Alpine preparation course based in the UK

Course Description

This course is ideally suited to those planning to book a first Alpine trip with a guide, but have little or no experience of the use of ice axe, crampons or moving together. The course is designed to give a UK based introduction to some of these essential skills as well as practical advice on equipment, fitness etc.

Most courses are scheduled for the UK winter season ( December to April ) and are based in Snowdonia – North Wales, the Cairngorms and Ben Nevis – Scotland.

A typical course starts with a brief introduction and discussion of the course aims, and after an equipment check the emphasis is on practical sessions during a mountain day.
This course is usually run at a ratio of 1:4 and is tailored to meet individual ability and aspirations.

What you need:

Waterproof Jacket – full weight breathable model preferred
Base Layer
Light fleece top + warm fleece
jacket or softshell or insulated jacket
Trousers and waterproof overtrousers or salopettes
Hat or Balaclava – must fit under a helmet
Warm Ski Gloves – Spare pair just in case one gets wet and / or:
Spare Mittens – especially if you suffer from cold hands.
Socks
Gaiters
Ski goggles ( can be supplied )
Sunglasses
Suncream
Rucsac 30-35 litres
Waterbottle and / or thermos
flask
Headtorch
Personal medications + blister kit
Camera
Packed lunch for the mountain days.
Technical equipment ( can be supplied at no extra cost )
Winter Mountaineering “B2 /B3”
Boots – crampon compatible
Harness
Climbing Helmet
C2 / C3 Crampons (preferably with anti-balling plates)
Ice Axe / axes
Long sling + locking karabiner

What is supplied:

Technical equipment – harness, helmet, ice axes, crampons, B3 boots.
I have a selection of other equipment available – Please let me know if you need anything else e.g rucksack etc. – especially if you are intending to buy any equipment for the course.
Boot hire is also available from :
http://www.mountainspirit.co.uk ( Aviemore )
http://www.ellis-brigham.com/fort-william.htm

Book Now

or to book using a booking form and cheque / bank transfer, please contact me on :- alec@guidedmountain.co.uk

terms and conditions

You will gain the most from the course by being comfortable, relaxed and receptive to the training and experience , an open mind and open, questioning approach to your training will help achieve this.

Course Information

This course is designed as a UK based introduction to alpine mountaineering techniques and are usually scheduled for the winter season. The hard skills are covered, such as – ice axe and crampon technique, equipment, moving together etc, as well as assessing conditions, route choice etc.

Venues:

Courses are based in Snowdonia in North Wales or in Scotland – Aviemore, with easy access to the Cairngorms mountains, or in Fort William, within easy reach of Ben Nevis and Lochaber, Glencoe and Creag Mheagaidh.

A flexible approach is required in winter to make the most of the weather and snow conditions and so transport to the different venues from either Aviemore or Fort William is included in the course fee. See below for transport options.

Course Itinerary:

It is preferable to meet informally on the evening before the start of the course if possible, to discuss past experience, aspirations, equipment, plan for next day etc., this maximises our time out in the mountains and allows a relaxed preparation for the days objectives. All time spent in preparation will pay dividends and the planning process will be more formally discussed on the morning of the first day, starting at 08.45 hrs.

Mountain days: will focus on a gradual progression of the necessary skills, and with low ratios, this can be closely tailored to individual requirements.

Typical itineraries start with: Weather and conditions evaluation, route choice, equipment, safety briefing.

Moving onto: Practical assessment of conditions ( and avalanche awareness ) ice axe and crampons skills, practical route choice, security on steep ground, introduction moving together and simple rope techniques.

We should be off the mountains by 16.30 hrs on most days, with further time to review the day’s topics during informal evening sessions, time will be allocated for this on the afternoon of the last day, with courses finishing at 16.00 hrs.

Transport links:

For North Wales ( Betws-y-Coed ):
http://www.directrail.com/train_tickets.aspx
and coach services via : http://www.nationalexpress.com

For Scotland ( Aviemore and Fort William ): http://www.directrail.com/trains_to_aviemore.html
http://www.directrail.com/trains_to_fort_william.html
and coach travel to Fort William via:
http://www.nationalexpress.com
http://www.citylink.co.uk/index.php

Accommodation:

As popular tourist destinations, the venues have many options for accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets including good campsites, chalets, bunkhouses, Youth Hostels, B&B’s, self catering cottages and hotels – please note, winter camping can be hard ! – all to be found on :
http://www.visitscotland.com/guide/where-to-stay http://www.visitwales.co.uk/holiday-accommodation-in-wales