UKC

Winter skills courses scotland...weather lottery

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
I have three weeks off in January starting about the 15th and I was thinking about a winter skills (walking and grade I/II) course.
I know weather is a lottery anytime of the year in these isles but would people think this is likely to be a good time or is there generally better weather and enough snow around later in the season about late Feb/March.
Any other thoughts?
 DougG 08 Sep 2009
In reply to Professor Bunsen:

Impossible to say really. Depends where it is to some extent. I did a winter skills course in Feb 1997 in Lochcarron and we had a real job finding any snow.

In general though I think that the east (i.e. Cairngorms) are likely to be more reliable, and Feb/March might be better. Also a fair bit more daylight.
 AlH 08 Sep 2009
In reply to Professor Bunsen:If only the I could tell you what the weather was going to do when this winter...
Scroll down here for conditions on the west last Jan http://alanhalewood.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html
And
Jan 2008 http://alanhalewood.blogspot.com/2008_01_01_archive.html
If you are looking to do something involving winter skills and some easy climbing/mountaineering then you will need to go to a provider for a bespoke course rather than most off the shelf winter courses from the larger organisations: http://www.ami.org.uk/db/public/instructor_search.php
Good luck with the weather!
Al
 Andy Nisbet 08 Sep 2009
In reply to DougG:

Are you sure it wasn't Feb 1998. I was working in Lochcarron that Feb, there was no snow and 51 inches of rain in Skye, an all time record. Recent winters however have been better!
 rubisco 08 Sep 2009
In reply to Professor Bunsen:

I did a similar course in the first week of February 2007. We got glorious sunshine, but almost all the snow had gone from south and west facing aspects.
 DougG 08 Sep 2009
In reply to Andy Nisbet:

> Are you sure it wasn't Feb 1998. I was working in Lochcarron that Feb, there was no snow and 51 inches of rain in Skye, an all time record. Recent winters however have been better!

Hi Andy, nope, it was the end of Feb 87 - or it might just have been the beginning of March. I was with Pete Nash. You were guiding one of the other groups. You helped me out when one of my crampons fell off half-way up Access Gully on Fuar Tholl!

We did eventually manage to find some decent snow & ice on the northern side of Liathach.

 Dan Goodwin 12 Sep 2009
In reply to Professor Bunsen:

You will be fine any time this winter ! On the 1st of November the temps will plunge with lots of fresh snow arriving on a regular basis and should run through to the end of March. A perfect April for late season touring and ice on the Ben. Leading to the best winter for decades !

Aye Dan
 Sam_in_Leeds 12 Sep 2009
In reply to Professor Bunsen:

I imagine if you go for an organised course the instructor will know at least a few spots to find some snow!

I did one in January 2005 (IIRC) and the lack of snow was horrendous but our guide still managed to find plenty of snow and even a snow filled gully to do some stuff on!
ridgback 23 Sep 2009
In reply to Professor Bunsen:

Wife did Plas y Brenin winter moutaineering course last march and they had loads of snow, out of 5 days they had one day when it rained the rest of the time was good weather.
New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...