So long as you can find a pair of 3/4 season boots (B1 crampon compatible) that are comfortable on your feet, (by far the hardest part), there is no need now to stop walking and enjoying the mountains just because snow has started to fall. Will4Adventure proudly present these excellent courses for our UK clients.
- Snowcraft Proficiency
- Snowcraft Proficiency +
- Winter Mountain Skills
- Winter
- Winter Climbing – Learn to
- Kit and Boot Hire
- Accommodation
Snowcraft Proficiency
Our 2 day Scottish Winter Skills Course is, even if we say it ourselves, brilliant! Over a couple of fun and adventure filled days you’ll learn a selection of key skills aimed at making you a more independent winter hill goer. The course doesn’t require previous winter experience and it is suitable for anyone with reasonable fitness levels, a thirst for adventure and a passion for the Scottish mountains.
Skills covered include:
- Choosing suitable equipment and clothing for winter
- Developing efficient footwork for safe travel in winter
- Use of ice axe/ ice axe arrest
- Use of crampons/ movement techniques
- Avalanche awareness and avoidance
- Introduction to winter weather and winter navigation
- Managing safety on steep ground
- Planning a day out in winter
- Introduction of more advanced techniques for winter navigation
- Constructing emergency snow shelters and emergency procedures
- Route choice in winter conditions
Basecamp : Fort William, Scotland
Price per person: £170
Instructor/client ratio: 1:6
Note: This course includes no serious exposure to height, but we will be working on ground maybe as steep as 45 degrees.
Private bookings can be taken for this adventure. Contact us with your preferred date(s) that suit you and the numbers and we’ll get back to you asap with all the details.
Snowcraft Proficiency +
Anyone considering our 2 day course may also want to look at our 3 day Winter Skills Course. The key difference between them is the mountain journey on day 3. If you can spare an extra day the third day is a great opportunity to consolidate the skills learnt in the first 2 days.
Price per person: £170 + £80 for the third day
Instructor/client ratio: 1:6
Winter Mountain Skills
Our 3 day Winter Mountain Skills Course is a great option if you have some experience in the winter mountains and now want to develop the additional skills required to progress onto graded winter routes. It will also help prepare you if you have plans to head onto easier mountaineering itineraries in the Alps or Greater Ranges. Over 3 action packed days we’ll refresh your basic winter techniques and knowledge while developing the rope skills needed to get you operating safely on routes up to grade 2. You’ll also end the 3 days having ticked a bunch of classic Scottish mountaineering routes. Our very low instructor to client ratio (1:2) will help you get the most from your training.
Basecamp : Fort William, Scotland
Price per person: £385
Instructor/client ratio: 1:2
Note: This course includes involves serious exposure to height and long days on the mountain. A head fit for heights and legs fit for the mountain will be needed!
Private bookings can be taken for this adventure. Contact us with your preferred date(s) that suit you and the numbers and we’ll get back to you asap with all the details.
Winter Climbing
Will4Adventure’s 3 day Winter Climbing Course is perfect if you have some limited previous winter experience (one of our 2 or 3 day Winter Skills Courses would be ideal preparation) and now want to fully get to grips with climbing in winter conditions. It is helpful (but certainly not essential) if participants have some experience of climbing (indoor or outdoor). Using a range of climbs in the grade 2-5 range will allow us to introduce you to all the key winter climbing skills as well as allowing us to tick off some Scottish winter classics. The very low instructor to client ratio (1:2) means you’ll certainly get the most from your training. It also means we can pair up clients of similar ability so please don’t feel this course will be either too difficult for you or that you won’t get pushed sufficiently – we are experts in matching the challenge to your experience level!
Skills covered include:
- Selection of suitable equipment for winter climbing
- Revision of basic winter skills like cramponing and ice axe self-arrest
- Personal climbing skills on snow, ice and mixed ground
- Efficient techniques for ascent or retreat
- Constructing snow and ice belays
- Placing winter protection in rock, snow and ice
- Moving together over easier technical ground
- Avalanche risk assessment and safe travel
- Winter mountain navigation
- Route selection, route finding and assessing conditions
- Operating efficiently in harsh winter conditions
In the evenings we usually meet for an informal lecture to support the information given during the day. Typical topics include avalanche avoidance, emergency winter shelters, cold injuries and hypothermia or further training on winter navigation.
Basecamp : Fort William, Scotland
Price per person: £385
Instructor/client ratio: 1:2
Note: This course includes involves serious exposure to height and long days on the mountain. A head fit for heights and legs fit for the mountain will be needed!
Private bookings can be taken for this adventure. Contact us with your preferred date(s) that suit you and the numbers and we’ll get back to you asap with all the details.
Winter Climbing – Learn To Lead
This course is specifically aimed at getting experienced winter mountaineers confidently leading graded winter routes. The exact course content is kept as flexible as possible to cater for individual needs but our use of progressive teaching methods and the low instructor to client ratios (1:2) will ensure you progress safely and efficiently on your journey towards becoming an independent winter leader. By the end of the course the only thing you’ll need is ……………more time to climb – winter climbing is very addictive!
Basecamp : Fort William, Scotland
Price per person: £385
Instructor/client ratio: 1:2
Note: This course includes involves serious exposure to height and long days on the mountain. A head fit for heights and legs fit for the mountain will be needed!
Private bookings can be taken for this adventure. Contact us with your preferred date(s) that suit you and the numbers and we’ll get back to you asap with all the details.
Kit and Boot Hire
If you’re already an experienced hill walker there shouldn’t be much need to go out and buy anything much more. A few things that you will find on the kit list that you might not normally carry are as follows:
- Rucksack (around 45-50 litres for skills and climbing courses. It is worth buying a durable waterproof rucksack liner bag too)
- Crampon compatible boots and socks (including spare socks) – Please ensure you have read the additional advice on boot choice below.
- Insulated waterproof gloves
- Spare insulated waterproof gloves (essential in case the first pair get wet)
- Sunglasses and sun cream
- Ski goggles (essential when the Scottish wind whips up – we have some of these available for you to borrow)
- Personal first aid kit and medication (including stuff to treat blisters and lip salve)
Boots
As a minimum, for the Winter Proficiency courses you will need a pair of B1 crampon compatible boots. For any of the courses beyond that which take you onto steeper ground, B2 boots and maybe B3 boots will be needed. Don’t worry if you don’t have any – these can be hired locally for around £12.50 per day. Let us know in good time so that we can make sure boots in your size are available on the day.
Accommodation
Fort William and its surrounds boasts a stack of accommodation options for whatever your style or budget. For these courses we recommend that you might like to book your accommodation with us under one roof at Inchree Chalets and Rooms (from £22.50pppn) as it allows us to run evening lectures to support the information instructors have given during the day. It also makes it much easier to pass on key details so everyone can be ready promptly at the start of each day. We can also offer local area lifts from the course base to help those who have travelled to the course on public transport.
If you wish to join us at Inchree let us know and we can organise this for you too. Other options for accommodation south of Fort William can be found here.