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    • Scottish Avalanche Information Service

      Providing Avalanche Hazard Forecasts for Scotland Since 1988

      Scottish Avalanche Information Service, Cairngorms.

    We’re proud to support the Scottish Avalanche Information Service and its forecasters.

    The Scottish Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) provides daily forecasts and observations on avalanche, snow and mountain conditions to both individuals and professional organisations throughout the winter season for six of Scotland’s most popular high mountain areas. Established more than 30 years ago, it is now funded by Sport Scotland, the national agency for sport.

    Based in the heart of the Cairngorms, the service is co-ordinated by Mark Diggins, an IFMGA mountain guide for more than 25 years, a member of the British Mountain Guides Association and honorary member of the Swedish Mountain Guides Association who in turn is supported by a team of around 12 forecasters across the Highlands. Each forecaster, themselves highly experienced mountaineers and climbers are equipped with technical outdoor clothing and equipment from Mountain Equipment.

    The men and women who make up the SAIS forecasting team are in action every day from mid-December until mid-April, not even stopping for Christmas. Covering vast tracts of remote and mountainous terrain, the Scottish highlands with it is farthest regions on the same latitude as Southern Alaska can experience ferocious winter storms and forecasters have to operate often in some of the most savage conditions imaginable. It is the perfect testing and proving ground for our products. 

    Snow Profile

    Kathy Grindrod has worked for the Scottish Avalanche Information Service since the late 90’s and is now a forecaster for the Northern Cairngorms area. Out in the mountains most days, whatever the weather, it’s far from a normal working day.

    Tested to Extremes

    How often do you really put your gear through its paces? We go out into the mountains prepared for the worst-case scenario, but we rarely need to truly test the limits of our garments.

    The forecasters of the SAIS deal with the extremes of a Scottish winter day in, day out, as they deliver a vital service so we can be safe in the hills. The best gear isn’t a luxury for them; it is a matter of durability, comfort and best-in-class performance.

    That’s why Mountain Equipment and GORE-TEX work together with SAIS to develop and test fabrics and garments to the extremes.

    Equipped For Safety

    Mountain Equipment provides Scottish Avalanche Information Service with products that protect them from some of the harshest conditions imaginable. Always on call, our gear is tested in some of the most remote and testing of environments.

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