LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
While the courses are timed to create a logical progression if you chose to go all the way, there is no pressure whatsoever to complete them all. Most of our members typically opt for the Winter Skills and Mountain Rope-work courses, the standard mountaineering combo. But others hate the cold so only do Mountain Rope-work and stick to summer scrambling; some even do none and enjoy the mountain-walking opportunities at the club’s destinations.
The point is: do what you enjoy, nothing is obligatory for anyone!
A note on dates:
- Winter Skills and Winter Rope-work take place on our Winter Skills Weekend, the second weekend of Easter term.
- Mountain Rope-work runs after exams in summer term, so don’t plan on leaving too quickly if you’re interested!
All courses are run annually and those tagged (G) are led by professional mountain guides
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CONTACT US.
WINTER SKILLS (G)
MOUNTAIN ROPE-WORK (G)
WINTER ROPE-WORK
Winter Skills is our introduction to Winter mountaineering. No experience is needed, anyone can join! So if you’ve just heard about this mountain climbing lark or joined a summer trip and reckon Winter would be a blast, this is for you!
To stay safe, everyone does this course before joining a Winter trip.
A summer weekend in the Langdales being guided through the theory and motions of navigating exposed, technical terrain safely and efficiently. This is an introduction to practice from and become confident on serious mountaineering routes.
Led by committee, this conversion day covers the adaptions made to regular rope-work for Winter conditions and additional techniques.
Must have completed Winter Skills & Mountain Rope-work (or have equivalent experience).
Content:
- Crampon & ice axe skills
- Avalanche awareness (including a visiting lecturer in autumn term)
Content:
- Protecting routes with a rope & gear
- Belaying & abseiling
- The ‘sliding scale’ of safety (alpine route mentality)
Content:
- Placing rock protection in Winter
- Snow anchors
- A basic Winter Route
FIRST AID (G)
NAVIGATION
SEARCH DOG TRAINING (G)
This two-day course, all on campus, is tailored to mountaineers and satisfies the first aid requirement of the ML awards (REC level 2)
Kindly provided for us by medicrec.com
We don’t organise a structured navigation course, but if you’d like to learn let us know, we’ll help you out when you’re next on a trip!
We raise money for Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team and visit their base for an evening each year as a handover. The team’s search dogs love finding live victims so bring your boots, layers and be ready to hide.
Content:
- First aid in remote locations
- Keeping a patient alive in an inhospitable environment
We can teach:
- Locating yourself & map reading
- Taking & walking on bearings
- Route finding in low visibility
Content:
- 4x4s
- Life-saving volunteers
- Some very good boys (and girls!)
