Update from Mountain Training Scotland 04/11/2020
This week sees the first of this winter season’s significant snowfall on the hills and mountains in Scotland. Winter makes it first ‘proper’ appearance against a background of climate change and the resultant impact on weather and winter conditions, but now we also have a pandemic to deal with, the impact of which is equally as unpredictable, and potentially as disruptive.
In previous winters, challenging weather and conditions has meant for all those involved in the Mountain Training Scotland Winter Mountain Leader scheme – providers, course directors, trainers/assessors or candidates - endless poring over all sorts of weather forecasts and late night ponderings regarding choosing appropriate venues.
Winter Mountain Leader providers and their staff use long range computer modelling of weather (to check out the following week’s weather) and the more accurate short term forecasts, all in an effort to ensure that the course being run – whether it be training or assessment – remains a viable and authentic experience that adequately prepares/tests candidates for operating as Winter Mountain Leaders in the harshest environments in the UK – the high winter mountains.
However, in the case of managing a pandemic and associated government guidance and restrictions, that can change quickly in response to the COVID situation, we have no access to such long-term planning options.
As you can appreciate this gives Mountain Training Scotland, our providers and their staff an additional organisational challenge to manage. It is, however, MTS’ and our providers’ intent to provide Winter Mountain Leader training and assessment courses this coming winter season.
Weather and conditions impact on Winter Mountain Leader courses
With regards to weather and conditions the key principle we (Winter ML providers in discussion with MTS) follow when deciding whether or not we would run a course is, “you start it - you finish it”.
What this means is when deciding to run a course we must have full confidence that given the conditions and forecasted weather we can complete the course. This means no starting a course to “see what happens” with the risk of abandoning it part way through. Such a “see what happens” approach is not fair on our candidates (and leaves them in a very difficult to reconcile place the following season).
This means providers will start a Winter Mountain Leader course knowing full well that they will complete it. This we think is better for our candidates as they can go into their course having the confidence that they will have a viable and authentic Winter Mountain Leader experience – be it training or assessment.
COVID-19 and Winter Mountain Leader temporary scheme adaptations
Regarding COVID and its impact on course provision. Through this summer/autumn MTS approved Mountain Training scheme providers have all been implementing and working to specific COVID-19 risk mitigation measures whilst adapting and shaping their course provision to Scottish Government guidance and restrictions.
To support our providers and their staff in this process MTS have sought to outline key adaptations that they can apply to their Winter Mountain Leader course provision model and associated programmes. This was done in discussion with, and support and agreement from, our providers and MTS technical staff. Any agreed Winter Mountain Leader scheme delivery adaptations will be temporary and will be reviewed on a regular basis in line with the review period used by the Scottish government, although looking at the current situation our expectation is that these measures will be enacted for the whole of this coming winter season.
Winter Mountain Leader specific scheme adaptations
Winter Mountain Leader training and assessment courses can be delivered with the following additional provisos:
- Minimum course size for all courses is reduced to 2 candidates.
- Many lectures and in-course reviews and debriefs will be online. Candidates should ensure they have access to a reliable and stable internet connection to allow them to attend online sessions.
- No shared tent use or bothy use permitted due to physical distancing.
- Snow holing. The inclusion of snow holing in the Winter Mountain Leader scheme is to ensure candidates are fit and resilient enough to cope with the demands of the winter environment. Its purpose is not to teach the Winter Mountain Leader how to conduct expeditions using snowholes as the base or main form of accommodation. The Winter Mountain Leader handbook states that candidates should be aware that when conditions are overly hazardous, for example in conditions of a rapid thaw or high avalanche risk, it may not always be possible, nor safe, to overnight in a snow hole during their course.
Providers and their staff have significant experience in fulfilling the scope and content of the Winter Mountain Leader syllabus in challenging weather and snow pack conditions, including making adaptions to what is viewed as the ‘exped’ phase of the course when it may not be possible or may be unsafe to snow hole due to weather, snow conditions, or a combination of both.
With the adherence to COVID-19 physical distancing requirements there will be no multiple occupancy snow hole use, and this includes shared construction. Providers and their staff have extensive experience of methods for adapting the scheme expedition phase due to unfavourable conditions, examples of which include, but are not limited to, walking through the night with a short halt to dig a single person emergency shelter within which to cook/brew then continue on; phased extended day into night activity.
Whilst single occupancy tent use may be an option providers should be mindful of the additional weight and weather/conditions constraints on their use. Bothies cannot be used due to physical distancing requirements.
Trainers should note there is still the need for training courses to appropriately prepare candidates to use snowholes as they may well return for assessment in a post CV-19 time when snowholing may be required.
- For those syllabus topics where realistic training cannot be undertaken, for example due to physical distancing restrictions or low ratios, a detailed action plan will be provided and candidates made aware of this restriction at the time of booking on their course.
Course cancellation/being unable to attend a course
It is an inescapable fact that at some point this winter our providers will have to cancel a course, or a candidate will be unable to attend their course. The following are the most likely scenarios where candidates may not be able to attend their course:
- Those individuals who have COVID-19 symptoms (new continuous cough, fever or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste) should not attend their course and should self-isolate and book a COVID-19 test.
- Candidates who have been asked to self-isolate should not attend a course.
- Candidates, due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, are unable or advised not to travel to attend their course.
- COVID-19 restrictions prevent providers from running courses.
- A course does not go ahead due to weather and snow conditions precluding being able to deliver viable and authentic training/assessments.
In all cases MTS providers will be flexible regarding all possible options including rescheduling your course place and will discuss with candidates a mutually suitable way forward. Candidates are advised to contact their provider directly if they have any concerns regarding being able to attend or complete a Winter Mountain Leader course.
I would please ask you all for your patience and understanding this season. We are all dealing with significant challenges in every aspect of our lives, and this does not seem set to change anytime soon.
MTS is confident that together, our experienced staff team and network of approved providers, are equipped to navigate the challenges winter and COVID-19 throw at us, but please, we will require your support, engagement and understanding in this process.
Have a great winter!
Many thanks,
George McEwan
Mountain Training Scotland Executive Officer