learning to place ice screws on a climbing course
End of the month, two fit fellas will be arriving from Aussie to go on an intermediate-advanced climbing course with mountain guide Gaz. The NZ weather looks to have settled into a more settled state of play and alpine conditions look excellent for the 10 day specialized mountain training.
If you are looking for a climbing course we have two sceduled courses comming up:
- Intro to alpinism - 6 days 20th-25th February
- Total Alpinism – 7 days 04th-10th March
If you are an individual or a group looking to have a week of private mountaineering instruction, just get in touch and we can see if we can fit around your schedule.
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
Mountain guide Gaz, occasionally on different missions and challenges like Search and Rescue
It was an interesting start to the month of May with a weather change after days and weeks of a just gorgeous autumn. Still, between the rain storms, a team of keen mountaineers managed to fly up into the mountains of the main divide, for a 9 day instruction course. Iris with Austrian visitor Birgit had a day out up the Matukituki vallley and Rob Roy glacier cirque. Edible coprosma berries everywhere, beautiful fungi and a few keas high up having fun were part of the outing.
Nature display while on a guided trek: Purple pouch fungi, Thaxterogaster porphyreum, growing in native silver beech litter
At the Alpinism & Ski base, thoughts are slowly turning to the ‘Climbing in Europe’ season, followed by ski touring back here in New Zealand in September and October.
Wanaka still displays a beautiful palette of autumn colors and the weather has been stunning. We’ve been having fun rock climbing, mountain biking and sailing but now are getting ready for a private mountaineering instruction course in the Southern Alps. A keen team of eight blokes will be heading up into the mountains from either Mt Cook-Aoraki village or Fox Glacier with alpine mountain guides Gary Dickson and Callum Grant this coming week. This specialised training mission will include all the technical tricks of how to be and stay safe in extreme conditions and alpine terrain.
learn rope skills on a mountaineering course
visit cool terrain
Experience awesome mountain vistas and sunsets
Join our beginners mountaineering course scheduled for 20th – 25th march 2011. Learn the basic skills of mountaineering under the tuition of an Alpinism and Ski Mountain guide. If this sounds like you, send us an email, or call us to here more about it
or click to our website..
Ski touring is still the main activity this month but with summer approaching our alpine climbing instruction courses are back on the program. Keen to get out and learn / improve your skills? just get in touch.
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