SPRING, SUMMER & AUTUMN 2010 - MOUNTAIN COURSES, GUIDING & HOLIDAYS
Snowgoose Mountain Centre provides a wide range of summer rock climbing, mountaineering, scrambling, mountain walking holidays & courses throughout the year.These are led only by local, friendly , professionally qualified and experienced course leaders, instructors & guides. Courses & holidays are based on "the Ben" Nevis, Glen Nevis, Glen Coe, Creag Meaghidh, Ardgour and Kintail areas. We cater from absolute beginners wanting a leisurely mountain walk to those requiring an in depth refresher before taking a qualification assessment. Our rock climbing courses provide a logical progression from indoor wall climbing. Participants going on overseas, high altitude trekking holidays find that our courses - summer or winter - are an excellent value preparation for such expeditions.
If your group, college, university or club has some specific needs we are more than happy to custom tailor courses your requirements
Introduction to Easy Rock Climbing & Abseiling
Course Preview
Maximum Ratio
2-day w/e or 3 or 5 days midweek.
Minimum Ages
The aim of this course is to give a safe and structured introduction to rock climbing to absolute beginners and relative novices in a controlled environment. It is hoped that students would have sufficient knowledge and confidence to carry the sport further at their own level, probably within the club situation.
Previous Experience. It is preferred that students have some experience of hill walking and a good level of fitness. No prior knowledge or experience of roped climbing is needed.
Rock Improvers & Advanced Rock
Course preview
2-day w/e or 3 or 5 days midweek
Maximum Ratio
Minimum Ages
The aim of the course is to give a safe grounding in rock climbing to beginners who may already have done a little climbing but who wish to consolidate and extend their expertise in a controlled environment. This is a logical progression from indoor wall climbing.
Previous Experience. Students should ideally have some previous experience of hill walking/scrambling and perhaps easy roped work or use of a climbing wall. It is hoped that after the course students will have acquired sufficient confidence, technical and safety knowledge to be able to carry on the sport at their own level, leading easy climbs.
Introduction to Leading
Course preview
2 day w/e or 3 days mid week
Max Ratio 1: 1 / 2
Minimum Ages
The aim of the course. This is a short high input course which aims to have participants leading to at least V. Diff / Severe competently with a fully aware attitude.
Previous experience. There is a need for previous outdoor rock climbing experience up to at least seconding at Severe level in a variety of rock climbing locations and situations.
Under 18's Learn to Rock Climb
Course preview
2 day w/e or 3 or 5 day mid week
Max Ratio 1 : 3 / 4
Minimum Ages 14 years
Experience has shown us over the years that we are comfortable working with youngsters on these extended multi-day courses from the age of 14years +. Below that age it is probably more suitable for younger folks to join one of our daily sessions – perhaps as part of a family group or with other youngsters. This is intended as a guideline for parents and Schools.
The aim of these 2 day week end and 3 - 5 day courses is to give a safe and structured introduction to rock climbing to younger beginners and relative novices in a controlled environment with perhaps an introduction to multi-pitch climbing. It is hoped that students would have sufficient knowledge and confidence to carry the sport further at their own level, probably within the club situation. We are happy and comfortable to work with 14 - 18 year olds on these specific courses.
Previous Experience. It is preferred that students have some experience of hill walking and a reasonable level of personal fitness. No prior knowledge or experience of roped climbing is needed. This is an ideal course for converting from indoor wall climbing to the real thing - on the mountains & crags!
Note:- Parents and the young folk booking on the course should be aware that we are not the usual residential outdoor centre. We are generally geared up for active adults or families who may be doing courses with us or just doing their own thing outdoors. A such we do not provide direct out of activity hours supervision or entertainment. We are a self catering only centre. We are more than happy for accompanying adults to go and do their own thing, chill out or maybe join one of our other activities.
Classic Mountain Rock Ridge & Scramble
Course preview
3 or 5 days mid week
Max Ratio 1:2/4
Minimum Ages
The aim of the course will be to introduce students to major mountaineering type rock climbs and scrambles in the local mountain environment. These short high input courses are a good follow on from either the Improvers Rock Climbing. This gives a next step and experience some of the best "classic routes" from V.Diff to V.S grades which have good lines, excellent positions with fairly sound rock. These will be found on the major cliff faces and ridges of " the Ben", Glen Nevis, Ben Nevis and Glen Coe
Previous Experience. Students should ensure that they are "hill-fit" before the start of the course and should have had previous personal experience of hill walking, scrambling and outdoor rock climbing to Severe as a second.
Ben Nevis Mountain Days
Any day
Max Ratio 1:8
Minimum Ages
More than one group can be accommodated at one time. We are happy to arrange guided group mountain days for the Ben Nevis "pony track" - or any other suitable mountain days. These are priced on the basis of a minimum charge of £ 120 per day - depending on numbers.
Summer High Mountain Walking (Munros & Ridges)
Course preview
2 days w/e, 3 and 5 days
Max Ratio 1:6/8
Minimum Ages
An ideal introduction to hill walking in the Scottish mountains.
The aim of the course. It is hoped that, after the course, participants will be able to continue and progress their Scottish mountain walking independently and in safety.
Previous Experience. For those who have little experience of hill walking in a mountainous country this is a very thorough introduction to the sport. Students should be fairly fit and be prepared to walk up to 8-10 miles in a day with the daily mileage managed sensitively
Autumn & Early Winter Mountaincraft
Course preview
2 days (w/e) 3 or 5 days (midweek)
Ratio 1:6/4
Minimum Ages
This course is intended for those who have already done some walking and rambling, who are reasonably "hill fit", and who wish to extend their personal experience from summer season conditions into more challenging areas.
The aim of the course. The main part of the course will deal with moving safely through major Scottish Mountains out side the spring and summer seasons - in the more variable Autumn and Early Winter seasons, enjoying perhaps some roped scrambling and easy rock climbing. There may be full winter conditions at this time of year! Alternatively there can be clear, calm frosty days in the mountains, full of vibrant autumn colours.
Previous Experience. For those who have some previous experience of summer hill walking in mountainous country. Students should be fairly fit and be prepared to walk up to 8-10 miles on some days. The course is fairly strenuous but not excessively so. No previous technical knowledge of navigation or rope work is assumed.
MOUNTAIN SAFETY TRAINING
Course preview
The aim of these navigation courses is to give confidence in personal navigation skills. It is hoped that the courses will decrease margins of error in navigational and safety terms. Training will usually take place in the area to the west of Ben Nevis and in the Glenfinnan area
Navigation & Safety - Level 1 MAP READING, INTRODUCTION TO NAVIGATION, WEATHER & MOUNTAIN SAFETY.
2 days (weekends)
Ratio 1:8
Previous Experience.
Some prior map reading knowledge is advised plus at least some basic hill walking fitness
Level 1 is aimed at spring, summer, and early autumn participants.
Mountain Navigation ~ level 2
2 Days w/e
Max Ratio 1 :6
Level 2 is for those wanting to hone and update their basic navigational skills or who require a refresher. In the autumn the course is geared towards those aiming to go into the Scottish hills and mountains in winterground, mountain safety, self rescue & escaping from the system, improvising rescues from technical rock climbing situations and evacuation procedures. Previous Experience. Students should be mountain fit and be leading to a personal climbing level of at least severe. An ideal follow up to any of our rock or mountain courses or as preparation for going into the Scottish hills in winter.
Improvised Rescue
2 days Ratio
1:4 /6 ( Spring & Summer)
The aim of the course is to give an in depth grounding into technical safety on steep ground, mountain safety, self rescue & escaping from the system, improvising rescues from technical rock climbing situations and evacuation procedures. Previous Experience. Students should be mountain fit and be leading to a personal climbing level of at least severe. An ideal follow up to any of our rock or mountain courses or as preparation for going into the Scottish hills in winter.
Improvised Mountain Rescue, Mountain Safety & Weather
(AUTUMN & WINTER)
3 days
Max ratio 1 : 4
These courses are designed to follow on from a 2 day Level 2 Navigation Course if required.
MOUNTAIN EXPEDITIONS & TOURS
NEW for 2007 - Details to follow in New Year 2007
Private Guiding
Guiding – technical & non technical - is also available on all of the above courses at any time to suit clients on a one to one (or one to two etc. ) basis @ £ 90 - 140 per day - depending on the grade of mountaineering / climb
/ mountain walk / trekking etc. Extra persons are charged £ 30 or £ 40 per day up to a maximum of 8 or 4, depending on the technical level of activity.
The numbers game!
It does sometimes happen that the pre-dated course numbers are low. In this case - if you wish to book on a course as an individual - we will give you the option of booking and paying the same course fee as quoted above BUT for a reduced number of days. In this way you will find that, while the costs remain the same, you will get a more in depth level of instruction in a shorter time - maybe saving overall on accommodation costs. Or if you wish you can take the chance - pay Private Guiding fees for a 1:1 or maybe 1:2 ratio - on the chance that others will join the course - in which case we would charge the going rate for the course of your choice. We have put this in place to make matters clearer and easier for the clients who telephone us to ask if courses are actually going to run - and how many others there are on a course.