Did you know that you can now check out the latest Scottish ski conditions on the Craigdon website? We’re having one of the best season’s in years and conditions are still great – all you have to do is click on the snow forecast link on the homepage to see what’s happening through the webcams, check which lifts are open and see just how much snow there really is at all 5 resorts.
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With winter now firmly in our sights, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) have this week been highlighting the risks and responsibilities that go hand in hand with enjoying the outdoors at this time of year.
MCofS Mountain Safety Adviser Heather Morning said: “Last year (2008) there were 387 mountain rescue call-outs in the Scottish mountains, of which 142 were in the winter season. There were also sadly a total of 20 fatalities during the year, 10 of which occurred during winter. Folk heading out onto the hills in winter should aim to take advantage of the advice and information on offer, to ensure a safe and enjoyable day on the hill.” Heather went on to say: “As well as making sure you have an ice axe, and crampons that fit, remember that winter days are shorter and colder, so a headtorch with spare batteries is essential. A simple bivouac shelter is also a very good addition to the kit you carry in your winter rucksack.”
The MCofS are also keen to emphasise the importance of having the required skills to be able to enjoy the mountains in winter, so make sure you check over all your kit and know how to use it properly before heading out. Winter skills courses are an invaluable way of refreshing or enhancing your abilities, and the winter lecture series puts an entertaining and enjoyable spin on honing your mountain safety skills. MCofS President Chris Townsend added: “The winter safety advice on the MCofS website contains absolutely essential advice and the winter lecture series is a great way of picking up lots of useful tips and life-saving advice. I would urge all hill walkers and climbers to visit the MCofS website and check out the winter safety pages.”
On top of that, we would also point our customers towards the excellent MCofS Mountain Weather Information Service, which provides detailed forecasts by area, as well as the sportscotland Avalanche Information Service (SAIS), where you can get daily reports on snow conditions and a forecast for the major climbing areas of Scotland.
And as if that wasn’t enough, if you’re still stuck or just looking for advice then why not pop in to any of our stores and speak to our winter mountaineering experts?!
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