Learn the skills for looking after yourself in the winter mountains when the skis or boards need to come off.
This course aimed at ski tourers, ski mountaineers, backcountry skiers, split boarders and anyone travelling in winter mountain terrain using touring equipment. It's designed to help you gain the knowledge and experience to be able to transition to winter walking and mountaineering when traveling by ski/board is not possible or not safe due to conditions or steepness.
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.
This course is suitable for backcountry tourers who have a good level of hill and ski/board 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.
We will then move outside to cover:
Please note: We cannot always guarantee sufficient snow to cover all aspects that we would like to, but we will offer relevant training and will aim to cover as much of the course outline as possible.
The staffing ratio is 1:6
This course is staffed with highly experienced skiing instructors who have extensive professional experience in backcountry skiing (ski touring), on-piste skiing and ski mountaineering. The staff will hold the Snowsport Scotland Mountain Ski Leader award and either the MTUK Winter Mountain Leader or Winter Climbing and Mountaineering Instructor (WMCI) Award.
Participants aged 14-17 may be accepted on this course where it is considered appropriate for their prior experience, fitness and course aims. Please contact Mountaineering Scotland before booking so we can discuss suitability, previous experience and what the participant hopes to gain from the course. For courses where accommodation is included, participants aged 14-17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who is also booked onto the course. If the course is suitable, we will provide instructions from completing the booking.
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
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.
£80 for Mountaineering Scotland members.
Not a member? Join now to get access to our full range of courses, money saving offers and other member benefits.
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 your membership supports all the work we do on your behalf.
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.
By booking a course you are agreeing to our booking conditions.
Course Delivery and Cancellation by Mountaineering Scotland
We endeavour to run all courses as planned. However, for operational reasons, we may from time to time need to amend or cancel a booking. Courses will proceed as scheduled unless an Amber or Red weather warning is in place for the meeting location. Where such a warning applies, the course may be cancelled, postponed or have its start time adjusted due to the increased risk associated with travel to and from the venue.
Winter courses are designed to run in a wide range of mountain conditions. Where snow cover, weather or ground conditions are less than ideal, we will adapt the teaching approach, location and activities to ensure the course remains safe, effective and focused on achieving the intended learning outcomes.
In the event of a cancellation by Mountaineering Scotland, participants will be offered either a full refund of the course fee or the option to transfer to another course of the same cost, subject to availability.
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.
If you don't have your own ski touring kit, ice axe or crampons, here are a few options for hiring them:
Tiso Aviemore Outdoor Experience, Aviemore PH22 1RH - email cs_aviemore_oe@tiso.co.uk
If you’re hiring ski mountaineering (ski touring) equipment from Tiso Aviemore, the current prices are:
Ski mountaineering package: This includes touring skis, climbing skins, touring boots. 1 day = £35, 2 days = £65
Avalanche Safety Equipment: These are hired separately:
Shovel £5 per day, Probe £5 per day, Transceiver £15 per day.
Phone the shop for up-to-date details – The shop usually allows you to collect the equipment after 5pm the evening before your hire and return it by 5pm on the final day of hire. Bring a photo I.D. and a credit card.
Cairngorm Mountain Sports, Aviemore. Tel 01479 810903 / cairngorm@braemarmountainsports.com
The shop hires ski touring equipment, avalanche transceivers, shovels, probes, winter mountaineering boots, ice axes, crampons. Phone the shop for up-to-date details, including prices.
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Mountaineering Scotland is a registered trademark of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland Limited
