to get the most from them. A little bit of training in the form of cycling, running or swimming beforehand will pay dividends!

Book this course

If you have any questions about booking a course then please just call or email. Booking is a simple two stage process:

1. Choose a date.
Individuals - visit the diary page for details of open course availability
Groups of 2 or more - Call or email to arrange a date to suit you -

2. Book the course
Online: You can book online securely by clicking on the "buy now" button
or
Download a postal booking form from our booking page.

If you are booking more than 8 weeks in advance you can choose to pay a deposit of £100 to secure your booking. Click here to pay a deposit.

Course type	Location	Price	Quantity
5 day winter climbing learn to lead	Scotland	£600 pp