The Torridon Mountains are a world class winter climbing venue. The routes here are of exceptional quality and variety. With a mixture of ice climbing, gully climbs, mixed routes, buttresses, ridges and aretes, Torridon really does have it all. During this 5 day course we will guide you on some of the most inspirational and classic winter climbs in Scotland. Our itinerary will be flexible to allow for the best routes for the snow and weather conditions, however potential classics include The East Buttress Beinn Eighe, The Northern Pinnacles of Liathach and A Winter Traverse of An Teallach.
During this five day winter climbing course we will be climbing a variety of grade 2-4 routes. Therefore a reasonable amount of fitness and stamina will be required. You will need to be a competent climber in summer conditions, therefore be able to tie in, belay safely, and have experience of removing trad climbing gear in summer. You also need to be an able winter walker, having familiarity with walking in crampons and using ice axes.
Our Torridon Winter Climbing Classics course takes place in the North West Highlands of Scotland. Not only does the Torridon area have some of the best winter climbing routes in the whole of the UK, it’s a winter climbers paradise. Complete with inspirational and beautiful mountain scenery and a wealth of mountaineering history. Despite being such an exceptional venue, Torridon remains blissfully quiet. These dramatic and exquisite climbs are free from crowds and can often be enjoyed in complete solitude. There are a few villages in the area you can base yourself in. We recommend Gairloch as it is the largest (although still a small village), therefore comes with more facilities. Gairloch has few, small village shops, a petrol station, electric car charging point, B&Bs, hotels, self catering cottages, doctor surgery and pharmacy. Other nearby villages you may consider include Torridon, Kinlochewe and Poolewe.
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.
For this course we have no fixed itinerary. Winter weather and snow conditions can be extremely variable and so to get the most out of the course a completely flexible itinerary is best.
However, over the 5 days we aim to tick off some of the best winter climbs in the North West of Scotland. Just a few examples of these include:
Day one will begin with a thorough kit check before we head out on the mountain. While we enjoy one of the fantastic climbs in the area we can also use this day to refresh and refamiliarise skills along the way. As we head through the rest of the week we will be looking to progress through more technical routes as confidence grows and ability improves.
In order to provide the best experience and highest chances of success we keep low ratios for our courses. For our Winter Classic Climbs course we never go beyond a ratio of 1 guide to 2 clients. These small numbers allow us to make sure you get the direction and support you need as well as keeping you safe on the steep terrain of these routes.
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 walking 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 journeying/climbing in the mountains.
Our five day open course allow you to enjoy some of the best winter climbing that can be found anywhere in the UK.
Date | Price |
---|---|
20 Jan 2025 to 24 Jan 2025 | £900 |
10 Feb 2025 to 14 Feb 2025 | £900 |
24 Feb 2025 to 28 Feb 2025 | £900 |
Prices shown are all 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 our private Torridon Winter Classic Climbs courses to ensure the best experience and give you the highest chance of success.
If you are a larger group then two please contact us so we can arrange multiple guides for your group.
Ratio | Price |
---|---|
1:1 | £1600 |
1:2 | £900 per person |
Date | Price |
---|---|
20 Jan 2025 to 24 Jan 2025 | £900 |
10 Feb 2025 to 14 Feb 2025 | £900 |
24 Feb 2025 to 28 Feb 2025 | £900 |
Prices shown are all per person.
You will need normal winter hill walking kit including B2 or B3 Boots (these can be hired in Inverness), waterproofs (jacket and trousers), food, warm clothing. You can bring your own winter climbing kit subject to inspection by your guide to ensure its safety or we can provide harnesses, Ice Axes, Crampons and Helmets as required. A complete kit list is provided with each booking.