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By alpinism, June 10, 2013 7:32 pm

Ski touring from Murcheson hut, see the rock avalanche on the left

As we are packing up for a couple of months of summer mountaineering in Europe, ski touring and back country snow boarding adventurers in the Southern Alps are getting ready for the 2013 season and most likely some hardy souls are at it already.

Ourselves will be ready for it, Ski Touring in New Zealand that is, from 10th September onwards. However, if you want our help before then for putting together your dream trip in the Southern Alps, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Fixing dates is always a good start.

More photos of this particular ski touring adventure :

Ski touring : upon arrival, some snow shoveling to get into the hut

ski touring in the Southern Alps

Fantastic views over the Southern Alps on NZ while on a ski tour lunch break

Team players: Geoff, John, Phil and Bill & mountain guide Gary Dickson

Sking back down to Murcheson hut

escaping the avalanche, no, but lucky they did not have to

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By alpinism, May 26, 2013 2:23 pm

Fresh snow is visible on Treble Cone – good for the winter vibes of everybody looking forward to play in the snow coming winter. Autumn leaves are still being blown around and chief mountain guide Gaz today is going zen with his chain saw.

The Avalanche Course in NZ price for Sept/Oct. 2013 has been set and here are the details:

• 3 field days visiting the back country areas near Wanaka
• theory sessions include: mountain weather, snow physics and pack assessment, hazard evaluation and forecasting as well as avalanche search and rescue techniques and equipment
• based at the luxury hut /humble lodge of Alpinism and Ski in Wanaka, enjoy a sauna after a day of instruction out in the back country
• Price one person NZ $ 2960, two or more $ 1625 per person

Included in the price are guide fee, accommodation for 2 nights incl. dinner, lunch and breakfast, local transport and a one day back country lift pass at TC. More here or email us for more details

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By alpinism, March 11, 2013 10:27 am

Mt Avalanche Glacier

This autumn, guided trekking to Rob Roy Glacier cirque will end 1st of April as the bridge is going to be closed for replacement. How about trying out the guided trek up the Eastern branch of the Matukituki valley instead? Glacier Burn and views of Avalanche glacier might be just the right alternative.

Summer continues to spoil us with perfect weather. A few good weeks for mountaineering in the Southern Alps are still available.

Planning a visit to Wanaka?  our Alpinism studio is there for your independent holiday, be it over Easter, during the Festival of Colour or the Autumn Art School.

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By alpinism, February 13, 2013 2:51 pm

Gaz expanding from mountain guiding to helicopter missions

As summer is racing along, mountain guide Gary Dickson is presently on a guided Pure Alpinism week with Mark from Christchurch. They managed to fly as planned up to Pioneer hut on Monday, aiming to climb peaks such as Lendenfeld and Haidinger.

The native and not so native plants continue to display their beauty with new flowers popping out somewhere every day, at the moment, the ground covering, creeping vegetable sheep, raoulia, coprosma and celmisia show off their minuscule splendor and edible berries are not far away.

At the Alpinism & Ski base in Wanaka, when no guided mountaineering or trekking trips are on, sustainability projects continue. The latest project, to insulate the last part of the walls, has just been completed with an awesome rock wall by top handyman Gaz:

Sustainability projects continue to happen

harmony and sustainability = related?

You wonder where the chief’s helicopters come in? watch this space but expansion of the business into flying is happening and the first pictures have been taken from the air for an estate which is for sale, interested? check this out:

Mt Aspiring in the back – mountain guiding and flying are related too

should you be keen on a top quality home in Wanaka just click through to this link . But, back to Alpinism adventures: inquiries and bookings are welcome anytime, for guided trekking excursions, mountaineering courses and guided ascents in New Zealand and soon again in the Swiss, French and Italian Alps.

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By alpinism, December 28, 2012 11:45 am

Wanaka, base for Alpinism Adventures

Christmas day, once again Gary Dickson the chief guide aka Gaz got called out on a SAR mission. Iris prepared for a guided trekking excursion to Mueller hut in Mt Cook National Park and enjoyed an otherwise perfect day in beautiful Wanaka. A couple of years ago the Search and Rescue team in Wanaka was being filmed and presently on TV NZ the eight episodes are being shown. If you are interested, here the links:

• episode 8
• episode 7
• episode 6
• episode 5
• episode 4
• episode 3
• episode 2
• episode 1

Alpinism adventures are on our program this summer, from guided trekking, to mountaineering courses and ascents, the Southern Alps offer fantastic opportunities and Wanaka is the most fantastic base to start from.

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By alpinism, December 20, 2012 12:48 pm

Wanaka is just stunning as we near Christmas – find our greetings and latest news here at the bottom of the page. Mountaineering conditions are fantastic at the moment and guided trekking excursions are on the menu as well. Iris will soon be heading to Mt Cook National Park for an overnight trip to Mueller hut and is looking forward to revisit this magic spot with guests from Finland. The Total Alpinism course from 6-12 Jan. has still two spots available for keen and fit climbers. The holiday studio at the Alpinism & Ski base is busy for the coming week but available from January onwards for visitors to our awesome paradise.

The chief guide Gaz has again been on TV with episode four of the Search and Rescue series check it out here

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By alpinism, December 11, 2012 9:19 pm

A splendid day in Wanaka, while Gary had a successful ascent with Peter Laurenson who just recently turned fifty. To climb the highest mountain of New Zealand has been on the dream list for our visiting mountaineer from the North Island for some time.  Looking forward to show some pics soon of this latest success climb but here in the meanwhile an album of a guided climb of Mt Cook, an adventure for a couple of Wanaka locals who decided to climb Mt Cook with a mountain guide and teamed up with NZMGA/IFMGA guides Sean Brooks and Gary Dickson.

Meanwhile, Gordy, Katrin and Iris enjoyed a fine round trip over local Mt Roy:

Enjoying Lake Wanaka views while on a hike

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By alpinism, December 1, 2012 10:30 am

Wanaka LandSAR team in training

Here are the links (11.12.2012)

Episode one 26th Nov

Episode two 3.Dec

Episode three in Fiordland

If  you are interested in what Gary and the Local Wanaka Land search and rescue people do, then tune into NZ TV channel One 8pm  on a Monday night  for eight episodes of reality TV of “high country rescue” ( the first episode was Monday 26th November and seems to have been well received by those we have talked to and those that have sent messages about it)

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By alpinism, October 31, 2012 3:05 pm

Spring in Wanaka and it is beautiful watching the various native flowers emerge, from Patotara to Kowhai, now the delicate looking New Zealand Iris and dark red delicious Pittostorum are appearing. Ski touring season has come and gone, guided trekking to Rob Roy glacier cirque started and our mountaineering season is shaping up.

For any interested mountaineers, we have a Technical Mountaineering Course from 6-12th Jan. 2013 with 3 spots left. An alpine climbing instruction course with top New Zealand instructor Gary Dickson in person.

Black Swan family, Matukituki valley Wanaka

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By alpinism, August 16, 2012 9:20 pm

The Southern Alps are a fabulous play ground and Wanaka is a great base to start from, be it ski touring, ascents or technical mountaineering instruction courses, not to forget the amazing trekking excursions. For all of these alpinism adventures, it is a good thing to be well prepared, either on your own or with a mountain guide.

The New Zealand Department of Conservation has stopped the intention system this year and sent us following which we want to pass on to all alpinism adventurers: they (DoC) are

encouraging people to use  the New Zealand Outdoors Intentions process on the AdventureSmart website; www.adventuresmart.org.nz  which is endorsed by New Zealand’s search and rescue agencies and provides three simple options to tell someone they trust the details about their trip. The main message is: before you go outdoors, tell someone your plans.

Many mountaineers, climbers, trampers and ski touring or other Alpinism addicts are keen to have an emergency plan in place and here some suggestions for getting insurance cover for these alpinism activities:

• The New Zealand Alpine Club insurance always very helpful, the Alpinism & Ski team use it for Europe
• Australian insurance possibility, being used by our latest guest in Switzerland
• European options to be covered for alpinism: REGA in Switzerland, we strongly support this rescue system, Austrian Alpine Club has been and is used by some of our alpinism guests
• Another global option
  

If you know of another worthy insurance option to be covered for our favorite activities, get in touch so that we can spread the word.

For now, stay safe and keep having fun!