Is the Mountain Leader Qualification For Me?
Is the Mountain Leader Qualification For Me?
Is the Mountain Leader Qualification For Me?
The Mountain Leader is a well established hill waking qualification in the UK, but who is its aimed at? Do you need to be a rock climber? Do you have to want to work in the outdoors? Do you need to have experience walking overseas? Let’s dive in a little deeper and see if this award is something that might suit you.
History of the Mountain Leader Qualification
The Mountain Leader qualification was established in 1964. It can trace its origins back much further to the mid 1800’s with the creation of climbing and mountaineering clubs.
In the 1950’s more adults were gaining personal skills in the hills, they were taking school and other youth groups out to experience the benefits of education in the outdoors. Unfortunately, without any training in how to look after other people, and with the challenging ‘summer’ and winter weather, there was a growing number of accidents to led school parties.
By 1963, there was widespread but not universal demand for a mountain leadership qualification for teachers and youth leaders. More and more adults were taking to the hills and some of them were also taking groups of young people out, with no training or knowledge of how to manage the hazards. Experienced mountaineers and educationalists knew there was a solution.
What does the Mountain Leader qualification allow the holder to do?
Nowadays the Mountain Leader is divided into three main parts, these being the Summer Mountain Leader (ML), The Winter ML and the International ML. They are progressive and modular and the summer ML is the foundation for the other two -as well as being the foundation award for the climbing and mountaineering qualifications.
The Mountain Leader award is geared towards people who want to lead groups in the mountains for single or multi day hikes.
The Mountain Leader qualification enables experienced mountain walkers to lead groups in the mountains, hills and moorlands of the United Kingdom and Ireland in summer conditions.
Do I need to be a rock climber?
No. There is no rock climbing involved. You need to be a keen and active hill walker. There is an element of rope work within the scheme but you learn all of that on the ML Training course – you can arrive never having picked up a rope and that is completely normal. As an ML you can use a rope in an emergency situation within a hill walking context and we teach you how to do that.
What are the pre-requirements?
You must be at least 18 years old.
You must have a year’s personal experience of mountain walking.
You must have a genuine interest in mountain walking and leading groups in this terrain.
You must be a member of a mountaineering council (British Mountaineering Council, Mountaineering Ireland, Mountaineering Scotland)
You must be registered on the qualification.
You must have an up to date logbook (preferably DLOG) with evidence of 20 varied Quality Mountain Days minimum.
What is a Quality Mountain Day?
Mountain Training give the definition of a Quality Mountain Day as follows:
A ‘Quality Mountain Day’ for the Mountain Leader should take place in mountainous terrain in the UK or Ireland.
The quality element lies in such things as the conditions experienced both overhead and underfoot, the exploration of new areas, the terrain covered, the skills deployed and the physical and mental challenge. The experience of a quality day should contribute to knowledge, personal development and associated skill acquisition.
All the following criteria should be fulfilled:
The individual takes part in the planning and leadership.
An unfamiliar locality is explored.
A mountain is ascended.
Navigation skills are required.
Knowledge is increased and relevant skills practised.
Judgement and decision making is required.
Five hours or more journey time.
These criteria mean that days as a course member under instruction, a member of a group practising skills, or days spent repeating familiar routes are very unlikely to meet the requirements of a quality day.
What if I have no interest in working full time as a Mountain Leader?
Lots of people attend a Mountain Leader training course simply for the benefit of acquiring new skills for their own enjoyment and that is awesome. For those that do go on to assessment there will be all sorts of motivations. Some want to volunteer to take out young people or adults for charities, Scouts or schools. Others want to take less experienced friends out in the mountains and feel safe in the advice that they are giving. A small number want to work in the outdoors and use the ML as a stepping stone onto the instructional awards.
Do I need to be some sort of mountain Jedi?
The biggest thing is to have a passion for the mountains and a desire to share that passion. Once you have the pre-requirements that are set out above we can help hone your experience and skills to turn you into a Mountain Leader. That way you can inspire others – show them the power and beauty of the mountains and perhaps become a Jedi along the way. The Mountain Leader qualification is for anyone from any walk of life.
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