07725 806870 enquiries@unexplored.scot
07725 806870 enquiries@unexplored.scot

Winter Mountain Skills Course

(20 Reviews)
2 Day Course £195
5 Day Course £415
From£195
2 Day Course £195
5 Day Course £415
From£195
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27208
2 or 5 Days
Availability : January - April
Aviemore, Scotland
Min Age : 18
Max People : 6

Winter conditions can be quite variable in the Scottish mountains. One day you are knee deep in fresh powder the next you encounter some hard snow and need to make decisions on how to navigate that. Our winter skills course is based in the Cairngorms mountains near Aviemore. There you have pretty much guaranteed snow from late December to late March. You will learn how to walk in most winter conditions and have a solid plan to get the most from your winter excursions in the hills. Due to our unpredictable winters you can encounter high winds and avalanche risks. As part of the course we will show you how to plan a trip and be always on the safe side. We have run winter skills courses since 2011 and like to pass on our knowledge and experiences. We also offer a large amount of winter equipment free of use on our courses. Read on to find out more about our courses or get in touch with us if you have any questions.

2 Day courses are from early January till the first week of April
5 Day courses are from late January till the end of March

Snow Guarantee

In recent years Winter seasons in the Scottrish Highlands have been a wee bit variable. However, there has always been plenty of snow in the right places to run winter skills courses. Sometimes it just requires a slightly longer walk to get to the really good snow. In the unlikely event that there would be no snow at all for the scheduled course we would be happy to give participants of the course a full refund.

Can’t find the right date or course? Simply contact us and we will try our best to organise a different date for you.

PhotosDetailItineraryKit ListReviews
Photos
  • winter skills course
  • winter skills course
  • winter skills course
  • winter skills course
  • winter skills course
  • winter skills course
  • winter skills course
  • winter skills course
  • crampons
  • crampons
  • steep ice
  • avalanche awareness
  • Winter skills course
  • avalanche awareness
  • crampons
  • crampons
  • ice axe arrest
  • Ice axe arrest
  • Ice axe arrest
  • Ice axe arrest
  • Ice Axe Arrest
  • winter skills course emergency shelter
  • Coire An t-Sneachda
  • winter skills course - using crampons
  • avalanche awareness
  • Winter mountaineering course ropework
  • Winter mountaineering course ropework
  • winter mountaineering course ropework
  • winter mountaineering course
  • winter mountaineering course
  • Winter mountaineering course ropework
  • Winter mountaineering avalanche awareness
  • Winter mountaineering course ropework
  • Winter mountaineering course ropework
  • winter mountaineering snowhole
  • winter mountaineering snowhole
  • winter mountaineering snowhole
  • winter mountaineering snowhole
  • winter mountaineering snowhole
Tour Details

At Unexplored Scotland, we provide a weekly winter skills course from early January till early April. The winter mountains in Scotland give some of the UK’s most demanding and rewarding mountaineering conditions. Travelling over these hills on high levels often requires a very mature set of multiple skills to ensure a successful and enjoyable day.

First 2 Days Winter Skills Course

The 2-day winter skills course in Scotland will be in the Cairngorms near Aviemore and covers all aspects of winter mountaineering in the UK. These courses run every weekend from January to early April. We focus on practical skills. There is however flexibility and we can add specific skills to the course if requested.

  • Design and use of ice axe (cutting steps, self-belay, support on steep ground etc.)
  • Use of Crampons (fit them on steep ground, different walking techniques)
  • In what situation to use crampons
  • “Safety, energy, faff” rule
  • Walking with winter boots on steep ground
  • Ice axe arrests
  • Self-arrests without an ice axe
  • Little slips and trips on steep ground
  • How to pack a rucksack for winter mountaineering
  • Winter navigation and map reading
  • Understanding different snow conditions
  • Equipment choices and use
  • Weather forecast, avalanche awareness and route planning workshop
  • Email us for any prep course questions (clothing, equipment, course details, etc.)

We will meet in the morning in Aviemore and drive to the hills after an introduction. The main locations we use for the winter mountaineering course are near Cairn Gorm.  All our instructors are qualified Winter Mountain Leaders or Mountain Instructors and have years of experience in running winter courses.

5 Day Winter Skills Course

The first 2 days are the same as on the 2 day course. The third day is kind of a flexible day where the course can either focus more on already covered skills, it could include some rope work or other skills that might be useful for future adventures.

Finally, the highlight of the course is a 2-day expedition with navigation and staying in a snowhole. You will build a snowhole from scratch in a remote area and stay in it for a night. 

Depending on the weather we may be forced to start the expedition (snowholing) on Mondays rather than Tuesdays.

Price Includes

  • Winter Equipment (ice axe and crampons)
  • 35-45L Mountaineering Rucksack
  • Navigation Equipment
  • Safety Equipment (helmet, group shelter, etc.)

Additional Kit for 5 Day Course

  • Therm-a-Rest Xtherm Sleeping Mat
  • Army Style Bivvi Bag
  • 4 Season hollow fibre Sleeping Bag
  • Cooking Equipment

Have a look at the Kit List below for more information about what we provide and what you need to bring.

Price Excludes

Complementaries

  • Lifts from Aviemore to the hills at the Cairngorms is not included in the price, We can however give up to 3 people per course a lift. This is for individuals using public transport. Please fill out a participation form after booking the course if you would like a lift.
What to Expect
  • Friendly and relaxing environment
  • Qualified Winter Mountain Leader or MIC
  • Good quality equipment
  • We provide more equipment than any other independent provider
  • Safety, fun and learning principal
  • Skills are taught in bite sizes to make it easier to learn
  • We teach only practical skills that will help furure winter mountain adventures
  • Over 10 years of course experience
  • Over 20 years of local knowledge

Frequently Asked Questions

Some common enquiries.

If your questions haven’t been answered feel free to contact us.

What is included in the price?

Most winter specific equipment like ice axe, crampons, helmet but also rucksacks, ski goggles etc.. For a full list have a look at the Kit list below.

What is not included in the price?

Personal equipment like jackets, waterproofs and boots. For a full list of what you need to bring have a look at the Kit list below.

Can I buy a gift voucher?

Please contact us if you atre interested in buying a gift voucher.

Do I need Insurance?

We highly recommend that all of our customers take out insurance to cover their course or tour, specifically covering cancellation and curtailment of your course/tour as well as accident and personal injury. We will not be able to refund your course fee should you cancel within 6 weeks of the start of the course.

Can I get a lift to the hills from Aviemore?

Lifts from Aviemore to the hills at the Cairngorms is not included in the price, We can however give up to 3 people per course a lift. This is for individuals using public transport. Groups should organise their own transport. Please fill out a participation form after booking the course if you would like a lift.

Itinerary

Day 1Intro to Winter Skills

– Meet up in Aviemore and discuss how the current weather and snow conditions influence the course
– Fit crampons on winter boots
– Good practice on how to pack a rucksack for winter mountaineering
– Drive to the mountains (most likely near Cairngorm ski area)
– Subjects we are most likely to cover:
– Navigation
– Kicking steps
– Ice axe arrest
– Self arrest without ice axe
– Trips and slips

Day 2Intro to Winter Skills

– Meet in Aviemore and discuss the forthcoming day
– Drive to the mountains (most likely a different location near Cairngorm ski area)
– Walk on steep ground
– Cutting steps with an ice axe
– Fitting crampons on a slope
– Walking with crampons (french technique, walking downhill, front pointing)
– Crampon Safe practice
– When to use crampons (“safety, energy usage, faff” rule)

Avalanche and trip planning workshop in Aviemore
– Read and interpret avalanche reports
– General avalanche awareness
– Location of avalanche risks and safe routes in the mountains
– Weather forecast
– Route planning

Day 3 Flexible Day (5 Day Course Only)

Learn how to navigate in the winter. Since there are many features of a map covered by snow you need to be much more precise than navigating in summer. Alternatively you could do some rope work. Learn how to build snow anchors like buried ice axe, bollard and stomper. Also will introduce you to safety and rescue procedures. In the evening pack all the gear for a 2-day expedition.

Day 4First Day of Expedition (5 Day Course Only)

Walk to a good location for snowholing. We would need a large accumulation of snow to be able to dig deep enough. We then start digging which can take between 2 and 6 hours, all depending on the snow pack.

Day 5Final Day (5 Day Course Only)

In the morning we will pack our things and depending on the weather conditions we aim to walk back down the hill or make it a bit of a journey.

Kit List
What We Provide
  • Mountaineering rucksack (35-55 litres)
  • Climbing helmet
  • Ice axe
  • Crampons (C2 only)
  • Ski goggles
  • Warm hat
  • Balaclava
  • 1:50,000 map and map case
  • Silva Expedition compass
  • Snow shovel
  • Safety Equipment
Additional kit for 5 Day Course
  • 4 season hollow-fibre sleeping bag
  • Therm A Rest XTherm sleeping mat
  • Army style bivvi bag
  • Stove and cooking utensils
What You need to bring
  • Winter walking boots (B2 or B3)
  • Waterproof jacket (minimum 10,000mm, ideally 3 layer with 20,000mm waterproof rating)
  • Waterproof trousers (trousers you don't mind to slide on snow with)
  • Suitable warm clothing for walking (synthetics and outdoor wool only, no jeans)
  • Warm fleece or belay jacket (down jackets are not suitable)
  • Packed lunch
  • Hot drink flask
  • Sun cream
  • Warm Hat
  • Sunglasses
  • Several wind and waterproof gloves (ideally 3 pairs)
  • Wide neck plastic water bottle (not hydration system with hose)
  • Headtorch & spare batteries
Additional kit for 5 Day Course
  • Rucksack for expedition, minimum 55 litres (we have a few spare, contact us if you need one from us)
  • Spare clothing like additional fleece, belay jacket or down jacket
  • Spare socks
  • Spare warm, leather or waterproof mountain gloves
  • 2 dinner or torpedo candles
  • Outdoor mug
  • Spork or spoon

Note about crampons and boots: At Unexplored Scotland we only provide C2 crampons on the winter skills course. These will only fit B2 or B3 boots.

Find out on our blog how to identify boot ratings.

You can hire boots at some of the shops in Aviemore or somewhere on the way. I would always advise to call them to book the boots well before the course. 
Cairngorm Mountain Sport Aviemore 01479 810903 – £20 for 2 days, £35 for 5 days
Ellis Brigham Aviemore 01479 810175 – £24 for 2 days, £40 for 5 days
Tiso Aviemore 01479 788840 – £20 for 3 days, £30 for 7 days (recommended)
Tiso Inverness 01463 729171 – £20 for 3 days, £30 for 7 days
Tiso Perth 01738 634464 – £20 for 3 days, £30 for 7 days

Our Working Dog

Meet Sastrugi, our working dog at Unexplored Scotland. She is a very friendly Alaska Malador (Malamute/Labrador cross) and is our snow specialist. I hope you all like to meet her in our courses.

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20 Reviews
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Suzanna T

Solo Traveller

I did a two day winter skills course with Unexplored Scotland earlier this year with my friend and we really enjoyed it. Andreas was a great instructor with a lot of local knowledge who tailored activities to the abilities and interests of the group. I’d never done anything similar before and he was very patient and clear. Andreas also provides plenty of equipment so that we didn’t need to hire much ourselves. Thoroughly recommend!

10th March 2022

CKing

Solo Traveller

“Booked onto the 5 day winter skills course in February, based out of Fort William, and had a brilliant time!

Andreas knew good spots to practice the basics of crampon and ice axe use, and we put these to the test with bigger hills days in the latter half of the week.

Unfortunately the weather had slightly different ideas, but our plan was fully adjustable and we made the short trip across to the Cairngorms to ensure good mountain days.

Andreas is friendly, approachable and communicative. He has a clear lesson plan and structure and spent time to go into the theory of route planning and avalanche awareness. The peak was digging a massive snow cave on the side of Cairn Gorm!

I would absolutely recommend Andreas for anyone wanting to learn the basics of winter mountaineering.”
Read less

3rd March 2022

Malc K

Solo Traveller

Booked a 5 day winter skills course last winter, would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys summer hill walking but who isn’t experienced with full winter conditions. Learned a lot of valuable information and skills from the highly knowledgeable Andreas, plus plenty of laughs and stunning scenery thrown in. What’s not to like!

1st March 2022

Sam M

Solo Traveller

Fantastic course run by an amazing guide. Andreas taught us all the skills required to tackle the mountains in winter. From navigation, using crampons/ice axe, to building a snow hole. Andreas was friendly and welcoming and i highly recommend booking a course with him.

28th February 2022

emmanuelvaz

Couple Traveller

Best winter mountaineering course. I definitely recommend this course to anyone interested in learning basic leaning skills in mountaineering. Andreas is really knowledgeable.

8th April 2019
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