Scrambling on the fine South Ridge of Mullach an Rathain, Liathach
Moving with coils for safety on a narrow ridge
Supporting each other with a firm stance and short rope
Our Advanced Scrambling Course is designed for anyone with some climbing or basic scrambling experience who is looking to develop into a mountaineer. This 4 day course focuses on movement skills, judgement of rock, ropework and different types of belays and anchors. All this will be taught in a realistic and practical mountaineering environment, which will help you gain confidence in a truly inspirational setting.
Since all our courses are delivered out on the hill, there will be plenty of opportunity to practise and refine your skills every day.
Our Advanced Scrambling Course is for anyone who has some scrambling experience on grade 1 routes (for example; Crib Goch, Striding Edge, Sharp Edge, Tryfan, Beinn Alligin) and wishes to progress into a mountaineer. Alternatively, for those with climbing experience on single pitch routes who are looking to get out and enjoy bigger mountain adventures. You will be learning the various skills and techniques needed to progress confidently and safely on grade 2 and grade 3 scrambles. This course aims to give you the tools and practical experience needed so you can independently enjoy grade 2/3 scrambles throughout the UK. Examples of grade 2 and 3 scrambles include The Aonach Eagach Ridge, The Forcan Ridge and Curved Ridge.
Below is an outline of a typical Advance Scramble Course. Please do note that we may adjust this as necessary depending on the weather and the group.
We will start by looking at equipment and refreshing general mountain skills and then head straight into the techniques needed for managing the rope. Learning and practising the basics; such as tying someone into a rope, how to move while protecting someone else and abseiling using just a rope. We will then progress into using a harness, lengthening and shortening a rope using coils and using natural anchors e.g. spikes or friction over edges. A busy and full day which will set us up well for the days ahead.
Today will be an introduction to gear. You will begin by learning to place nuts, cams, hexes and slings and have plenty of opportunity to practise and select your own placements. We will then advance into equalising anchors, attaching yourself to the mountain and abseiling with gear. We will also tackle steeper terrain so you’re ready for anything a scramble would throw at you.
In the previous two days you will have learnt a vast array of scrambling skills and techniques. Today you will put all this into the correct context over the course of a mountain journey. This will not only give you plenty of opportunity to continue to practise what you have learnt, but crucially we will focus on the decision making process, e.g. which skills and techniques to use and when.
The last day of the course gives you the chance to take control on a classic mountain route. You should now have a wealth of techniques to choose from and a good understanding of when to use them. Today is about refining those skills and decisions, as well and developing your confidence, so you can be a safe and effective independent scrambler.
Our Advanced Scrambling Courses take place in and around The Torridon Mountains. Torridon has an amazing variety of mountain terrain as well as excellent quick access scrambling. This means that in the early part of the course we can access excellent areas for learning and teaching without the need for long walk-ins. For the later days of the course it is home to some of the best classic scrambles in the UK including The Am Fasarinen Pinnacles on Liathach, The Black Carls on Beinn Eighe and The Horns of Alligin. This allows us to really get out and practise the techniques needed in a varied and realistic environment. The largest village in the area is Gairloch, with excellent local facilities and amenities, including B&Bs, self catering, hotels, shops, pubs and takeaways.
We offer both open courses and private courses. On an open course you sign up to a date we’re offering and will meet with other people who book that same course. For private courses you will book a course specifically for you and can choose a date that suits.
In order to provide the highest level of learning and safety we maintain low ratios for our courses. For our Advanced Scrambling courses we never go beyond a ratio of 1 guide to 2 clients. These small numbers allow us to make sure you get the tuition you need and the course is tailored around your aspirations whether you’re booked onto an open or private course.
Open course are where you can book onto a date and join other like minded people. These are great for individuals looking to share an experience with others and make new friends and climbing partners. Our open courses are run to a maximum of two individual spaces (with one instructor) on each open course to give the perfect balance between a social experience and effective learning in the mountains.
Our four day open course is the complete package, covering all the skills needed to tackle grade 2 and 3 scrambles or mountaineering routes.
| Date | Price |
|---|---|
| 13 May 2024 to 16 May 2024 | Fully Booked |
| 8 Jul 2024 to 11 Jul 2024 | £599 per person |
Private courses are totally flexible and tailored directly to your needs. These can be run on any dates during the season and will only have yourself or those you have booked with on the course. This works well for those where they need specific dates or where they would rather not be on a course with someone they don’t know. We have a maximum ratio of 1 guide to 2 clients for advanced scrambling courses to ensure your safety.
| Ratio | Price |
|---|---|
| 1:1 | £1100 |
| 1:2 | £550 per person |
| Date | Price |
|---|---|
| 13 May 2024 to 16 May 2024 | Fully Booked |
| 8 Jul 2024 to 11 Jul 2024 | £599 per person |
All technical equipment including harnesses, helmets and ropes are included in the course fee.
Scrambles are given grades based on their difficulty. Grade 1 scrambles involve single rock steps between ledges and/or airy walking without too much difficulty. Grade 2 scrambles will involve a longer section of scrambling and some exposure. Grade 3 scrambles will contain more difficult moves and exposure.