Winter Mountaineering Skills for Snowsports Tourers

Mountaineering Scotland offers members the opportunity to join us on this course to learn the skills for looking after yourself in the winter mountains when the skis or boards need to come off. This course is suitable for ski and board tourers who would like to gain the knowledge and experience to be able to transition to walking and mountaineering when traveling by ski/board is not possible or not safe due to conditions or steepness.

This course is suitable for snowsports tourers who have a good level of hill and ski fitness and who are confident on moderate slopes off-piste. Moderate slopes would equate to a red run and the course will involve skinning up onto the Cairngorm Plateau. (a minimum ascent of 600m). The course will be taught on a mixture of both ski/board and foot, with the focus being on use of boots, ice axe and boot crampons.

Fitness level 4

Our most demanding courses. A very high level of fitness is required over many hours. Rough terrain and hostile weather conditions will be encountered. You will be required to carry safety specific equipment which will make your rucksack significantly heavier than it is for summer day hikes. 

Maximum distance 15km, maximum ascent 1000m per day. Physically demanding.

What you'll learn

Your course will start with a session indoors, ensuring that everyone has the appropriate kit, planning the day taking into consideration the weather and avalanche forecasts.

The course will then move outside to cover:

  • Use of boot crampons, ski crampons
  • Walking with an axe
  • Self-arrest using an ice axe on foot
  • Introduction to moving in steeper ground
  • How to safely transition from boots to skis and vice versa

 We will aim to cover as much of the above as possible, depending on the snow and weather conditions. 

The staffing ratio is 1:6. All our courses are staffed with highly experienced instructors who hold the Snowsport Scotland Mountain Ski Leader award and either the MTUK Winter Mountain Leader or Winter Climbing and Mountaineering Instructor (WMCI) Award

If you have any questions regarding the content of our courses, or you're not sure if it's right for you, please contact info@mountaineering.scot

What to bring

It is VITAL that you come prepared for a full day in the winter mountains to ensure that you get the most out of the course - download the kit list below.

  • What's provided: Mountaineering Scotland will provide you with an appropriate map, map case, compass and helmet where needed.
  • What you need to bring: You will need to be equipped for a full day in the hills in winter conditions with adequate warm and waterproof outdoor clothing, ski/board touring setup (Boots; Skins; Poles; Skis) , ice axe, crampons compatible with your ski/board boots, helmet, transceiver, shovel, probe, as well as plenty of food and drink (ideally some warm drink) - see the full kit list below. 

Need to hire some kit? Scroll down for details of where you can hire winter mountaineering equipment.

Course date and location

Sunday 21st February 2026 - Cairngorms 

Meeting point: Tiso Aviemore Outdoor Experience Store, Unit 1, Aviemore Retail Park, Santa Claus Drive Aviemore, PH22 1RH

Pre-booking is essential. Please take a look at our course booking information below and booking and cancellation conditions - by making a booking you are agreeing to these terms. 

Cost

£80 for Mountaineering Scotland members. 

Join now from £28/year to get access to our full range of courses, money saving offers and other member benefits. 

Book now

How to book

To book onto one of our mountain safety courses, you need to be a member of Mountaineering Scotland. Thanks to your membership, we can subsidise the costs of our courses and offer you cheaper course prices than most commercial providers.

  • Mountaineering Scotland members can book and pay easily and quickly online in our members’ web portal.
  • If you are not a Mountaineering Scotland member, you can join quickly and easily online in our members' web portal.


Our cancellation policy:

  • Cancellations 7 days or less before the course date are non refundable and non-transferable.
  • Cancellations less than 4 weeks before a course date - we will only offer a refund or transfer if we find a replacement to take your place (admin fee applies)
  • Cancellations more than 4 weeks before the course date will incur a £10 admin fee per booking to cover admin costs.

Please take a look at our useful course information for booking and cancellation conditions.

Need to hire some kit?

If you don't have your own ski touring kit, ice axe or crampons, here are a few options for hiring them:

Aviemore: