29/10/2026
Preparing for your Winter Mountain Leader Training (Part 1)
Your thinking of doing your Winter Mountain Leader training, or you might already be booked on a course, what is the best way to get the most out of your 6 days training. Firstly, this is a training course and so there is no assessment involved, your trainer will not write notes on you to be passed on etc so in theory if you have registered with Mountain Training Scotland and had your Dlog signed off then you are ready to do your Winter ML Training. However, with a small amount of preparation you are likely to gain more from your training course, enjoy it more and remember more of it, all in all making for a more positive experience.
Below are just a few thoughts on what you might want to do before hand, obviously you may have already ticked these all, in which case get on and do your training!
Navigation:
The navigation in winter is certainly a step up from summer, so if you have not really had to navigate to top end Summer Mountain Leader standard for a while or since your assessment get out pre winter and remind yourself of what it is all about. Very few of the techniques are new in winter, the training is really all about winterising them and having more confidence in poor visibility and featureless terrain.
Movement Skills:
The Winter ML is a leadership award and so the training will focus on leadership and managing your clients. You will look at introducing movement skills (boot, axe and crampons) to clients so the better your movement skills the easier it will be. Your trainers will give you some top tips but there is not much time for coaching of personal skills. This goes for ice axe arrests as well, so if it has been a while since you have done this then get out early season and put in some sliding practice.
Ropework:
You will build on your ropework skills learnt in Summer and hopefully you have not had to use the rope much, if at all since passing your Summer Mountain Leader. It is worth refreshing your rope handling, tying knots, body belaying etc.
Association of Mountaineering Instructors
Mountain Training Association
Mountain Training Scotland
Mountain Training
