Introductory Winter Climbing

Introductory Winter Climbing Courses

In Scotland in winter the scrambles of the summer turn into fantastic easier winter climbs. The gullies fill with snow and the water courses freeze giving us some fantastic snow and ice climbs. If you've done some winter walking or our winter skills course you will probably want to start moving on to more challenging terrain. With the guidance of an Alpha Mountaineering Instructor you can attempt some of the best easy winter climbs that the UK has to offer.

We run our winter climbing courses from the end of December to the end of March. We can use Aviemore as a base and venture into the Cairngorms or head out from Fort William into the Lochaber hills.

Check out what past clients have to say about Alpha Mountaineering on our Client Testimonials page.

Course content

During an Introductory Winter Climbing Course we will introduce you to the following skills:

• Route finding on the mountain.
• Assessing snow conditions.
• Choosing your winter climbing gear.
• Moving over steeper ground.
• Learning to use technical ice axes for climbing.
• Winter anchor choice and gear placement.
• Belaying and rope management.

Programmes are dependent upon weather and conditions.

To find out the recent conditions on the hills and what we've been up to at Alpha Mountaineering then go to our News and Conditions page.

Winter Essentials

To make sure that you have the right equipment for the course check our Winter Equipment Page.

To find out more about booking a course with Alpha Mountaineering go to our Booking Page.

Winter Climbing Programme Options

We can create a course to suit the time you have available. If you book a 2 or 3 day introduction to winter climbing course we will cover the basics. If you want to become more proficient and consolidate your skills then book 4 or 5 days.

If you have no winter experience at all we could give you a 2 day winter skills course followed by a 3 day introductory winter climbing course.

Please contact us with any questions so that we can help you to achieve your goals.