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#ThinkWINTER on video and in print

This page has a number of videos made by Mountaineering Scotland, some with the support of Tiso and Rab, which supplement the #ThinkWINTER messages contained in this section.

Below are also a number of relevant winter skills and safety articles which have appearted in Scottish Mountaineer magazine.

It's not just as simple as picking a hill and setting off. Mountain Safety Advisor Ben Gibson talks ClimbScotland's Robert Mackenzie through the planning process for a successful day out in winter, taking into consideration all the extra factors that come into play under winter conditions.

Ben and Robert delve into greater detail in their planning, using weather and avalanche forecasts to help choose the best route for the weather and underfoot conditions on the day.

Ben shows Robert how to prepare for a day on the hills in winter including how to layer clothing to stay warm and dry, keep your extremities warm and which types of boots, crampons and ice axe are most appropriate for different levels of activity in winter.

Heather Morning gives Robert some expert advice on how to make sense of an avalanche forecast and how to use what it tells you to plan a safe route through the mountains.

Heather Morning explains how technology can help not just to find your location, but can also be used to summon help in an emergency - even if there's little or no phone signal available.


The articles linked below are adapted for the website from winter skills and safety pieces written by experts over a number of years for Scottish Mountaineer magazine, the members' magazine for Mountaineering Scotland. The pages also contain links to the original articles both online and as downloadable pdfs.

Mountain safety advisor Heather Morning gives a concise guide to making the most of your first winter in the mountains.

Mountaineering instructor Al Halewood writes about what he keeps in his rucksack for wintyer trips - and why it's there.

There's no getting away from the fact that winter can be cold. Dry and cold or wet and cold. AMI member Dave Slade shares the lowdown on how to keep warm in the worst of weather.

Hypothermia is widely known as a killer in the mountains, most associated with being a winter hazard. Ken Crossley of Scottish Mountain Rescue describes what hypothermia is and how it should be treated - as well as how to avoid it in the first place.

Jon Jones of Glenmore Lodge explains how to be aware of - and avoid - avalanches. And it all starts sooner than you think!

Jon Jones of Glenmore Lodge gives a rundown of the avalanche forecast and what you should be looking for to get the best picture

Heather Morning discusses cornices and how to avoid them.

Former Mountaineering Scotland director David Montieth tells how he survived an avalanche in one of Scotland's most popular winter corries.

What do you do when you've been held up on the hill? Everything's fine, but do your family know that? AMI's Sandy Paterson explains what you can do to ensure there's no needless panic but that someone knows whjat to do if you don't return by a cut-off time.

If things DO go wrong and you have to rely on the mountain rescue volunteers, it's important to remember that they won't arrive in a matter of minutes and you need to be prepared and equipped for a long, cold wait. Darryl Ashford-Smith of Killin Mountain rescue Team explains how it all works.

Ski mountaineering in Scotland rewards the opportunist, but mountain safety advisor Heather Morning underlines the importance of a healthy dose of caution too.