Winter Climbing For Beginners: Scottish Grades 1, 2 And 3 

Thanks, I'd really recommend winter mountaineering. It's a stunning time to be out in the mountains. And really not as dangerous or expensive as it seems. Worth a good amount of research and preparation though.

The Amateur Alpinist could you tell me what grade ones you started on please to get some experience, I like the look of croweberry gully but I think it’s too dangerous for an amateur

@@bennevis6843 I would definitely stay away from Crowberry Gully without a rope and a bit of experience and confidence behind me. It's a standard grade 4, which is quite achievable for most folk with a bit of practice, not much harder than your average grade 3. In terms of grade 1's, I'd recommend Broad Gully in Stob Coire nan Lochan, it's the easiest grade 1 gully in the country, so a great place to practice moving in crampons, kicking in, plunging axes, self arrest etc. High on the avalanche scale under lots of conditions though, so always check sais. I mostly climbed classic grade 1 gullies at first, like gully 3 and 4 on Nevis, Deep South gully on Beinn Alligin, Aladdin's Couloir and Jacob's Ladder in Sneachda. Gully climbing only really gets you experience in climbing gullies, great for the exposure, but not much use for the grade 3 stuff where it becomes more rocky and mixed. It's worth getting out on some classic grade 1 ridges too, like the CMD arete, as you can practice moving while roped up etc, and walking veeery carefully in crampons. Moving into grade 2 and 3 it's often more mixed climbing, hooking axes, torqueing in cracks etc. But big and blocky and fairly straightforward.

The Amateur Alpinist thanks, I’m ordering the book Scottish winter climbs, and watching all the videos on RU-vid I did Ben Nevis last year and Snowdon via crib goch, also went to Mont Blanc and failed due to being completely out my depth so I’m going to start from the bottom grade 1-2 learn the basics like rope work and how to abseil from dangerous spot, keep the videos coming excellent content for us new guys eager to get out there. Mabey one day we can meet up for a climb thanks for the reply

@@bennevis6843 good plan. I got my rope skills practiced in the non winter months by going to Ratho climbing wall with a friend to learn the basics of belaying etc, then taking on easy climbs I could lead without much fear of falling. There are lots of classic VDiff summer routes like Agag's Groove and Tower Ridge where you can practice long multipitch mountain days in relative safety. Where are you based? There's usually a local crag with a few vdiff routes to run up and down, practicing gear placements, anchor building and abseiling.

Hey. I actually largely taught myself, at least the basics, by going along to Ratho climbing wall and getting the basics of belaying etc. Then by going to a local crag to practice placing gear, building anchors etc. My main source of info was RU-vid to be honest, videos by Glenmore Lodge and BMC etc. Practiced anchor building on 3 hooks on the back of a door, went out onto easy terrain on a clear day to move in crampons/self arrest etc. Soloing grade 1 and easy 2 terrain was a baptism of fire, but my biggest leap forward was going out with someone more experienced, and getting onto grade 3 and 4 terrain. Even seconding a grade 5 on my third winter. You can learn the basics on your own if you're keen, but to really progress, nothing beats jumping in the deep end with someone who knows what they're doing.

@@adventurefilmclub2549 thanks that's interesting. Quite encouraging that it's possible to progress that quickly. There's hope for me yet !

Hi, sorry, just noticed your comment. I've never actually climbed in the Alps so I couldn't honestly say, hoping to in the next year or two. Obviously the Alps have a unique set of dangers not present in Scotland like glacier walking etc. I think if you were a confident grade 3 leader in the UK, you could certainly get onto some of the classic routes in the Alps.