Mountain Skills Courses for Students

As well as our general safety and skills courses, Mountaineering Scotland offers several courses and opportunities exclusively to students, who are members of affiliated university clubs.

These subsidised courses and lectures are particularly aimed at young people who have lots of enthusiasm but may be lacking in essential mountaineering skills and experience.

SMART Student Weekend

This training weekend is an ideal opportunity for university and college club members of all abilities to increase their skill levels - and to help those with a position of responsibility in the club to expand and consolidate their knowledge and improve their confidence in their roles.

Student Winter Skills Weekend

This training weekend will give participants a good grounding in a range of essential skills for venturing into Scotland's mountains in winter. The course includes route planning, navigation, winter safety, avalanche avoidance, walking with ice axe and crampons, ice axe self-arrest and more.

Student Winter Climbing

This weekend course is designed for students who already have winter skills and rock climbing experience and who want to move into winter climbing. It will include a recap of winter skills, rope work, use of technical ice tools, escaping from multi-pitch winter climbs, and avalanche awareness, as well as lead climbing if appropriate.

St John Scotland Mountain Safety Instructor

In a partnership between Mountaineering Scotland and St John Scotland, a mountain safety instructor will attend university mountaineering club weekend meets in both autumn and winter terms, passing on invaluable skills and safety advice.