The Scottish Avalanche Information Service will issue its last daily avalanche forecast for this winter on Sunday 15 April. However due to the large amount of snow still on the Scottish mountains the SAIS will continue to provide general advice on potential avalanche risk until necessary. This year more than 210 avalanches have been recorded by SAIS. Conditions on the mountains are likely to remain in winter conditions for quite sometime yet. Check the SAIS website before planning your route and check out the Walkhighlands winter safety information for further tips.

The body which represents climbers, mountaineers, hill walkers and snowsports tourers in Scotland is to have a new hand at the helm from Monday. Mountaineering Scotland has appointed Stuart Younie as Chief Executive Officer, replacing David Gibson, who is retiring on Friday after more than a decade at the head of the organisation. Stuart Younie comes to Mountaineering Scotland from Live Active Leisure in Perth, where he was Business Development and Programming Manager. He brings a wide range of senior management experience, including strategic planning, business development and operational delivery. He is also passionate about the outdoors, having skied and…

Organisers of the Braemar Mountain Festival today revealed they have doubled the number of events and venues following the huge success of the inaugural event last year. The four-day celebration of the mountains in winter will take place from Thursday 1st – Sunday 4th March 2018 at Braemar, located in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park. New events for 2018’s expanded programme include mountain bike skill sessions, film making classes with award winning adventure film producer Chris Prescott and a special series of talks and films highlighting the feats of inspirational women in adventure sports. The Braemar Mountain Festival…

Mountain safety experts have warned against a worrying trend in the outdoor clothing market. Magnetic closures on gloves and jackets are being marketed as the modern alternative to Velcro or poppers. But magnets are well-known for deflecting compass needles, and there is already evidence that this may have been the cause of a recent Mountain Rescue call-out. Heather Morning, Mountain Safety Adviser for Mountaineering Scotland, said: “We have reviewed the circumstances of a recent incident in the mountains east of Glen Shee, which involved hundreds of hours of rescue personnel hours and police time. “A group of walkers were caught…