for the more adventurous explorer...

Mountaineering Skills Training

Anyone who ventures into the wilds of our mountains should be fully aware of the following:

The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) Participation Statement

"The MCofS recognises that climbing and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement"

And equally it's worth remembering the mantra of Edward Whymper a most famous Victorian Mountaineer whose words ring true today...

"Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end"

Doom and gloom (but great advice all the same) aside, it's hoped that through a programme of ongoing training (based on many aspects of the syllabus used by Mountain Rescue teams) and practical experience we can minimise the risks whilst maximising the confidence and pleasure of our times in the hills.

Winter Skills

Craig, Donald, Andy and, soon to be, new Assistant Explorer Leader Johnny headed out into the winter wilds of Killin one Saturday recently to start sharpening up their winter mountaineering skills as we put plans in place for a mountain skills based programme for Explorers.

With a good cover of snow on the ground the group covered the basics of step kicking, descent on steep snow and ice axe arrest before moving on to more advanced skills such as ice axe belays, abseiling off snow bollards, conquering cornices both in ascent and descent and avalanche procedures looking at probes and an eye opening exercise looking at the wonders of avalanche transceivers.

The purpose of the trip was to start putting in place a skills based programme covering winter and summer mountaineering techniques for Explorers with a view to returning to the Swiss Alps in 2011. It’s planned that the programme will follow a similar syllabus used by Mountain Rescue Teams and provide a high standard of training.