Snowholing and Winter Expeditions
- Aim: to learn how to build a snow hole and live in it; to try wild camping, test your kit; combine hiking with wild camping; embark on a several days expedition; run a training expedition before your big adventure – all in winter conditions.
- Suitable for: anyone, but previous winter experience is beneficial.
- Duration: 2 days/1 night or 3 days/2 nights.
- Location: Scottish Highlands.
- Max ratio: 4:1.
- Price: 1:1 £280 per person per 2 days/1 night, £370 per person per 3 days/2nights; up to 4:1 £170 per person per 2 days/1 night, £230 per person per 3 days/2 nights.
- Are you looking for a challenging and rewarding winter wilderness camping experience?
- Do you want to immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Scotland by spending a night in a snow hole, tent, or bothie?
- Are you eager to become self-sufficient in the harshest conditions of the Scottish winter mountains?
- Do you want to test your gear and personal resilience?
- Do you want to practice winter survival skills and campcraft before your next big adventure?
- Do you want to explore the ultimately remote locations in Scotland?
- Do you what to build your own luxury snow hotel?
- Ascension Adventures can tailor your winter camping experience to your unique objectives. For example, we offer an itinerary that will take you on a day’s walk in the Cairngorms to reach a bothy, where you can choose to stay or set up a camp nearby. Then, enjoy a night walk and a hot meal before heading out for another mountain day and climbing Ben Macdui. We will teach you all the skills you need for a fantastic adventure, from packing your gear to winter survival.
- For those seeking a true challenge, we offer bespoke snowholing expeditions in Glencoe, Creag Meagdaih, Ben Nevis, or Cairngorms, depending on the conditions. Over the course of 2-3 days, we will attempt to summit some Munros while staying in a snow hole in some of the most remote and stunning areas of Scotland. Snowholing requires a physically demanding team effort, but we will teach you the basics so you can build your own snow apartment, limited only by your imagination. Along the way, you will develop other winter skills, including:
- how to dig and construct a snow hole;
- safety and carbon monoxide;
- personal and group management within a snow hole;
- personal movement skills on snow (including kicking steps and using the ice axe for walking, self-belay, cutting steps, and self-arrest);
- the use of crampons in ascent/descent;
- avalanche awareness and safe route choice; core techniques of winter navigation;
- personal kit appropriate to winter mountain walking and snowholing.
