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Student Winter Climbing Weekend 2025

Access to subsidised mountain skills courses and lectures is one of the key benefits of being a Mountaineering Scotland club member. As well as being able to book a place on our general course programme, we organise training activities tailored especially for our university and college clubs.

PLEASE NOTE: Students MUST have attended a winter skills course before signing up for the climbing weekend.

This course is supported by: Mill Cottage Trust and Braemar Mountain Rescue Team

What's it all about?

Mountaineering Scotland, in conjunction with The Mill Cottage Trust, is subsidising 14 Scottish university and college club members to attend a two-day winter climbing course, based in the Northern Cairngorms. 

This course is for students who already have both winter skills and some rock climbing experience, who want to move into winter climbing. 

The aim of the weekend is to provide a solid foundation in core winter climbing skills to enable students to operate competently, safely and independently in a Scottish winter climbing environment:

  • Recap of winter skills, such as using ice axe and crampons for approaching climbs

  • Rope work – belaying both leader and second, construction of belays snow/rock

  • Use of technical ice tools and crampons on a variety of mediums (rock, ice, snow, turf)

  • Escaping from winter multi-pitch climbs (including abseiling from a variety of anchors)

  • Avalanche awareness and its implication for safe route choice

  • Winter navigation techniques

  • There will be the opportunity to do some leading if individual instructors deem this to be appropriate

The programme will be flexible, taking into account individual abilities, aspirations, snow conditions and of course the weather.

Course essentials

  • Dates: 24 - 26 January 2025 (Friday evening 8pm) - Sunday (5pm)  -  bookings opening 9am Thursday 10th October 2024
  • Location: Northern Cairngorms
  • Number of places: 14 students (available on a first come-first served basis + waiting list)
  • Price per student: £132, 2 nights self catering accommodation is included in the cost, meals and equipment are not included)
Download a course equipment list

Please read our booking and cancellation conditions before booking your place - course fees are non-refundable.

Are you eligible to apply?

This course is only available to members of Scottish university and college mountaineering, climbing and hill walking clubs (aged 18 years or over).

This is a winter climbing course, not a general winter skills course, and applicants MUST meet the following criteria:


  • Be fit and active winter hill walkers who are happy to spend eight hours on the hill, carrying a heavy rucksack, to an altitude of 1000m
  • Have led trad climbs in summer, placing gear
  • Be in a position to pass on their newly acquired skills to other students in their club
  • Have had some experience in the use of ice axe and crampons
  • Have previously attended a winter skills course prior to signing up for this course.

How to book a place

Book online, registered members only - bookings opening 9am Thursday 10th October 2024

  • Individual club members can book and pay for their course place themselves, or, a club official can book and pay for a group of members on behalf of the club, all through our members online portal.

  • A student must have an active Mountaineering Scotland membership at the time of booking, which means a club needs to register any new members with us in advance of them being able to book their place. Club secretaries/treasurers can do this quickly and easily, directly through their members online portal login, or, can send us a spreadsheet with new members’ full contact details and we will upload a large number of new members on your behalf.

  • When a course place is booked, each student will receive an email confirmation with joining instructions.
  • All memberships and course places, including those booked by invoice, must be paid for before the course.

 

Group bookings are not accepted on this course.

Book now

Any questions?

If you have any questions about this course, please contact info@mountaineering.scot. Any questions on how to book or how to use our members online portal, please get in touch with our membership team on 01738 493942.