Category Archives: Wanaka

What you need to know about our fantastic Kiwi home base town on the shores of Lake Wanaka

Avalanche course in New Zealand

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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

Wanaka and Alpinism adventures with a mountain guide

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alpinism ventures

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:

Eco friendly

Sustainability projects continue to happen

Wanaka rock and sutainability

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:

Gaz' other passion: flying

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.

 

 

Wanaka for Alpinism adventures

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Lake Wanaka New Zealand

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:

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.

Specialised Mountain training and search and rescue on TV

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Alpinism and Ski does specialist mountain training for a number of organisations

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)

Wanaka, base of Alpinism adventures

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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.

Matukituki valley, Wanaka

Black Swan family, Matukituki valley Wanaka

Safety for Alpinism Adventures

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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!

 

Mountain huts in New Zealand

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your base for climbing Mt Aspiring, 3033 m

Colin Todd hut

A variety of huts, a combination of high alpine and tramping accommodation plus some amazing rock bivvies. The collection of photos so far only includes huts on the South Island. The majority of mountain huts in New Zealand do not have a hut warden and trampers and mountaineers need to carry in their own cooking gear e.g. stove, fuel, pots, plates, etc.. You can pay the hut fees to DoC – Department of Conservation – or the NZ Alpine Club. Continue reading →

Wanaka – base of Alpinism

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Colours are changing and the first frost has come and gone. In one month we’ll be sorting ourselves from our base in Switzerland to go ski touring. But the next few weeks left here bring some exciting moments with the Wanaka Easter airshow, Autumn Art School and the Epic Mountain Bike race around lake Hawea. Talking of races, our friend Simone just won the Gold Rush, she’s looking for sponsoring to pursue her racing career, so if you have what it takes to sponsor a worthy person, check her out here

 

Iris on personal Trekking, hiking, walking mission

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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.

trekking guide Iris

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

Trekking, hiking, walks – Wanaka area

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tramping huts in NZ

Cameron hut and Mount Cook lillies - giant buttercup

Guided trek to Rob Roy glacier cirque

Magnificient views on the Rob Roy glacier track

Protected mountain parrots: Keas

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!

Going up Shark's Tooth

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