Scottish Mountain Rescue

Avalanche Companion Course 9-11 January 2026
2026-01-09 20:00 - 2026-01-10 17:00 (Europe/London) | Glenmore Lodge, Glenmore Lodge, Aviemore, Inverness Shire, PH22 1QZ, United Kingdom
There are two key aspects to this course.

Avalanche hazard assessment and tactics to reduce the risk.
The rapid location, extraction and treatment of a single buried companion.

The Avalanche Companion Rescue course aims to equip participants with the skills to enable them to operate safely within a small team during a winter search and rescue effort.
This course is not a ‘winter skills’ courses. Course participants should be confident in the use of crampons properly fitted onto winter boots and a single ice axe on easy angled ungraded winter terrain. This course does not require the use of rope, harness, or other technical climbing equipment.
Time will be spent on the effective use of a transceiver; attendees should ensure they arrive with the transceivers issued by their team and that it is fully operational. Some familiarity is useful but not essential.
Please note that the focus of the course is on safe operation in avalanche terrain, not on the science of the snowpack. Whilst instructors will discuss practical elements of this where relevant, it is not a major focus of the course.
The course is not a test of physical endurance. The distance travelled on foot is typically less than 8km during the day on easy ground. Participants should be comfortable in the conditions that can be expected in the Scottish winter mountains. There are many periods of low activity during group discussions and training exercises. THOSE WITHOUT SUITABLE CLOTHING WILL SUFFER.
Attendees should refer to the SAIS report for the Northern Cairngorms for the 5 days leading up to the course.

Overnight accommodation has been booked at Glenmore Lodge on a B&B basis.

Avalanche Companion Course 10-11 January 2025
2026-01-10 20:00 - 2026-01-11 17:00
There are two key aspects to this course.

Avalanche hazard assessment and tactics to reduce the risk.
The rapid location, extraction and treatment of a single buried companion.

The Avalanche Companion Rescue course aims to equip participants with the skills to enable them to operate safely within a small team during a winter search and rescue effort.
This course is not a ‘winter skills’ courses. Course participants should be confident in the use of crampons properly fitted onto winter boots and a single ice axe on easy angled ungraded winter terrain. This course does not require the use of rope, harness, or other technical climbing equipment.
Time will be spent on the effective use of a transceiver; attendees should ensure they arrive with the transceivers issued by their team and that it is fully operational. Some familiarity is useful but not essential.
Please note that the focus of the course is on safe operation in avalanche terrain, not on the science of the snowpack. Whilst instructors will discuss practical elements of this where relevant, it is not a major focus of the course.
The course is not a test of physical endurance. The distance travelled on foot is typically less than 8km during the day on easy ground. Participants should be comfortable in the conditions that can be expected in the Scottish winter mountains. There are many periods of low activity during group discussions and training exercises. THOSE WITHOUT SUITABLE CLOTHING WILL SUFFER.
