Matt roped up for glacier travel coming down the Fox Glacier

January had Gary instructing Matt from New Castle Australia the skills required for alpine climbing for NZ and global mountains (Matt having aspirations of international peaks in the future).  The course was based at Pioneer hut  at the head of the Fox Glacier. A storm in the middle of the  7 day course had very strong winds – the weather forcast was predicting 150 kmph winds at 2000m and  3000m elevations. The team and the hut weathered it well. Fresh snow made for some interesting glacier travel and use of a pre prepared navigation plan was needed for the first part of the journey from Pioneer down to Chancellor hut.

Before driving back to Wanaka, Matt enjoyed using his Alpine climbing skills on the blue ice of the lower Fox ice.