It's important to ensure all our members show a breadth to their climbing experience. The current consensus is that 30 Scottish winter routes of grade IV or above, including at least five at grade V, is a reasonable, if not a modest indication of experience and commitment when it comes to UK climbing. This closely reflects contemporary, instructional climbing standards and meets with the public's expectations of what an instructor's climbing background should be. How do we know the public expect their instructor to have climbed to grade V ? Because we took the time to ask.

The procedure for new membership is straightforward, relying on peer policing to validate an applicant's climbing background and judge their keeness to adopt the ethos of the community. If you are MIC qualified, have the prerequisite breadth of experience and share our belief in an honest and high quality approach to mountain instruction, it would be great to have you as a member.

Supply evidence by email of MIC qualification. Ideally this would be a scanned copy of your certificate.

Identify two existing members (a proposer and seconder) who can verify your personal climbing experience.

Compile a list of 30 Scottish winter routes of grade IV or above that you have lead (or swung leads). The selection should have a fairly good geographical spread with at least five routes being at grade V. Email this list to your proposer and seconder, asking them to simply forward the email to info@themic.org.uk as an acknowledgement of validation and their willingness to vouch for your application.