UKC

Hi all
Going up to Fort William next week to do an intermediate winter mountainering course with Alan Kimber at West Coast Mountain Guides.
Was just wondering if anyone has done a course with them? What it was like? etc...

In reply to trek:

Alan Kimber is well known in the scene and he is always very helpful. It should be really good!

I went about 3 years ago and it was absolutely brilliant - very flexible in my case - I ended up teaming up with another guy for a winter climbing course because I had a fair bit of experience already (I had booked for the winter mountaineering) I had 3 days 2to 1 and the last day 1 to 1, all on climbs in Glencoe and the Ben (you get a lovely quick start with a 4wd up the forest track) Extremely good value and we were lucky enough to get alpine conditions - very rare for scot on a booked trip, the hostel was a great place to stay too. Have since always kept in touch with the winter conditions via his blog and this year been able to put into practice some of the techniques I learnt. Gave me great confidence to look for and lead some easier routes myself, and second some harder stuff this year.
You will have a great time - wish I could come!
Dorine

In reply to talkinfell:


Well Alan K gives excellent, wise, friendly, bullshit-free advice for nothing, to people who aren't on his courses. So I'd be pretty confident that he'll do at least that for folks who pay him!

Tim Chappell on wrong computer

In reply to talkinfell:

I really would like to do the winter climbing course, cos thats where my heart lies really. Going with 2 friends, one of whom is very keen on the climbing course (like me), and the other who isnt so confident.
But I think between us 3 we'll have a great time. Could do with some colder weather coming in tho.
Planning on heading back up to the Ben in mid to end march to put into practise what ive learnt. Ive done grade I & II winter stuff in snowdonia this year, but looking for someone whose got more experience that me to go with. any takers??.....
My ambition is to do point five gully, but maybe not this winter (although id bloody well have a crack at it with the right person!!)
again, any takers??......

In reply to trek:

Most guides and courses will be tailored to your skills, and they also know where to find that elusive snow for you to play on. If you show promise and can use gear correctly you may do something that will frighten you at first, they like to get you to as highly competent as possible.

A friend who did not climb at all but was a good walker went on a winter skills course some time ago and was surprised at how quickly he was leading grade II.

Enjoy yourself, hope you are fit as you need to be to get the best out of things.

In reply to trek: Alan is a top man tbh. Lots of very sound advice.

I've just done the Winter Mountaineering Course there in Jan and my only drawback was that I was probably on the wrong course. I should really have been on the climbing course so I didn't feel that I was stretched as much as I could have been. Probably my bad. However, I'd get in early and negotiate just to make sure you get the experience you want. I'd have a think about yr experience level and choose a course accordingly. If your an experienced summer multi pitch rock climber, you might want to do the Winter Climbing Course.

Having said that, accomodation was great, the guides were awesome (say hi to Spike, Richard and Campbell!). I'd definately go back to them.

I'll be there next week in FW too as I was so inspired by my whole experience in January. Lets hope we get the conditions, its all looking a bit warm atm.

In reply to trek:

Havent personally been on a course with him but have only heard excellent things from people I trust. Was planning going on a course with him with my sister but ended up in Norway instead. They also have a pretty good wee bouldering wall.

In reply to trek:

i did a winter mountaineering course there about 4 years ago - it was brilliant

i wasn't into trad then and didn't know anyhting about ropework, but soon developed over the week (we did a five day course)

i'd highly recommend it - if you've got summer trad experience maybe go for the climbing course, although we learnt about navigation, avalanche assesment, moving together, etc

it was awesome and has inspired me to go back to scotland for a ten day trip every year since

we were taken out by spike too, who i bumped into in the ice factor last year on a "rest" day

In reply to trek: Just been on the Winter Climbing 5-day course at the start of Feb. Alan didn't lead the course himself but Chris Walker who did was excellent. During a time of changing conditions, he consistently managed to find us somewhere to climb every day despite loads of snow and high winds.

Alan was great as a host, his bunkhouse clean, warm and comfortable, and his drying rooms fantastic! He even arranged to get my car's clutch fixed during the week after I had to get relayed up from Glasgow on the way there.

Alan is a top man and with access to a load of experienced and keen guides. The course isn't cheap but I left feeling I'd had good value for money.

In reply to trek: hope your classing me as one of those mates mr trek ! cant wait for the course...... think we should ask mr kimber to push us.... see you soon dude