Snow-holing has a long and established tradition in Scotland’s winter mountains and in alpine and arctic regions worldwide. Vast amounts of snow still build up in sheltered lee areas on the high, wind-swept Cairngorm Plateau. Many snow-hole sites often hold snow into July, making this a sustainable winter mountaineering activity. However, as Andy Bateman* of Scot Mountain Holidays questions, it’s worth asking whether traditional snow-holing techniques remain appropriate for Scotland’s increasingly mild and variable winter climate. Do we stick with traditional and when it doesn’t work declare snow-holing “dangerous”, or do we prioritize safety and adapt?

Understanding Scottish Winter Temperatures

Although the Scottish Highlands occasionally make headlines for extreme cold, mountain temperatures never reach true Arctic levels. Recorded lows of below –20°C occur in valley inversions, where cold air pools in glens while summits remain relatively warmer.

For example, Aviemore experiences a wider temperature range than the summit of Cairngorm, whose lowest recorded temperature is only –16.5°C (12 January 1987). By contrast, nearby Nethy Bridge reached an unofficial –31.3°C (10 January 1982)!

At around 1100 m — the typical altitude of many Cairngorm snow-hole sites — winter extremes tend to sit between –8°C and –10°C, with many days around –5°C or warmer. Scotland’s proximity to the North Atlantic Drift keeps conditions comparatively mild, yet still demanding enough to test even experienced snow-holers.

Capture or Release? Managing Air in Scottish Snow-holes

Traditional snow-hole design aims to capture warm air, using raised sleeping platforms, doorways lower than the living area, and cold air drains. Are these features appropriate when winter temperatures in Scotland approach the melting point of the very material providing shelter?

In conditions near 0°C, the focus should be on adequate ventilation to manage internal air temperature and maintain structural stability.

An important point to note is that it takes appreciable heat energy to convert snow at 0 deg C to water at 0 deg C. It means that whilst there may not be a rise in temperature, you may still be “injecting” appreciable heat energy into the snow pack around your snow-hole.

Avalanche Awareness and Site Selection

Snow-holing naturally occurs where snow collects deeply — often on steep slopes with the potential for avalanche release. Avalanche risk must therefore be the primary consideration when selecting a site.

If there is any uncertainty about snow-pack stability:
• Avoid slopes steeper than 30 degrees.
• Excavate horizontally from the top of the door at least 1.7 m for slopes of 30 degrees or less before widening the chamber to ensure a minimum 1 m-thick roof.

Essential Tools for Scottish Snow-holing

Scottish snow often becomes extremely hard after repeated cycles of wind, thaw, and refreeze, demanding robust equipment. Ensure you carry:
• A metal-bladed snow shovel – polycarbonate models are largely ineffective in dense, refrozen snow.
• A snow or “carpentry” saw capable of cutting blocks efficiently when snow is too hard to shovel. A number of dedicated snow saws falter when it comes to Scottish snow.
• A 3-metre avalanche probe to confirm adequate horizontal snow depth before excavation.
• A durable ground sheet or tarp for collecting and dragging excavated snow clear of the entrance.

The correct tools greatly improve both efficiency and safety, especially in hardened Scottish snow conditions.

Structural Strength and Vaulted Ceilings

A snow-hole’s roof design is critical to both safety and durability. In Scottish conditions, attention to vault ceiling and load distribution is essential to minimize unsupported snow.

To achieve a stable structure:
• Keep the floor width to no more than two body widths (about 1.2 m) between the inner front and back walls.
• Excavate upward to form a steeply angled vaulted or apex ceiling, which removes large unsupported sections and promotes strength.

This design offers five major benefits:
1. Eliminates triangular sections of unsupported snow.
2. Prevents flat areas that become drip points.
3. Encourages melt water to drain with the snow pack.
4. Provides limited standing height without unnecessary excavation.
5. Directs warm air toward ventilation holes at the apex.

A properly shaped vaulted ceiling is the key to structural longevity. Reducing unsupported ceiling weight matters more than temperature alone. One snow-hole built by Andy Bateman on 25 March remained intact and safe when re-entered on 19 May after a prolonged thaw, with no roof deformation. Similarly, a BBC Travel Show snow-hole I built endured until late June; though its roof was only 30 cm above the floor, it never collapsed. Nearby structures that had become open hollows.

Roof thickness is equally important. When shaping the vault, avoid thinning the roof excessively — thicker is stronger.

• Minimum roof thickness: at least 1 m of snow overhead.
• Light test: blue light will penetrate up to 1m into the snow. If a pale blue glow is visible through the roof, it’s getting too thin.
• Front-wall strength: ensure the wall is no less than 1 m thick at its narrowest point to bear roof loads safely.

In Scottish snow-holing, roof geometry and thickness are the foundations of safety and endurance.

Ventilation: A Critical Safety Factor in Snow-holing

Effective ventilation is vital for safety in any snow-hole. Inadequate airflow when cooking, can lead to dangerous levels of carbon monoxide (CO) — a colourless, odourless gas produced by incomplete combustion.

All pressure stoves operate by first oxidising fuel to CO and then fully converting it to carbon dioxide (CO₂). Flame colour variations indicate this combustion process. When airflow is restricted, the secondary oxidation step fails, increasing CO production.

Simple ventilation test: exhale — if your breath drifts sideways, airflow is likely sufficient.

Even with good ventilation, a pan of icy water can quench the flame temperature, disrupting combustion and increasing CO output. Research by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) found that raising pan supports slightly above the burner significantly reduced CO levels during snow melting. Snow-holers should understand the symptoms of CO poisoning, which can include headache, nausea, and dizziness.

While no recorded deaths from CO poisoning have occurred in Scottish snow-holes in recent years, some have reported headaches consistent with exposure. Carrying a small portable CO detector is strongly advised. Always extinguish candles before sleeping — they too emit small amounts of CO.

Key safety guidelines:
• Confirm adequate ventilation before lighting stoves.
• Be aware that even with airflow, cold pans increase CO output by cooling the flame.
• Add snow gradually when melting for water to prevent flame quenching.
• Use a compact CO detector for real-time monitoring.

Overnight snow drift can block entrances and reduce airflow. Studies indicate that with all flames extinguished, hypoxia is not a risk. Poor sleep quality will alert you to low oxygen levels, prompting you to reopen vents instinctively.

Maintaining clear ventilation routes and monitoring air quality are non-negotiable safety practices in winter snow-holing.

Adequate Size: Make them big!

A larger snow-hole is safer. Not only are the ventilation characteristics better and but it also gives you space. One potential hazard of digging a small snow-hole is you don’t have enough room to put the snow after severe drifting. Do not underestimate how quickly the snow can drift into some of these snow-hole sites. 1 m per hour is not unusual. On one occasion I did have to tunnel out 1 ½ m before I hit the surface!

Leave No Trace: Responsible Waste Management in Snow-holing

Many Scottish snow-hole sites are located near watercourses, and persistent snow cover slows natural decomposition. Managing human waste responsibly is essential to avoid contamination and maintain site sustainability.

Best practices:
• Use a carry-out system for all human waste.
• Participate in local initiatives such as Cairngorm Mountain’s Snow White Project, which supports sustainable snow-hole waste management.

Following these practices preserves the natural environment and ensures these snow-hole sites remain safe and viable for future mountain users.

Conclusion: Safe Snow-holing in Scotland’s Winter Mountains

All mountain adventure activities carry inherent hazards, and snow-holing in Scotland’s winter mountains is no exception. Instructors and guides must understand these hazards and apply appropriate techniques to reduce risk.

It’s been claimed that Snow-holing is dangerous. Compared with winter climbing (for which there is a whole qualification scheme) it isn’t, and mountain rescue statistics support this. However, attempting to snow-hole in Scotland using methods suited for Arctic conditions at -20°C is likely to cause problems in milder Scottish winters.

Structural integrity is critical. One of the most important factors for safety and longevity is avoiding large areas of unsupported roof or ceiling. A properly vaulted ceiling, sufficient roof thickness and ventilation, and careful internal design prevent collapse even as temperatures rise, whereas improperly supported snow-holes quickly lose their structural integrity. Put simply, if more than two people can sleep side by side, your ceiling is too wide!

* Andy holds the WML and IML awards and has over 20 years Mountain Leading experience. He has guided well over 30 commercial snow-holing trips in this time and although none of the mountaineering qualifications have a remit that covers snow-holing, he is one of the few guides deemed competent by HSE criteria of “relevant experience” to run snow-holing trips.

** British Antartic Survey helped in a BSc thesis. Available on request from andrew@scotmountainholidays.com

Medical references:

www.ncbi.nim.ni.gov/pubmed/18665947

www.ncbi.nim.ni.gov/pubmed/9340627

www.ncbi.nim.ni.gov/pubmed/8355417

www.ncbi.nim.ni.gov/pubmed/15265339

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Andy Bateman has instructed and guided for over 25 winter seasons across Scotland. At times its blue skies and a winter wonderland but being based in the Cairngorms he is no stranger to the sometimes uncompromising conditions that can be encountered on Scotland’s high mountains during the winter months.

Putting aside the obvious need to dress properly for the conditions, here are a few of his expert winter skills tips:

1. Carry your crampons in your rucksack

Unless your rucksack has a facility specifically for carrying crampons safely on the outside, they should be in a crampon bag inside your rucksack when not on your boots. They are heavy items of kit and can easily work loose when attached with exterior straps or bungee. Crampons carried on the outside can also be a source of injury for other members of the party e.g. in high winds.

2. Rigid B2 or B3 rated boots

The snow and ice conditions can be as varied as the weather that creates them. Don’t limit the techniques at your disposal before you’ve even set foot on the mountain by wearing bendy boots. A key and often overlooked feature of a stiff boot is that it allows you to concentrate your weight on the edges of the sole so you’re able to use them to cut into the snow surface. Your boot is as much a tool as your ice-axe or crampons. B1 “winter” boots are often too flexible to effectively kick steps in hard snow; if you try to front point, the toes tend to bend up and the heel drops causing the wearer to feel unstable. Fully rigid B3 mountaineering boots don’t feel overkill for a winter mountain walk.

 Crampons at work

3. …and pay attention to the soles

4. Length of ice axe shaft

There are a few situations where a long shaft is an advantage but they are outweighed by the number of situations where a short shafted axe is your best bet. Go for an axe with a relatively straight shaft and no longer than 55cm irrespective of your height.

 Picking our way through snow

5. Don’t be too ambitious

Remember in winter trekking your rucksack will be heavier, plus the extra weight of winter boots and crampons on your feet, the underfoot conditions and having to check the map more frequently all conspire to slow your pace. On top of this there are fewer daylight hours. It’s important that you’re not over ambitious with your route plan to prevent being caught out. Always make sure you have a decent headtorch.

 Test your limits, within your means

6. Is all that kit you’re carrying necessary?

Your rucksack is already heavier with all the necessary gear required by winter. Heavy boots, crampons and underfoot conditions will sap energy and slow you down. Don’t burden yourself further with superfluous kit by considering whether an item is really necessary for the day. At the same time, be sure you have everything you need.

 Full moon Snow-hole Expedition winter gear

7. Hydration bladders can easily freeze

Even with an insulated jacket around the tube, once the temperature drops below -3 deg C hydration bladders tend to easily freeze. You are better off with a water bottle in your sack as close to your back as possible to receive a little body heat. Better still take a thermos flask.

8. Ice axe leashes

There are situations where an ice axe leash is an advantage but there are also a good number of situations where they can be a hazard. Have an arrangement where the leash can be easily added or removed from the head of the axe, i.e. tie a loop in the end of the leash and larks-foot it through the head of the axe. When you aren’t cutting steps or climbing the leash is probably best kept in your rucksack.

9. Cold hands?

Remember, as your core temperature cools your body reduces its circulation to your extremities, like your hands. If you have cold hands, it may well be worth considering putting an extra layer on, as well as warmer gloves. If the body is compensating for a cooling core, to a certain extent, it doesn’t matter how well insulated your hands are, it’s not going to send anymore warm blood to the extremities.

10. Take regular short breaks

Your body can burn up 40% more calories just by keeping itself warm. Underfoot conditions and heavy gear add to your body’s energy demands. Standing around for more than 10 minutes can mean folks start to get chilled. Schedule-in regular breaks where possible. I find a 10 min break after approximately every 80 min of walking is optimal. You need good judgement and one of the most sensitive organs in your body to a drop in temperature or a lack of energy is your brain. It needs to be well nourished by both.

Striding out to conquer the winter Cairngorms

Why do it? Because this is why it’s worth it.

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1. People dodgems

Inevitable with more people “working from home”, getting out and about on the paths surrounding your home and maintaining your social distance is becoming more difficult. Why not turn it into part of the challenge for your walk? How many people did you see when out today? What did you do to avoid them? How could you manage a completely isolated walk? – Walk at midnight? Can you manage an invisible walk?

2. Include some foraging

Nettles are in season right now, but you’ll have to be quick as they’ll quite quickly become too big to be tender enough to use for soup – recipe coming soon.

Wild garlic is also in season. We have some pasta base and pesto recipes for wild garlic and have also made some wild garlic ice cubes to add to our pasta/stew recipes

Spring foraging recipes to follow shortly

Wild garlic

Sorrel

3. Add a birdsong identification app to your phone

Listen to the birds which are out around you and see if you can identify them by the song you here. Check your identification with the app on your phone. You might be surprised what there is in your locale.

4. Download a tree identification app to your phone

The Woodland Trust have  very good tree identification app which now I come to think of it has been recommended by other people to me.

5. Try a night walk and head away from the street lights (if you have this option)

It’s amazing how different a walk can seem at night as opposed to during the day. You could try and do what we’ve done in the past and take a torch with you to spot “eye shine”. This is when your torchlight reflects back off animals’ eyes. For example, you can see from the eye shine that there are a lot more deer out in the woods than you thought during the day

6. (Linked to number 5) Check out a night sky app

There are a few different options and fortunately someone else has already done an analysis of the options. Take a look at this blog.

7. Sign up for audible or see if your library offers virtual audio books to download

If you don’t have an audible subscription yet, I would recommend it. Though there are also plenty of podcasts out there to keep you company on your walk, a book lasts longer. We enjoy audiobooks while we’re travelling in the car, but as we can’t do that at the moment, enjoying some listening while walking a route you’ve done many times before can make things a wee bit more interesting. You might not have anyone else in your household to enjoy outdoor exercise during lockdown, the audiobook could be good company if you choose well. There are also lots of inspiring walking, hiking, climbing and travel books which have been narrated to keep you inspired.

Some recommendations:

Touching the Void (Joe Simpson)

No Shortcuts to the Top (Ed Viesturs)

The Marches (Rory Stewart)

The Living Mountain (Nan Shepherd)

In the Cairngorms (Nan Shepherd)

8. Browse the podcasts and get one to accompany you on your walk

Suggested podcasts:

Scotland Outdoors

The Adventure Podcast

Sounds of the Trail

Of Mountains and Minds

Also checkout this recommended list put together by Much Better Adventures.

9. Time your walk and try to improve every day

10. Share your walks on OSmaps or Strava

Nothing like feeling as if you’re still part of a community, even if it is online!

Any idea what this is supposed to be? Created by the children of Abernethy and Deshar primary schools –

view from Deshar School towards the northern Cairngorms on one of our daily outdoor exercise during lockdown

routes from Fraoch Lodge

However you manage to enjoy your more limited time outdoors this spring, do take care but at the same time – keep fit and ready for a time when we can head back into the outdoors as much as we like.

The post Making the most of your sortie outdoors during COVID-19 “lockdown” appeared first on Scot Mountain Holidays.

Whether you are caught in a white-out, needing to navigate trails or provide emergency first aid, it is imperative hikers are properly equipped on their Highland adventures. Otherwise we would rely too heavily on Mountain Rescue for preventative emergencies!

Keeping gear dry is a must. Photo courtesy of Complete Cairngorms participant, Alison Hedley

Here in Scotland’s Highlands the terrain and weather can be deceptive as our tallest peak Ben Nevis is 1,345 metres. However, the tree line in Scotland begins around 6-800 metres. Higher winds and colder and changeable weather thus occur lower down in Scotland at the same severity. This means, effectively, the environment you get at 600 metres is the same at 3,000 metres in the Alps.

Some Full moon Snow-hole Expedition gear: snow shovel, ice axe, trekking pole, rope, rucksack

Finding the right fit for hiking Scotland

To protect ourselves from Scotland weather we prepare with the proper gear. Cioch Outdoor Clothing is a Scottish based manufacturer on the Isle of Skye, and along with being comfortable and durable they also provide excellent customer service.

Wild Knoydart: walkers know the value of a good pack!

Nikwax Analogy material made to measure by Cioch and Páramo clothing, an ethical manufacturer, are favourites of Andy. He values these for their waterproof and windproof properties, essential to weathering Scotland’s worst. Many are surprised by the severity of “wind chill”.  (Wind chill is the effect of the wind in cold weather, which makes the actual temperature feel so much colder than the thermometer records.) Wind chill creates a high risk of hypothermia. Extra layers are a must.

Andy in a Nikwax Analogy smock jacket by Páramo

Key features: never go without a map and compass, and pay special attention to foot care. Proper walking boots are essential. In general the heavier the boot, the more equipped you will be, and stiffer boots are best for dealing with snow.

Scotland – ATTA – Adventure Travel World Summit; Spirit of the Cairngorms. Compass for navigation.

Navigating the market

How does Gore-Tex compare to its competitors? Do you need to splurge on expensive gear for a single trip? Our resident guide Andy Bateman is an expert in questions like these.

Scotland – ATTA – Adventure Travel World Summit; Spirit of the Cairngorms. A bike you can depend on

We provide advice on the kit you will need, because the best gear makes you forget the job it is doing, and leaves you to soak in your adventures instead.

The post What we hike in appeared first on Scot Mountain Holidays.

For a limited time only, Scot Mountain Holidays are offering £100 off* our 5 Day Winter Skills course, this applys to our Hogmanay Winter Skills course as well.

Why winter, why the Cairngorms?

There is something about snow which makes the mountains so much more beautiful. For some of us the first snow falls of winter send a shiver of excitement down the backbone. The Cairngorms, protected from Gulf Stream warmth, are universally recognized as providing our most consistent snow and ice conditions. They’re Britain’s highest mountain range, Scotland’s high arctic and home to our most permanent snow beds. For some of their time they may be under brilliant blue skies, at other times immersed in freezing hill fog. Any protrusion above the snow becomes caked in beautiful rime ice crystals. The winter mountains aren’t for the faint hearted but to experience them in their full winter garb is to see them at their finest. So come and join us to enjoy this winter for a winter skills course, a winter mountaineering course or a guided walking experience.

Learning winter skills here with Scot Mountain Holidays is so much more than just instruction. We believe you should be comfortable and relaxed while you pick up new winter skills, so we include accommodation at our family home and cook for you so you can relax and concentrate on the new winter skills you’ve learnt.

The extras included on our winter skills courses are:

• Transfers between Inverness airport or Aviemore railway station if required
• Evening meal on arrival at the Lodge
• Evening meal to round off the  end of the course
• Accommodation at the end of the course (excl. weekend courses)
• Breakfast before you depart the following morning

*Terms and Conditions apply

Green travel discount does not apply.

Booking must be received by 14th January 2016.

To apply for your discount just send us an email at: winterskills@scotmountainholidays.com

For more information about winter skills techniques, winter skills courses, equipment for winter skills, preparation for a winter skills course read these articles on our blog.

Top 10 winter skills tips

Which winter boots to choose for winter skills and winter hiking?

How to choose a walking ice axe for a winter skills course?

Why go walking in winter in Scotland?

How do I prepare for a winter skills course?

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