This morning Iris headed   off with one other friend to do some personal trekking in the Greenstone/Caples/Steeple creek area.  The weather is perfect for 3 days, which is how long they expect to be out there.

Guided trekking , hiking or walks with Iris is the perfect way to enjoy time whilist staying in the Wanaka area. When Iris gets back from this personal trek, she’ll catch her breath as she has a person arriving for some guided trekking over a couple of days.

You can look forward to some photos of flora, fauna and classic Southern Alps landscapes in a few days.

Come and enjoy the wealth of local knowledge trekking guide Iris knows

Here some memorabilia of Alpinism during the last decade: youtube legendary Doug Ball who spent considerable time climbing with mountain guide Gary Dickson aka Gaz from January 2006 until August 2009.

Doug Ball, 79, on Mt Aspiring, New Zealand

Doug at 80, climbing a few peaks over 4000m in a week in Switzerland

Doug climbing high above the Dossenhütte, Kingspitze in the back ground

Doug had climbed Mt Cook Aoraki with his wife Peggy and many other peaks, but never Mt Aspiring. He got thwarted twice while climbing with Gaz because of conditions and weather but third time lucky and for a brief time he was considered the oldest climber to have sumited. He must have been an inspiration … more

Based at Centennial hut for some more alpine climbing

He sent us these lines just recently …”I use a slide show of my mountaineering photos as a screen saver so that my memories are not lost but are refreshed every day. Alpinism and Ski certainly made an enormous difference to my life. What would have become of me if I had just thrown in the sponge after Peggy died?  I have so much to thank you both for and am not likely to ever forget it.”

keep going strong Doug

Cameron hut and Mount Cook lillies - giant buttercup

Magnificient views on the Rob Roy glacier track

Keas, welcoming you to Rob Roy glacier cirque

Beginning of January and the weather has been outstanding here for at least three weeks, fantastic for all sorts of walks and hiking adventures. Iris has been on her guided trekking excrusions to Rob Roy a couple of times and privately for personal recreation, hiking to Cameron hut and Breast Hill. For more recreation, the Alpinism & Ski team has climbed Sharks Tooth in the Matukituki valley with friends Gordy and Katrin. Also on the program a few sailing excursions on lake Wanaka, perfect alternative to the mountains. Want to join us for some fun? just ask!

Climbing up and up towards Shark's Tooth with brilliant views of Mt Rob Roy

Be it an ascent of one of the beautiful peaks in the Southern Alps or a mountaineering instruction course to learn/refresh alpine climbing skills, Alpinism and Ski  offers you our  diverse range of mountain guiding services. From short and easy rock climbing on the local Wanaka crags, trekking, hiking and walking around the local hills or  to more full on and week long missions on the glaciated terrain, just get in touch to help you organize your next trip.

The youngest and smallest having fun on the rock

A future rock climbing star in the making?

Yesterday, Riverside next to the Motatapu river near Wanaka provided a fantastic venue for an introduction to the sport of rock climbing for long time client and friend Phil melchiors Grand sons. It was  also a lovely spot  for a family picnic and ‘refreshing’ plunge in the water.

Snow and ice techniques on a mountaineering course

crevasse rescue on an instruction course

pitching up a ridge on an alpine instruction course

The New Year is approaching fast and the last few weeks have brought us excellent weather for adventures in the Southern Alps.

We have two mountaineering courses on the program, one for beginners and the other for intermediate to advanced mountaineers keen to brush up, renew and confirm their alpine climbing skills to stay safe in the mountains while having fun, here the details:

• Intro to Alpinism, 6 days from 20 – 25th February 2012, $ 2426 pp
• Total Alpinism, 7 days from 4 – 10th March 2012, $ 2830 pp

One of those mountaineering instruction courses could be just right for you, so don’t hesitate and get in touch for more details.

For now:

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The last month of the year and our Sustainability Statement is now available. Also our latest newsletter is out, check it here and you can sign up for the next one by sending us an email.  We promise not to spam you as time outside is too precious! Here some photos from a recent walking adventure, up to Breast Hill above Lake Hawea, a great one day walk unless you go from hut to hut…

high above Lake Hawea

having fun going for a good walk

On the way to Breast Hill: Cameron hut

Working  as a trainer for the New Zealand Mountain Guides Assn, Gaz and his small team  flew up to Centennial hut in windy, cold South West conditions. His crew made up of 3 Fox Glacier  guides who are keen on the NZMGA Alpine Trekking Pathway and one from Invercargill/Queenstown  keen on becoming a NZMGA ski guide. There is an excellent amount of snow cover on the glaciers and lots of good guide techniques taught to the students . After a couple of days in that location they then re-located  to Pioneer hut and finished the 6 day mountaineering instruction course at Chancellor hut from where they flew back down to Fox. A good week in the Southern Alps to improve technical skills and knowledge.

Need a mountain guide during December/January?

Due to a cancellation, Gaz is  available  for personalized mountain guiding or offer you a great mountaineering  instruction course…

Guided walks in the Wanaka area and Mt Aspiring National Park.  There are Rob Roy Glacier Cirque, Glacier Burn taking the Eastern branch of the Matukituki, Diamond lake loop track for those with only a small half day to spare: great views of Mt Aspiring, the river and Lake Wanaka. Even if you only have a couple of hours, they are so worth while checking out the best view points and eco tours in our Wanaka paradise…. call Iris for suggestions

Life is too short , let's get out and play

Manuka, one of the fine smelling native plants of NZ

The purple Bladderwort is found along the lake edge in Wanaka

Native plant of NZ, Matagouri or Wild Irishman

Come on a guided trekking trip, hiking or guided walk  with us and you can see right now :

Panakenake and orchid flowers are appearing, ground covering daisies and the amazing vegetable sheep; dark, like wine colored pittosporum flowers have come and gone, also the fragrant Matagari or Wild Irishmen with the amazing thorns shows flowering buds.

We have another announcement with regard to our sustainable  business practices: the statement or policy is now available through our website from the home page at the very bottom or from the ‘about us‘ page. This sustainability statement is a growing document, thanks for your patience.

Glorious forest walk: Glacier Burn track

Mt Avalanche and avalanche glacier

Avalanche Glacier seen from Glacier Burn track

From Wanaka, drive about an hour up the Matukituki valley, cross the first ford, then walk across the first swing bridge and along the valley floor up the Eastern branch. Pass the old homestead, then up the Glacier Burn. Another great day out in Mt Aspiring National Park and spring time is fabulous to watch these healthy farm animals with their young all along the valley. The forest is rich and beautiful, here some more photos

Supposedly a 'false beech', this one just magic

delicious water and delightful mosses

Kio kio, Blechnum capense, part of the edible native plants

Typical NZ Spring storms are coming through and just last week we had fresh snow all around the mountains near Wanaka.  October ended with our ski touring team coming out of Tasman Saddle hut, a successful Copeland pass alpine trekking traverse and a Mount Cook climb that could not eventuate because of the full on weather and avalanche dangers. IFMGA mountain guide Sean Brooks with mountaineer Rob had an interesting time at Plateau hut with the wind keeping them awake during the nights spent up there. Chief mountain guide Gary Dickson sat out the storm with VIP team Phil, Bill, John and Geoff and they managed a good number of excellent ski turns in the surrounding areas for the next couple of days, finishing with a splendid ski down the Tasman Glacier. However, they witnessed lots of avalanche activity too. NZMGA mountain guide Pete James with Darrin were also in the area, waiting in Mt Cook village for the weather to clear enough. After they saw the Chamoix bar windows blown out and the storm finally calming down, they were able to cross the Main Divide and here some photos (all by Pete James) telling more:

Climbing up towards Copeland Shelter

The shelter and Copeland pass behind it

Darrin on the Copeland Pass, Mt Cook Nat. Park