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Winter Skills and Mountaineering Courses in the Sierra Nevada

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Learn to walk and climb in the winter mountains safely

Our winter mountaineering and winter skills courses are held in Spain's Sierra Nevada mountains during the months of December through to the end of May. These hills are ideal with good snow lasting well into June.

The winter Sierra Nevada

Teaching winter skills

The north faces of Mulhacen and Alcazaba offer both beginner and experienced mountaineer good long routes in a quiet environment. In addition the ample sunshine hours guarantee good climbing weather. Our 4 wheel drive vehicles transport you to 2,500 metres in the Sierras. Here within a mile radius are snowbowls, gullies and cliffs galore.

Excellent training areas exist all within easy reach of our transport....no 3 to 4 hour walk-ins to the snows anymore! Maximum time can be spent in learning the skills necessary to be in the hills in winter or to ascend Alpine peaks. After acquiring those new skills we take you into the hills, thus allowing you to put them into practice in a big mountain environment.

We are in the course of producing an online guidebook to this area. This great climbing venue is still relatively unknown in the UK. The area provides a fantastic alternative to Scotland with much more chance of that magical combination of snow and sun!

What you will learn

Ice axe braking

You'll gain a clear understanding of the principles and quickly attain the skills. You'll be able to choose the most appropriate technique for the terrain and conditions. With adequate time given over to practise, you'll finish the course proficient in both the technical winter skills and those essential winter navigation techniques. If you:

  • wish to extend your hillwalking into the winter season
  • need to know how to use an ice axe
  • want to know about emergency snow shelters
  • have few navigational skills
  • want to confidently navigate in white-out conditions
  • want to learn all the skills for safe movement across snow & ice - covered terrain: crampon techniques, evaluate avalanche risk, etc.)
  • want to know about step kicking and cutting
  • want to consolidate the skills to optimise future winter trips

and ..... plus a whole lot more ... then this may well be the course for you.

For those going on Expeditions to Polar or Greater Ranges we run a short 2 day "Expedition Preparation Course" which can be "bolted on" to our existing Winter Skills Mountaineering or Alpine Introduction Courses

Typical Course Content

Learning snow and rock belays 2 DAY COURSE Topics covered:
  • Kitting out for winter
  • Use of Ice Axe
  • Use of Crampons
  • Avalanche awareness
  • Roping up
  • Snow belays - use and suitability
  • Ice Axe braking (self arrest)
  • Abseiling
  • Snow Climbing and introdution to dry tooling
  • Snowshoeing
4/6 DAY COURSE
Additional to the 2 day course a combination of the following will be done depending on snow and weather conditions:
  • Ascent of Veleta (3,398 metres)
  • Traverse over Veleta to Poqueira Hut via Collado del Veleta
  • Ascent of Mulhacen (3,479 metres)
  • Mixed climbing on Puntal de la Caldera (3,215 metres)
  • Traverse of Tajos de Nevero ridge
  • Ascent of Cerro de Caballo (3,215 metres)

Photos taken during some of our Mountaineering Courses

View more photo galleries..........

Video sent in by client, Ian Tupman

Mountaineering Videos

The winter mountains of the Sierra Nevada
James Jackson enjoys the wintry delights of Spain’s Sierra Nevada mountains under full snow cover. Winter Skills Mountaineering Courses and Alpine Mountaineering Courses are run every winter from D...
Mountain Mayhem
An ascent of Mulhacen and Puntal de la Caldera in the high peaks of the Sierra Nevada by a large group. Ice axe braking en mass followed by a long climb to the highest summits in Spain.
Second and third winter ascents of Scary Slab, Alpujarras
South Africans, Brett and Michelle Wakeley make a tongue in cheek ascent of Scary Slab in the Alpujarras. “But its not winter”, you say. It is. Its nearly christmas and they are wearing crampons!

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