Skills courses throughout the winter

Over the coming winter the GUMClub has organised a number of
skills days for members to participate in. These courses are run by proper
mountain guides for a day during one of our weekend meets.

As part of our commitment to safety we expect all our
members to take at least a basic winter skills course to be adequately prepared
for the winter (whether walking, climbing etc). If you go up onto the mountains
in winter you really need to make sure you need to know a few basic techniques
to stay safe.

All these courses are part-funded by the university – you
would never be able to take advantage of professional mountain guides for such
a low price! (Guides usually charge upwards over £200 a day!)

Ok, here’s the three courses we are running:

-         
Navigation – Using a compass, reading the map,
route-planning and navigation.

-         
Basic winter skills – Putting on and walking in
crampons, ice ax techniques (holding the ax, self-arrest) and movement over
snow.

-         
Advanced winter skills – More on moving on
snow/ice, basic ropework (making snow belays), digging snow-holes and greater
risk/hazard awareness.

All are *extremely* useful courses – speak to any
older members and they’re likely to have done one – they’ll tell you how great
value and useful they are!

The dates I have arranged for these courses are:

-         
Saturday 22^nd November (Spean
Bridge  -this coming weekend!) – Navigation – Cost: £15 (6 places)

-         
Saturday 6^th December (Nethy Bridge)
– Basic Winter Skills – Cost: £15 (6 places)

-         
Saturday 17^th January (Ballater) –
Basic Winter Skills – Cost: £15 (6 places)

-         
Saturday 31^st January (Newtonmore) –
Advanced Winter Skills – Cost: £20 (4 places)

These are all first come first
served. To signup can you email me, or find me in the pub and I will put your
name down for the course. Money for the course can go to Johnny when you signup
to the course. (Just let him know what the money is for.) If demand is strong
then I will book more courses as necessary.