Syllabus:

• Equipment usage and care
• Group management and responsibilities of the leader
• Navigation
• Access and the environment
• Hazards (including steep ground, rivers and altitude)
• Scrambling and steep ground security
• Snowcraft (ice axe and crampon skills)
• Winter camping
• Expedition management
• Weather
• Background knowledge
• Emergency and rescue procedures
• SAMT and NQF training and qualification structure and skills
• Scope and remit of the qualification

Scope of the Award:

The Mountain Leader Award offers the technical competence to lead walkers and hikers into the highest and most remote mountain regions of southern Africa. It is the combination of technical skills, wide experience and personal leadership which forms the basis for group management in a mountainous environment, and the award assesses all of these aspects.Winter refers to the conditions of the mountain environment and not the season. Winter therefor refers to the presence of snow and ice, and the possibilities of cold weather injuries. Due to the rarity of winter conditions in southern Africa, experience of winter conditions in other countries is accepted and recommended. The Mountain Leader Award does cover the use of ropes for security on scrambles but does not cover any aspect of rock or ice climbing.