Massive quantities of snow in the Scottish mountains this winter have prompted mountain safety experts to warn both mountaineers and skiers of the danger of 'terrain traps'. Many hill-goers will not even know the term but there is increasing emphasis on educating mountaineers about how these geographical features can increase the danger from avalanches and the level of damage they cause. This winter has been marked by high winds and a continuous roller coaster of low pressures marching in off the Atlantic, bringing with them high winds and heavy rain. High up however, it has been a different story. Above…

Mountaineering cameraman, Keith Partridge is to give a talk in Edinburgh on 3 March. After over 20 years at the cutting edge of mountain and adventure filmmaking Keith says he thought it was time to spill the beans and look at the stories behind the stories. He has been involved in over 60 films all over the world including the iconic series ‘The Edge – 100 Years of Scottish Mountaineering’, ‘Touching The Void’, ‘Beckoning Silence’ on the Eiger North Face and the multi award winning ‘Human Planet’. During the evening at the Royal Lyceum Theatre he will recount tales of…

The dates for the 2014 Isle of Harris Mountain Festival have been announced. The festival will take place between Saturday 13th and Saturday 20th September. Billed as “a week-long celebration of the mountains of Harris,” this is the fourth annual event run by the North Harris Trust. The programme will include: a range of guided walks, from stunning ridges & glens to glorious coastlines – including the return of the Clisham Horseshoe and a Golden Eagle Walk; talks & presentations from guest speakers, outdoor sports sessions, boat trips, film nights, a festival ceilidh and more. The full programme is likely…

The final lectures in the Mountaineering Council of Scotland's Winter Lecture series will be delivered at The Mountain Cafe, Aviemore, by mountain safety experts Heather Morning and Dave ‘Heavy’ Whalley. Heather Morning is the MCofS Mountain Safety Adviser. With a lifetime’s experience in the mountains, she has been a professional mountaineer for 20 years and for the last 12 has been an active member of the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team. ‘Heavy’ Whalley was a member of the RAF Mountain Rescue for 36 years. He was the Team Leader of RAF Leuchars, RAF Kinloss and Deputy Team leader at RAF Valley…

Cotton can kill. That's the stark message going out to mountaineers as part of a bid to stop people freezing to death. Each winter people die of exposure and hypothermia in the Scottish mountains. Heather Morning, Mountain Safety Advisor with the MCofS, advised that wearing cotton clothing can significantly increase your risk of developing hypothermia in the Scottish winter mountains. When cotton clothing gets wet, whether through rain, snow-melt or perspiration, it provides no insulation and will quickly cool the skin. Outdoor clothing manufacturers produce their garments from either man-made synthetic fabrics or wool, which ‘wick’ moisture away from the…

Donald Tiso, son of the founders of the Tiso outdoor gear shops, has died in an accident on Ben Starav. The 50 year old fell on steep ground between Ben Starav and Beinn nan Aighenan, above Glen Kinglass on Friday 18 January. Mr Tiso’s walking companion raised the alarm and 
Oban Mountain Rescue Team and the Police were called out as well as a Royal Navy rescue helicopter from HMS Gannet. Mr Tiso was flown by helicopter to Belford Hospital in Fort William, but was pronounced dead on arrival. Donald Tiso, whose parent’s Graham and Maude founded the outdoor gear…