Scottish Winter Climbing
Season: Winter
Guided winter climbing matched to experience and conditions, from first technical routes through to bigger classic lines.
CIC Hut Winter Climbing
Three days of guided winter climbing based from the CIC Hut beneath the North Face of Ben Nevis.
- Duration
- 3 days / 2 nights
- Date
- Fri-Sun 19-21 Feb 2027
- Ratio
- Maximum 1:2
- Location
- CIC Hut / Ben Nevis North Face
£820 per person
Guiding Overview
The Charles Inglis Clark Memorial Hut sits at around 670 metres beneath the cliffs of Ben Nevis, placing you directly under one of the most important winter climbing venues in Britain. Spending two nights at the hut changes the rhythm of the trip: instead of walking in from the valley every morning, we are already high on the mountain and can make the most of three winter days around the North Face. The exact climbs remain completely conditions-led, but the format creates a focused, immersive Ben Nevis winter-climbing experience.
Key Information
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The CIC Hut is an alpine-style mountaineering hut at the foot of the Ben Nevis cliffs.
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The programme is three mountain days with two nights based at the hut.
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Climbing objectives are selected around your experience and what the North Face is offering at the time; snow, ice and mixed routes may all be considered.
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The product is a guided experience, not an open course and not a generic multi-day package.
Who It's For
- Winter climbers who want several consecutive days focused on Ben Nevis rather than moving between areas.
- Climbers with enough winter experience to make good use of classic North Face routes.
- Pairs who value the hut experience as part of the trip, not just the climbing.
- Clients happy with basic mountaineering-hut living and carrying personal kit up to the hut.
What To Expect
- A significant walk-in to the hut carrying personal equipment and overnight kit.
- Two nights in simple alpine-style hut accommodation with shared facilities.
- Three winter climbing days where route choice may range from easier classics to more technical lines according to experience and conditions.
- Early starts, winter weather and the need to stay flexible; the North Face is serious mountain terrain even with the hut close by.
Pre-requisites
- You should have previous winter mountaineering and winter climbing experience, be confident using axe and crampons, and have enough fitness to climb on consecutive days.
- The exact standard depends on the routes you hope to climb.
- This is not intended as a first introduction to winter mountaineering.
What to Bring
- You will need full winter climbing kit plus suitable overnight hut equipment and food as confirmed in the joining information.
- B2/B3 boots, warm clothing, spare gloves, goggles, headtorch and personal sleeping equipment are essential.
- Technical climbing equipment can be provided as agreed.
Start your enquiry
How To Book
CIC Hut Winter Climbing is enquiry-led because hut availability, winter conditions and client experience all need checking together. Tell us your recent winter routes, preferred Private Availability and whether you are enquiring alone or as a pair. We will confirm the practical booking details before payment.
Thank you
We have your enquiry and have emailed you a copy. We will be in touch soon to talk it through, and we will confirm your date once we have checked the diary.
Frequently Asked Questions
CIC Hut Winter Climbing FAQs
Is the CIC Hut a hotel?
No. It is a mountaineering hut with alpine-style sleeping accommodation and shared facilities. The experience is intentionally simple and mountain-focused.
Is £820pp inclusive of the hut fee?
The course fee is inclusive of hut fees and kit hire. Any other additional costs will be made clear before booking.
What grades will we climb?
That depends on your experience and the conditions. The aim is to make the most of Ben Nevis rather than promise a specific grade or named route months in advance.
Can I join with no winter climbing experience?
No. You should already have winter mountaineering and some winter-climbing experience so you can make good use of three consecutive North Face days.
Why choose Lake District Mountaineering?
- Highly qualified mountain professionals. Technical guiding is delivered by appropriately qualified MCI / WMCI instructors.
- Low ratios and personal planning. Standard technical guiding is 1:1 or 1:2, allowing the day to be shaped around the client or pair.
- Local knowledge and condition-led decisions. Route choice responds to weather, rock condition, snowpack, wind and the best available terrain.
- Objective-led private days. The focus is the mountain, ridge or climb you want to do rather than following a fixed teaching syllabus.
Related Options
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Scottish Winter Mountaineering
Season: Winter
Classic ridges, gullies and mountaineering objectives in the Cairngorms or West Highlands.
