UKC

I am looking to get more into winter/alpine climbing and was wondering the best way to do this?

I was thinking of doing an alpine course with adventure peaks (or similar company) to go to the alps for a training course but does anyone have any better ideas or suggestions of ways to become competent with scottish winter and alpine climbing?

Cheers.

In reply to webbie88:

Hire a guide to give you some lessons even for 1 day. Your not that far from me and I will be out a lot after Xmas etc, I done some winter climbing before I done summer climbing so now the winter's back I'm aiming for grade 1and2 to start off.
Give me shout if you fancy some easier gully or ridges.

In reply to webbie88:

I should mention I climb VS/HVS trad climbing, I am competent on winter ridges in scotland and have climbed some 4,000m and 5,000m peaks in Russia.

In reply to webbie88:
Apply for the Conville course run by the Jonathan Conville Trust. You basically get 3 days of heavily subsidised tuition on alpine climbing in Chamonix from IFMGA guides. Tim Neil and a couple of other guys did it the year I was there.

I found it invaluable in giving me the confidence to go from sport climbing and bouldering into mountain trad, winter and alpine climbing. It's also a great opportunity to meet like minded people your age. Also, definitely stay a few days or more after because there will be plenty of people looking to do a few routes which is what it's all about!

I had done a little winter climbing before I went but only a few easy routes so you certainly don't need a lot of experience to apply. They are mainly looking for people who are enthusiastic and likely to put the skills learned into practice.

In reply to webbie88:
Have you joined one of the Glasgow climbing clubs? (I don't know much about Glasgow ones, being more familiar with Edinburgh), I imagine there are quite a number of good Scottish Winter climbers there, so if you look like a promising apprentice, someone should be willing to take you out on a Winter route.

That you already have familiarity with the harsh Scottish Winter conditions from walking and climbing ridges in Winter and can therefore keep yourself warm and protected against conditions is a considerable asset, also that you are familiar with ropework and the like. Low grade Winter routes are not necessarily that much safer, but will be less committing generally.

Scottish Winter climbing is also a good preparation for Alpinism, not so much for specific techniques or issues (they are fairly different in that respect, e.g. you try to avoid going out at all in the Alps in bad weather, it is normal in Scottish Winter), but in terms of the feeling of seriousness and the need for composure, there is quite a lot of cross-over.

In reply to Simon4:

Scottish winter is good for Alpine and vice versa. I had many years of experience climbing in ex-USSR and Alps when visited Scotland for the first time. Scotland is more difficult because of miserable conditions and absence of fixed protection, but easier because of low altitude, easy access via car and no glaciers.