The course below can be run in most areas of Scotland and I like to remain as flexible as possible between East (Northern Cairngorms) and West (Locharber) as this allows us to move to where the conditions are best. Of course, if there is a particular area you would like to go to then that is not a problem.

Avalanche awareness is built into all my winter courses as it is so important, however this course will focus on the detailed study of forecasting and causes of avalanches as well as what to do if you are caught in one. Content is flexible and if you wish to mix this with any of the other winter courses I run just let me know. The length of a course is flexible and normally dependant on your ambitions and experience.

Avalanche Assessment

Outline - Whether you are new to the winter mountains or an experienced climber, avalanches in Scotland hold a very real danger and so this course is relevant to anyone who needs to brush up on their skills or develop new ones.

Content - Over the course you will learn the following skills: causes of avalanches, snow profiles and interpretation, stability testing, safe route choice, what to do if caught in an avalanche and search techniques (including use of probes and transceivers).

Previous Experience - Winter hill walking experience.

Ratio - 1:6