Intro to Winter Skills Weekend

• Practise winter navigation on the hills of the Cairngorms
• Learn to walk in crampons and use an ice axe
• Try step cutting and self-arrest techniques
• Review avalanche forecasts over a hot drink at a local café

This is a weekend introducing you to the skills required for hill walking in winter. We will spend the weekend on the Aberdeen side of the Cairngorms, saving you travel and accommodation costs. We will develop the following skills on the hill:

Navigation in winter

Walking in crampons

Using an ice axe

Cutting Steps

Self Arrest

Making the most of the weather forecast we'll use a couple of hours on one of the days to get a hot mug of something at a local cafe and take the time to look at avalanche forecasts and understanding what they mean as well as how to plan a safe route.

If car sharing is allowed within Covid regulations we will meet in Banchory at 8am so we can organise some car shares to reduce our environmental impact.

The course will be £140 per person, this doesn't include any equipment hire.

If you don't have winter equipment you can easily hire the following equipment from Tiso Aberdeen.

Winter boots

Crampons

Ice axe

Climbing helmet

Multiple layers of warm clothing

An insulating jacket

Waterproof jacket and trousers

Hat

Balaclava/buff

Gloves (multiple pairs)

Ski Goggles

Headtorch

Compass

Food and drink for a long day on the hill

Gaiters (Optional)

Also required and available for hire at Tiso:

Ice axe

B2/B3 rated stiff soled boots

Crampons C1/C2/C3 rated

Climbing helmet

Optional as we will provide laminated copies of the area being used

Map and map case – OS Explorer OL52

Navigation in winter

Walking in crampons

Using an ice axe

Cutting Steps

Self Arrest

Avalanche Awareness