Winter Skills Training in Spain’s Sierra Nevada

Winter Skills Training in Spain’s Sierra Nevada with Sierra Nevada Guides

Winter Skills Course - Mulhacen Summit, 3482m

The Sierra Nevada has the highest mountain in mainland Spain, Mulhacen 3482m. Although it is Europe’s most southerly major mountain chain, it usually has a good covering of snow from December through to March with winter mountaineering  and skiing possible from late November until early May.

This year Sierra Nevada Guides are running a week of winter mountain skills training from 31^st January until 7^th February. 3 nights spent in a hotel and 4 at the Refugio Poqueira at 2500m. The week is being led by Andy Say, Executive Secretary (Chief Officer) of Mountain Training England, assisted by Sierra Nevada Guides.

Winter Skills Course - Descending Steep Ground

Although weather dependent, the proposed itinerary is as follows:

Saturday 31st

Arrive at Malaga Airport

Depart for Lanjaron, optional lunch at Salobrenea (beach bar 10 Euro’s).

Arrive Hotel Alcadima, tour of Lanjaron.

Evening session: Safety and Equipment.

Sunday 1st

Depart hotel around 9am.

Puento Palo for introduction to walking with crampons, snow shoes and ice axe breaking techniques.

Back to hotel for debrief and session discussion re: ascending to Refugio Poqueira.

Winter Skills Course - Learning the ropes!

Monday 2nd

Depart hotel with gear and clothes for 4 nights, 9am.

Walk from Capileira to Refugio Poqueira.

Evening session: Navigation and Route Planning.

Tuesday 3rd

Navigation Practice,  Use of Avalanch Tranceivers,  Building Snow Shelters.

Evening session: Mountain Weather

Wednesday 4th

Putting it into Practice 1 – Rio Seco / Rio Mulhacen

Winter Skills Course - Near Mulhacen's summit

Thursday 5th

Putting it into Practice 2 – A winter ascent of Mulhacen 3482m.

Friday 6^th

Walk out from Refugio to Capileira.  Hotel

Saturday 7^th

Depart for Malaga Airport and Home.

The Cost £825 includes full board accommodation, airport pick up and drop off and tuition throughout the week. You will need your own ice axe and crampons (we have some spares) and winter clothing. We will provide helmets, ropes, snowshoes and tranceivers.  Oh yes, you will also need some beer money!

Full details of the course are on the Sierra Nevada Guides website.

Sierra Nevada Guides are a company of International Mountain Leaders based in Spain's Sierra Nevada.

Winter Skills Course – Sierra Nevada, Spain including a winter ascent of Mulhacen.

Winter Skills Course – Sierra Nevada, Spain.

Learn the skills to walk confidently in the mountains in winter. 
A week of winter mountaineering skills training, in Spain’s beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains. Including a winter ascent of Mulhacen 3482m mainland Spain’s highest mountain.

1^st February to 8^th February, 2014.

The course is being run / directed by Andy Say (MIC, IML) of Mountain Training England and supported by IML’s from Sierra Nevada Guides (Jane Livingstone, Martin Riley and Michael Hunt).

The course will be hotel based in Lanjaron with 2 nights spent in the mountains, Poqueira Refuge and snow shelter. Cost, excluding flights, £795. This includes meeting you at Malaga Airport, full board accommodation and returning you to Malaga at the end of the week.

Course Outline:

Sat 1^st Feb.              Arrive. 

Introductions, course outline and equipment brief.

Sun 2^nd Feb.            Moving on snow and ice.

An introduction to ice axe and crampon use.  Simple secure movement; step cutting, self-belay, self-arrest.  Movement on snow with crampons and snowshoes.

Mon 3^rd Feb.           Safer travel in the winter environment.

Snowpack formation and analysis in the field.  Route planning from weather/snowfall history. Simple observation and tell-tale signs.  Test pits.  Following a safer route.

Tue 4^th Feb.            Looking after others. 

The use of the rope in a winter environment.  
Snow and ice belays.  Retreat using the rope.

Wed 5^th Feb.            Journey up the hill.

Putting it all in to practice.  Night in Poquera Refuge.

Thur 6^th Feb.            Emergency procedures.

Snow shelters, bivouac skills.  Night out on the hill, either Caldera Bivi Refuge or in snow shelters.

Fri 7^th Feb.              Ascent of Mulcahen 3482m (highest mountain in mainland Spain) and descent to valley.

Sat 8^th Feb.              End of course and depart.

Details are on the website.

Further details can be obtained from either Mike or Jane at Sierra Nevada Guides.              Email: info@sierranevadaguides.co.uk

                        Tel:            01433  639  368