The IBSC is an all round club with a particular focus on backcountry skiing, ski touring and other backcountry snowsports. The broad aim of the club is to provide a forum to meet, share interests, enjoy and develop skills in backcountry, skiing and ski touring and other snowsports. In the summer club members transfer their focus to other outdoor activities meaning the club is active in the Highlands throughout the year.
A variety of means are used by members to ascend and descend with alpine, tele, split board and snowshoes. We even have a resident igloo construction specialist!
Our roots are firmly planted in the Highlands and with an extremely active membership living across the area, we have unrivalled knowledge of conditions, approaches, descents, overnight destinations as well as detailed local mountain knowledge helping to ensure members are always best positioned to be in the right place at the right time.
New club members are always welcome. All we ask is that you are reasonably fit, you’re experienced in some form of snowsports, you provide your own ski equipment and accept you are responsible for your own safety*. In return we guarantee a place on at least one or more of our weekend trips and/or day trips, you’ll be able to gain and share experience and knowledge, fun is guaranteed and you’ll ascend/descend hills rarely accessed in winter.
Don’t worry if you’re not located in the Highlands, our members also live in the NE of Scotland, Central Scotland, as well as from further afield throughout the UK.
Costs and benefits?
Membership runs from October to September. Discounted rates are available for students and over 60’s.
If you are already a member of Mountaineering Scotland through affiliation elsewhere then we offer a reduced price membership category which prevents an inadvertant duplication of Mountaineering Scotland membership.
Member benefits
- Full membership of Mountaineering Scotland is included
- Being part of a friendly welcoming club through which you’ll meet folk who have extensive knowledge of the Highlands.
- Enjoy year round micro adventures with like minded folks and develop new long term friendships.
- Access to an extensive winter programme of weekend meets staying in iconic accommodation
- Frequent formal and informal day trips where members meet up to enjoy skiing more popular as well as rarely visited mountain venues
- A dedicated members WhatsApp group with unique info on conditions in addition to being a platform to meet others for touring days
- Free entry to the Winter Launch and other social events, Zoom events and lectures.
- Free access to an extensive inventory of club owned ski touring safety equipment
- Access to the subsidised club training programme which covers all aspects of skiing safely in the winter mountains.
- Join international trips organised by experienced club members
- Enjoy a developing summer programme of walking, climbing, mountain biking, paddling and surfing
- Receive regular monthly E-mail newsletters
- Receive full Mountaineering Scotland member benefits
- GainThird party Liability Insurance via the club affiliation to Mountaineering Scotland
- Access to past club trip articles covering ski tours both home and abroad
- Discounted gear from a number of prominent Scottish based ski touring specialist retailers.
Please create a new membership account below:
* The IBSC has members with a wide variety of experience and skills, however the club is nevertheless unable to cater for those completely new to snowsport touring. If you are keen to start, please still contact us as we can provide advice and point you in the direction of suitable training providers before welcoming you on board at a later date.
In common with all outdoor activities ski touring has risks associated with it and participants should be aware of these risks and accept responsibility for their own actions and involvement. IBSC has for many years arranged trips and events but neither the committee nor any organisers hold themselves out to be technical or professional experts.