Advanced Scrambling - 5 Day

Overview

This is basically a deep dive into mountaineering ropework and skills. By the end of it you should feel you have the knowledge to take on more demanding scrambles with confidence. We’ll cover everything from route choice and risk management to movement skills, and taking coils, this week should transform your current skillset and open the door to a new level of adventure in the mountains.

Who’s This Aimed At?

To join this course we ask that you’ve either attended our 2 Day Advanced Scrambling course, have experience of rock climbing at Difficult or above, or have similar experience. This is to ensure everyone has a solid skillset and understanding of ropework upon which to build. Common aims for participants after the course would be to do classic grade 2 and 3 scrambles or even big mountaineering journeys like Tower Ridge (Ben Nevis) independently. We’ll tailor what we cover to each team to ensure you get the most from your time with us.

Who’s This Course Aimed At?

Every course is unique as we tailor each one to the team and the weather, but this should give a flavour of what you might get up to:

Monday

• Informal welcome chat with our staff and your course members;
• Head to stores to get kitted out;
• Discuss the weather and consider where’s best for the day;
• Use maps and guidebooks to locate the scramble;
• Ascend a classic grade 1 scramble focusing on guidebook interpretation and route finding;
• Descend some grade 1 ground and consider when it’s best to face in or out;
• Evaluating and managing risk and consequence;
• Return to PYB for tea and cake!

Tuesday

• A technical skill day, focusing on mountaineering specific ropework;
• Belay refresher – building good anchors and attaching to them;
• Methods of belaying; direct around spikes, use of Italian hitch, body belaying, friction belays;
• Retrieveable abseils and using tat;
• We’d aim to cover all this on grade 1 terrain.

Wednesday

• A guided day: your instructor will lead a scramble and chat though all their decision making as they go, allowing you to see the nuances of how the rope is used to keep everything safe.

Thursday

• With an instructor next to you, you’ll tick off a scramble that’s appropriate for the team, discussing when to move un-roped, when to use a rope, and then how to best use the rope to match the terrain;
• A great day out could be had on one of the classic grade 2 scrambles on the east face of Tryfan.

Friday

• More of the same, with extra input on shortening a rope by taking coils;
• A consolidation of the week with an ascent of another brilliant scramble such as the Glyderau’s most popular grade 3: Cneifion Arete, with an instructor chatting things through as you go;
• Return to PYB for more tea and cake, and a fond farewell.