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  • WINTER SKILLS & SUMMITS

    These private 1 and 2 day introductory winter skills & summits courses are aimed at hillwalkers with limited experience of snow and ice covered mountains

    Winter Skills Course Scotland

Winter Skills & Summits Course

Hillwalking in winter requires the need for a more diverse range of skills. The environment is far more dynamic, with conditions and weather changing rapidly. These courses will develop your skill set to cope with the additional challenges that are associated with a winter hill day.

Winter Skills & Summits Course Outline

These one and two day introductory Scottish winter skills courses are aimed at hillwalkers with limited experience of snow and ice covered mountains who would like to extend their summer activities to the high mountains in winter. They offer an opportunity to learn about the special requirements of winter clothing; equipment; ice axe and crampon skills. A strong emphasis will be placed on navigation and safe route choice. Time will be spent each day planning and assessing the weather and snow conditions in order to make the most of prevailing conditions, to understand the importance of avalanche awareness and to choose appropriate routes in both ascent and descent.

Read Full Details
Winter Skills Course Scotland

Customer Reviews

  • 5 star rating Out again with WCMG! After an amazing few days doing winter mountaineering with Ken back in January, we booked again for some summer days. Ken was happy to adapt to Will and my climbing abilities, did some classic rock routes which was great! Learned lots, had a great time out. Cannot recommend Ken & West Coast Mountain Guides enough, there's really no better day out in Lochaber.

    manderswanders 04 Oct 2020

    5 star rating Great days, great ridges, great fun After a great experience with WCMG in January winter mountaineering we can back to do some classic rock routes. The weather lined up perfectly and we tackled some fairly sizable ridges that required the conditions. Ken was great as always, helping us move quickly and providing helpful advice along the way that we can take to our next experiences.

    WillB1345 22 Sep 2020

    5 star rating 5 great days winter mountaineering Me and my partner booked 5 days private mountaineering with West Coast Mountain Guides in January. We were very worried as the week before as there had been no snow, however we were very fortunate and there was a huge dump the night we arrived in Fort William. We went out with Peter Stollery who was fabulous. The 5 days were really varied and we has a great time, learning... read moreMe and my partner booked 5 days private mountaineering with West Coast Mountain Guides in January. We were very worried as the week before as there had been no snow, however we were very fortunate and there was a huge dump the night we arrived in Fort William. We went out with Peter Stollery who was fabulous. The 5 days were really varied and we has a great time, learning winter snow skills, weather interpretation, avalanche awareness, as well as getting a few climbs in some very wintery weather. Peter is incredibly knowledgable and is always eager to share his experience, we had a really great time. We would certainly recommend West Coast Mountain Guides and Peter. read less

    588matthewc 31 Aug 2020
  • 5 star rating CIC hut (mid March 2020) Had an amazing week of winter climbing, which was professionally guided by Ken Applegate and Mark Scales. All the clients on this particular course were experienced winter climbers and we were well matched, allowing us to make the most of the excellent conditions and cram in so many classic grade IV/V routes over the week including: Minus Three Gully, Gutless, Minus Two Gully continuing up North East Buttress, Right Hand... read moreHad an amazing week of winter climbing, which was professionally guided by Ken Applegate and Mark Scales. All the clients on this particular course were experienced winter climbers and we were well matched, allowing us to make the most of the excellent conditions and cram in so many classic grade IV/V routes over the week including: Minus Three Gully, Gutless, Minus Two Gully continuing up North East Buttress, Right Hand Wall Route, Vanishing Gully continuing up Tower Ridge, Hadrian's Wall Direct and finishing the trip with the incredible Orion Face Direct. read less

    G5764WYphilg 26 Apr 2020

    5 star rating CIC HUT WEEK WINTER CLIMBING COURSE A truly fantastic week with Ken and Mark. I can't believe how much we got done and how kind the conditions were to us. The guides knowledge of the mountain and routes was outstanding, which allowed us to make the most of everyday. I always felt safe and found the climbing, conditions, views and exposure amazing.
    Definitely up there as one of my best climbing trips!
    I have previously...
    read moreA truly fantastic week with Ken and Mark. I can't believe how much we got done and how kind the conditions were to us. The guides knowledge of the mountain and routes was outstanding, which allowed us to make the most of everyday. I always felt safe and found the climbing, conditions, views and exposure amazing.
    Definitely up there as one of my best climbing trips!
    I have previously been on three other trips around Glencoe, The Ben and in the Cairngorms, winter climbing with larger organisations. My experience with" West Coast Mountain Guides" stands out and exceeded my expectations. Ken and Mark love climbing and just wanted to get out there with us and get as much done as possible!
    read less

    Swillis72 16 Apr 2020

    5 star rating Private Guiding with Ian Fowler Top notch service. Excellent and tailor made winter guiding with tough routes and summiting Ben Nevis and Cairgoms. Highly recommend!

    BorysD2013 31 Mar 2020
  • 5 star rating Quality Mountain Day with a Quality Company An outstanding quality mountain day (QMD) on 16 March PLD (pre-lockdown) with Dave and Ian from West Coast Mountain Guides. Ken runs a great company and is efficient, organised and responsive. First rate administration. Dave and Ian, our guides for the day, were both brilliant; knowledgable and highly professional, and also great company. And we would not have been able to do what we did (Schoolhouse Ridge, Ballachulish) without them,... read moreAn outstanding quality mountain day (QMD) on 16 March PLD (pre-lockdown) with Dave and Ian from West Coast Mountain Guides. Ken runs a great company and is efficient, organised and responsive. First rate administration. Dave and Ian, our guides for the day, were both brilliant; knowledgable and highly professional, and also great company. And we would not have been able to do what we did (Schoolhouse Ridge, Ballachulish) without them, not least given the ‘proper‘ Scottish winter conditions encountered.
    Definitely highly recommended. I doubt there is a better guiding company in Scotland.
    read less

    79nicka 31 Mar 2020

    5 star rating Great Guide. Great Communication before and during the course. Great Course. Booked a private, 2 day, winter mountaineering skills course with these guys.
    Our team of 2 really liked Dave Barker’s approach. He gave good advice, showed very good judgement and was a safe pair of hands in somewhat challenging conditions.
    He was clearly very experienced and his depth of knowledge, from research and experience was evident.
    Our team had very different levels of experience and Dave was great with both...
    read moreBooked a private, 2 day, winter mountaineering skills course with these guys.
    Our team of 2 really liked Dave Barker’s approach. He gave good advice, showed very good judgement and was a safe pair of hands in somewhat challenging conditions.
    He was clearly very experienced and his depth of knowledge, from research and experience was evident.
    Our team had very different levels of experience and Dave was great with both of them.
    Dave's explanations were clear and he explained why he did things in a certain way, but gave alternatives if the boys wanted them.
    His precise approach appealed to our group - one an engineer, one a scientist. They made a good team.
    Both learned a lot and would willingly do a course with Dave again.
    Both liked his personality too and enjoyed the time spent in his company. Dave had a great sense of humour which was essential in the weather conditions. Great that the wet weather gear performed well.
    Book self catering accommodation as you may get an early start each day. The hotels don’t offer breakfast early enough!
    Dave met our team at 7.30am at our accommodation each day, then took them to Glencoe from Fort William as local avalanche risks were high. The guide chooses the best location each day depending on conditions out there. They really know these hills.
    There is a great kit list on their website.
    They answered our emails promptly.
    Would definitely book with these guys again!
    read less

    JT_NS 15 Mar 2020

    5 star rating Winter mountaineering course Had a brilliant week with West Coast. Did some amazing routes including schoolhouse ridge, ring of steall and dinnertime buttress. Andy was a great teacher and we learnt so much with regards to reading snow conditions, potential hazards on the hill, movement on steep terrain and becoming inpendent in the mountains in winter. To really get the most out of the course I would recommend having good hill fitness, It... read moreHad a brilliant week with West Coast. Did some amazing routes including schoolhouse ridge, ring of steall and dinnertime buttress. Andy was a great teacher and we learnt so much with regards to reading snow conditions, potential hazards on the hill, movement on steep terrain and becoming inpendent in the mountains in winter. To really get the most out of the course I would recommend having good hill fitness, It will make it so worthwhile. Thanks again for a fantastic week. The West Coast of Scotland has so much to offer. read less

    A5719PSaliceb 07 Mar 2020
  • 5 star rating winter climbing intro I did the 5 day intro to winter climbing course with Rich. Really great week, he was very safe and aware of how to avoid areas with an avalanche risk whilst still ensuring we got the best possible experience from the week.
    He was happy to tailor the time to our abilities and what we wanted to achieve.
    Would highly recommend booking with them if you want to push your...
    read moreI did the 5 day intro to winter climbing course with Rich. Really great week, he was very safe and aware of how to avoid areas with an avalanche risk whilst still ensuring we got the best possible experience from the week.
    He was happy to tailor the time to our abilities and what we wanted to achieve.
    Would highly recommend booking with them if you want to push your mountain abilities and generally have some really fun days.
    read less

    Alec139s 07 Mar 2020

    5 star rating Winter Skills Course Booked a winter Skills Day course. Excellent service from start to finish. Course instructor James was very informative and made the day really enjoyable. i feel more confident using my crampons and ice axe. Many Thanks

    Scrad26 01 Mar 2020

    5 star rating Highly recommend Conditions in Scotland can be highly variable in winter. Ken & West Cost Mountain Guides seem to be able to always find routes and things to do.

    Christopher C 25 Feb 2020
Full Description

Course Outline:

These one and two day introductory winter skills & summits courses are aimed at people with limited experience of snow and ice covered mountains who would like to extend their summer activities to high mountains in winter. They offer an opportunity to learn about the special requirements of winter clothing; equipment; ice axe and crampon skills. A strong emphasis will be placed on navigation and safe route choice. Time will be spent each day assessing the weather and snow conditions in order to show methods of detecting potential avalanche terrain and choosing the safest and easiest routes of ascent and descent.

Most days (6/8hrs) will be spent on mountains between 600m and 1345m. A number of winter ‘Munros’ will be climbed. A reasonable level of fitness is required for people joining this course. Hopefully those attending will gain confidence in their own ability to travel more safely over snow covered mountains in future. Roped climbing is not included during this week.

The Munros of Aonach Beag and Aonach Mor, just north of Fort William and Creise and Meall a’Bhuiridh in Glencoe can be accessed by uplift, allowing greater time for coaching of winter skills/an easier day, the small costs of which will need to be covered by yourselves.

Experience Needed:

Summer walkers with a reasonable level of hill fitness.

Course Ratio: max 1:6

These courses are run on a privately guided basis, so there are no minimum numbers for the courses to run.

Costs and Equipment:

Prices include guiding and instruction and the use of a helmet, ice axe and crampons. You will also need to take accommodation, food, uplift, personal equipment and insurance costs into consideration.

If the course dates don’t work for you or your group but you still like the look of the programme then please get in touch as we are able to provide guides for all weeks of the year and private mountain guiding may be an option for you.

Dates & Prices

1 & 2 Day Course

  • We offer these days on a private guiding basis, so on dates to suit you.
  • Costs are for one guide/day.

1 person £220
2 people £240 (£120 per person)
3 people £260 (£87 per person)
4 people £280 (£70 per person)
5+ people £300 (£60 per person or less)

Kit Requirements

Socks –Go for a medium to thick pair of synthetic or wool/synthetic blend socks. You may like to wear a thin liner pair underneath the thicker pair.

Thermal/Base Layers –A couple of thermal layers are useful, along with thermal leggings. Powerstretch works well.

Fleeces –At least one fleece layer for your upper body. If you get cold easily perhaps add a fleece gilet/vest to your layering. Having an extra fleece top or synthetic layer in a waterproof liner at the bottom of your rucksack is essential.

Synthetic Belay Jacket –Whilst not essential, will be a good booster layer.

Walking trousers –Polycotton, polyester or softshell is ideal.

Warm Hat & Waterproof Gloves –It is very important to look after your hands in winter. A thin pair, a thick warm waterproof pair and a pair of thick mittens will often all be used in one day on the Scottish Hills. If it’s particularly wet, then carry a couple of spare pairs.

Waterproof jacket and over trousers ( Outer shell clothing) –The trousers should have at least a knee length zip enabling them to be fitted over boots/crampons. This is an essential point to remember as winter boots are bulkier than summer ones.  Lightweight waterproofs are often inadequate under severe winter conditions. A large hood to fit over a helmet and your face with wired visor is essential for the jacket in winter.

Rucsac –A medium volume sac (30 -45 litres) is best for winter walking, with ice axe carrying loops. Use a strong plastic rucsac liner to keep the contents dry. External Rucsack covers have a habit of blowing away and don’t work as well as an internal liner.  Everything needs to fit inside your sac.

Bivvy Bag –A large person sized poly or foil survival bag is the minimum requirement, essential.

Gaiters or Stop-tous –Essential for all courses.

Head Torch –Essential for all courses, plus spare batteries.

First Aid kit –A small personal pack including medication for blisters. Suncream and sunglasses if good forecast.

Compass/Map –(OS sheet 41 & 34- 1:50 000 or BMC/Harveys Ben Nevis & Glencoe 1:40 000)
The map should be weather-proofed in a clear plastic map case or covered with clear sticky back plastic.

Whistle/Watch

Flask –0.5-1 litre for hot drinks on the hill. If you take a flask, a waterbottle is optional. Don’t carry too much liquid in winter!

Lunch & Spare Food

Ski Goggles

Trekking Poles -These are optional, but useful particularly in descent.

Boots –For winter hillwalking and skills courses, stiff, crampon compatible boots are required.  They should have a stiffness rating of B1 minimum, and ideally B2.  B3 boots are fine, so long as you find them comfortable.

Crampons –Should have 10 or 12 points and be compatible with your boots. Clip-on heel crampons  and front straps are very easy to fit on most modern B2 and B3 boots, whilst older traditional strap-on crampons are okay, but less easy to fit in cold windy conditions. We recommend anti-balling plates and cutting your straps to a suitable length (Not too short!). Ask for advice if you are unsure.

Ice Axe –For walking or general mountaineering an axe of 50 – 65cm is adequate.  Whether you choose to have a wrist loop or leash is up to you, we recommend going without as they can get in the way.

Helmet –Required for winter skills & summits courses, not necessarily required for guided winter hillwalks. Please check.

Programme Outline

2 Day Course

Meet on the morning of day 1

Day 1
Kit checks – Essential skills – Step kicking/cutting – Ice axe arrest – Walking in crampons – Avalanche Awareness and safe route choice

Day 2
Essential skills required to ascend a 3,000ft mountain by a straightforward route in order to reinforce previous days training. Navigation – Map & Compass – Pacing & Timing – ‘White-out’ techniques

The 1-day course will cover the majority of the above, and can be tailored to your requirements

Example Routes

There are numerous Munros and Corbetts in and around Fort William and Glencoe, so below is a small selection of what is possible.

  • Ben Nevis
  • Aonach Mor & Aonach Beag
  • Stob Ban & Mullach nan Coirean in The Mamores
  • Stob Coire Raineach & Stob Dubh (Buachaille Etive Beag) in Glencoe
  • Stob Coire nan Lochan & Bidean nam Bian in Glencoe
  • Creag Meagaidh

Booking Enquiry Form

Please fill out the form below if you have any questions or would like to book.
We’ll be in touch soon!

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Private Guiding

If the dates or contents of a course are not exactly what you are after, we also offer private guiding, which makes up a large part of our working year. Private guiding can be arranged on dates to suit you, and we can tailor the course or guiding to match you needs and aspirations. There are no limits for the number of participants on privately guided day, so whether you are an individual after 1:1 guiding or tuition, or a group or club looking to develop their collective skills or reach a particular summit, please get in touch.

Find out more about Private Guiding
Ken Applegate Mountaineering Instructor and Mountain Guide

On the summit of Beinn an Dothaidh
Ben Nevis Guide Winter
On the Carn Mor Dearg Arete in winter
On the Carn Mor Dearg Arete in winter
Enjoying being out winter hillwalking
Rime on the fence posts on Creag Meagaidh
Blue skies and white snow on Creag Meagaidh
The Window at Creag Meagaidh
Amazing conditions for winter walking in Glen Shiel
Glorious winters day in Glen Shiel
Following snowy ridges in Glen Shiel
Winter Skills course in Glen Shiel
In Glencoe on our Scottish Winter Skills Course
Winter Skills in the Grey Corries, Lochaber
Perfect conditions for winter walking on Ben Nevis
Guide Ben Nevis Winter
Guide Ben Nevis Winter
Looking towards Na Gruagichean
On the summit of Ben Nevis
Mountain hare on Aonach Mor
North Face of Ben Nevis from Carn Mor Dearg
North Face of Ben Nevis from Carn Mor Dearg
Descending Ben Nevis on a winter skills course
Another fine day on Ben Nevis in winter
The magical north face of Ben Nevis, perfect for our Scottish Winter Skills Course
Approaching the summit of Ben Nevis
On the summit plateau of a Scottish mountain
Rime ice on Aonach Mor
Smiling whilst out winter walking in Scotland
Perfect conditions for winter hillwalking
Winter Skills in Glencoe
On the summit of Stob Coire Raineach, Glencoe
Winter Skills Course on Stob Dubh, Glencoe
On the summit of Stob Coire Raineach, Buachaille Etive Beag
Views across Loch Linnhe from Ben Nevis
Winter Skills Course Scotland
Winter expedition from Corrour Station
Winter Skills Course team on Aonach Mor
Concentrating on walking downhill in crampons
Cutting steps on a winter skills course
Cutting steps on Aonach Mor
Full winter conditions in Glencoe
Learning to ice axe arrest on a winter skills course
Practising ice axe arrests
Learning to walk with crampons and an ice axe
Winter Skills on Stob Dubh in Glencoe
Winter Skills Course Scotland

Other Winter Courses

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With over 100 icefalls, short approaches and reliable conditions, ice climbing in Hemsedal is not to be missed!
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Climb Ben Nevis this Winter

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Five nights based at the highest mountain hut in the British Isles, 680m above sea level, under the North Face of Ben Nevis...
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Advanced Winter Climbing Course

Advanced Winter Climbing Course

These are our flagship weeks aimed at getting as much climbing in as possible from III to V (snow and ice conditions permitting).
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Introductory Winter Climbing Course Scotland

Introductory Winter Climbing Course

This introductory level course aims to climb on routes within the grades of I to III or possibly IV. Ideal for people with limited experience.
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Winter Mountaineering Course

Winter Mountaineering Course

These 5 day courses aim to take competent walkers into the more technical aspects of Winter Mountaineering.
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Winter Skills Course Scotland

Winter Skills & Summits Course

These two and five day introductory winter skills & summits courses are aimed at people with limited experience of snow and ice covered mountains.
Read More
Find Out More

Contact us if you would like more information or have any questions

About Us

West Coast Mountain Guides Ltd. is here to help anyone interested in visiting mountain regions do so with both confidence and enjoyment. E:[email protected]

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West Coast Mountain Guides
E:[email protected]

Scottish Enquiries:
T: +44 (0)1397 532022
M: +44 (0)7799 863068

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