Mountain Skills Course 2013

Mountain Skills Course

Sierra Nevada Guides are running their 2013 Mountain Skills Course from 28^th September based near Lanjaron in Spain’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. Although a fairly active and intense week cramming a lot in,  we try to ensure that your course is a holiday too ensuring you have time to relax, enjoy good food, company and the occasional beer or wine!

Group briefing at 3200m

The course will be based at a remote mountain farm near Lanjaron though will spend 2 nights at the Poqueira Refuge.

Dates:

Saturday 28^th September to Saturday 5^th October, 2013.

Cost:

£645 or 740 Euro’s

This is a full board course with bunk room accommodation based at a mountain farmhouse and mountain refuge. The price includes a pick up either from Malaga Airport or from Lanjaron.

Our normal 7 night training programme usually runs as follows though we will have to make adjustments according to the group and weather conditions:

Day 1           

Arrive in Lanjaron, settle in, etc.

Evening discussion covering mountain safety and equipment.

Day 2           

Learning map reading and navigation skills for the high mountains

including using a compass, transferring U.K. skills to the bigger mountains.

Involves time in the high mountains looking at route choice off path.

A possible ascent of Caballo 3011m.

Evening session covering mountain weather.

Day 3

Learn to use a GPS.

Ascend to the Poqueira Refuge (2500m) using the GPS.

Spend night in Refuge.

Day 4

Rock Scrambling at altitude, Navigation, Route Choice and 

Mountain Leader Ropework.

2^nd night at the Poqueira Refuge.

Day 5

An ascent of Mulhacen 3482m, highest mountain in mainland Spain.

Scrambling at altitude on the Tajos de la Virgin

Day 6

Rock Climbing, Abseiling and Learning the Ropes!

Day 7

Putting it into practice! 

An acsent of Alcazaba 3371m the 3rd highest

and most remote of the big 3 in the Sierra

Nevada.

Day 8

Depart for home.

Sierra Nevada Guides are the only British qualified  International Mountain Leaders and climbing instructors based in the Sierra Nevada. Details of our qualifications are listed on the website.

Winter Hill Skills Training

Winter Hill Skills Training

Sierra Nevada Guides run a range of hill skills and navigation training throughout the year.  For the past two weeks we have been enjoying (?) some snowy conditions which give a different slant to walking and navigating in the hills.

The group practising some "re-location" techniques

Yesterdays “Intermediate” Navigation Course went ahead albeit with an altered itinerary. Just walking in deep snow takes substantially more effort which is compounded when walking off path and through steep terrain.  There was further heavy snowfall through the night before the course and only half the students booked on managed to attend.

One of the good points about a day led by two qualified International Mountain Leaders in the snow was the quality of instruction and the range of topics covered.  Not only was the day about navigation but discussions ensued about snow, avalanche equipment for winter conditions and a range of other related topics.

 Because the day didn’t cover all the topics we have normally hoped to on our standard intermediate course, we’ve offered everyone the opportunity to book back on to another Intermediate Navigation Course once the snow melts!

Some comments about the course have come in already:

Dear Mike and Jane,

Many thanks for an excellent day today. I enjoyed the day, learnt a lot with a very affable group and the scenery was excellent – can’t ask for more really!

Best wishes

Ian

Hi Jane and Mike

Just to say thanks again for a great day out yesterday - suffice to say I slept well last night! I will probably try and join the course again sometimes soon in non-Winter conditions, but I did feel like I learned plenty yesterday. Look forward to seeing you in March.

Best wishes...

Alex

Sierra Nevada Guides are all qualified International Mountain Leaders and provide guiding and training in: mountain walking, navigation,  hill skills, scrambling and snowshoeing. In addition we can provide rock climbing tuition on single pitch rock climbs.