This 3-night meet is only available for KMC full members and associate members.  In addition to appealing to experienced winter mountaineers, climbers, walkers & skiers, it also includes formal winter skills (mountaineering) training for those with little or no prior winter experience – details below.

Aviemore lies at the foot of the Cairngorms with easy access to the Northern Corries.  For the more adventurous and those seeking to escape the crowds, the Loch Avon Basin may suit better.  For those willing to drive approximately an hour, Creag Meagaidh is available.  With all these premiere winter climbing destinations so close, what more could you want?  However, if climbing isn't your thing, there’s plenty of skiing (downhill and touring), mountaineering and stunning walking.  Finally, there's the gear shops and cafes of Aviemore and plenty of pubs too!  The local Cairngorm brewery real ales are highly recommended.

We have 19 bed spaces, 4 of which are reserved for those on the winter skills training course.

Hut fees are £14pppn payable in full in advance.

NOTE: Only under exceptional circumstances will cancellations be refunded.

It’s always a very popular (often oversubscribed) meet, so if your keen to come along please contact the meet leader Steve Graham to reserve your place (see handbook for contact details).

For those wishing to attend the winters skills training course, please do reserve your hut place with Steve but also make contact with Andy Stratford in regards to reserving a training place (details below) .

As ever, you should remember the participation statement applies (http://www.karabiner.org/meets/) and acknowledge that you are ultimately responsible for your own actions and involvement.

KMC 2025 winter skills course run out of Karn House, Aviemore.

Topics include: equipment use and selection, winter nav basics, crampon use and core movement techniques in ascent and descent, ice axe use and arrest, avalanche awareness in the first couple of days and move onto steeper ground on day 3 to cover ropework, snow bollards, bucket seats and other anchors.

Attendees will need to have suitable clothing, rucksacks etc.  A full list can be obtained on request.

Key equipment items are often available on informal loans from other experienced club members.  One item we are asked most about boots: the answer is nearly always – get your own – B2 or B3 are both good choices and which ones will depend on your longer-term goals.  Contact us for advice.

The commitment is for all three days so arriving (late evening is OK) on Thursday 23rd Jan for the course to start at 08.30 on Friday 24th.  The course will finish at 4.30 pm on Sunday 26th Jan.

The course will be led by mega-experienced Cairngorms-based IFMGA guide, Johnathan Preston who previously ran the courses in 2018 and 2024.

The course fee is £300 per person for 3 days of top-notch training (minus a subsidy of £100 per person from the KMC) plus £42 for 3 nights accommodation.  The course covers the basics of winter hill skills and is suitable for full members and associate members with little or no prior experience in winter hillcraft.  The course is not open to members who have attended previous Scottish winter courses.

If interested, please contact Andy Stratford by WhatsApp (preferred) or email.