Christmas and New Year winter skills courses

We've added a couple of new Winter Skills dates onto our calender for the Christmas and New Year period.
The courses are based in our home town of Aviemore in the heart of the Cairngorm mountains. All specialised equipment such as ice axes, crampons, helmets, ropes and snow-shovels are provided for free.
The dates for the three day Winter Skills course are listed below and include the option of an extra two day snowhole expedition if wished!

• 27th to 29th December 2010: Winter Walking Skills (three days)
• 2nd to 4th January 2011: Winter Walking Skills (three days)
• 30th to 31st December 2010: Optional Snow-hole Expedition (two days)

Full details of our winter courses can be found here

Wild and wintry

STOP PRESS: Friday 19 December WEATHER WARNING Winds gusting to storm force, 70-85mph, are expected in Northern Scotland and the Northern Isles. Northeast England likely to experience 55 to 65mph gusts for a time. Valid until 0600GMT

Fresh snow this morning in Aviemore and very stormy weather throughout today. The ski road was closed today due to drifting snow. There's a high Cat 4 avalanche risk forecast for Saturday. See http://www.sais.gov.uk/page_northern%20cairngorms.asp
The winds are doing a good job at the moment so fingers crossed that they blow all the snow into the right places for continued skiing and climbing over the Christmas and New Year holidays...!
Despite the financial doom and gloom our festive Winter Mountaineering skills courses based in Aviemore are still proving very popular. We now have the best start to the winter season in December for over thirty years - or so I am told..! So don't miss out on this winter bonanza.
We have now added several extra Wnter Skills places and an additional New Year (Hogmanay) Winter Mountaineering course. Places are filling up as I type...! See the BBC report and video at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7791250.stm