Rob Johnson
Mountaineering Instructor (MIC)
& International Mountain Leader		 Scottish Winter Mountaineering Course
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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 Mountaineering - Course Content

Location: Scotland - Fort William
Price: £375 per person
Ratio: 1:2
Length: 3 days

Who is the course suitable for?
This course is for people who have some previous winter hill walking experience (see requirements below) and want to progress to climbing graded winter routes. Over the three days we will aim to progress you from being a winter walker to a winter mountaineer capable of climbing graded winter routes. You will climb routes from grade 1 to grade 2 over the three days.

What does the course cover?
-Ice axe and crampon refresher
-Ice axe arrest refresher
-Avalanche Risk assessment
-Ropework for ground upto Grade 2
-Route Finding and personal travel on rocky ridges, gullies, steps, cornices and steep snow.
-Cold weather injuries and avoidance

Sample Programme

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 introduce you to grade 1 ground.

Days Two & Three:
We will go and climb grade 1 and 2 winter routes. The weather will dictate 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.

Where is the course held?
We run the course in the Highlands of Scotland from our winter base in Fort William. We are very handy for Ben Nevis, Aonach Mor and Glen Coe and will often make the most of the ski centre chairlifts on the first day to maximise the time spent on the snow.

What about accommodation?
Accommodation is not provided as this allows us to keep the course cost low and you can then arrange accommodation to suit your budget. For a range of accommodation options visit this link.

I have two beds available to rent in the cottage that I rent for the season for £75 per week each on a first come first served self catering basis. Email or call me if you want to get in quick!

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


Travel to Fort William
There is a mainline rail station at Fort William and we can collect you at the start of the course and deposit you back there at the end. You can also fly to Glasgow and there is a link here for our travel options page which gives details of airports, coach and train companies and road links.

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. 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  
3 day winter mountaineering Scotland £375 pp