Alpinism and Ski mountaineering adventures

Posted on October 3, 2012 by alpinism

September on Fox glacier

Guestbook entries late winter and spring 2012. Ski touring visitors from Australia who spent time on the Fox glacier-Pioneer hut. They were keen to improve their skills for further alpinism and ski activities and mountain adventures around the globe. It was a great pleasure!

“Thank you for a really wonderful trip. Gary, your experience in mountain guiding showed us a lot of wonderful scenes of NZ and taught us a lot of mountaineering skills. We must also thank you for your hospitality in hosting us at your wonderful house. Peter Huang”

“We had a wonderful time during the week that we spent with you. Being our first trip (in ski touring) we learnt a lot of new skills, all of which we will put to good use back in Australia and beyond. Hopefully we will meet again soon after we have spent more time on the slopes learning how to ski! Iris thank you for your hospitality and especially the lamb roast (the) last night.Your friendliness and warmth really makes up for Gary’s sarcasm which we had to endure during the time that we were away! John Cheng” and from Hideko: “we hope to come back one day (soon!) as better skiers”

We think they might have the bug for ski touring and will be back for more, some pictures here

Safety for Alpinism Adventures

Posted on August 16, 2012 by alpinism

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!

Mountaineering instruction course

Posted on August 16, 2012 by alpinism

Ibex sculpture in front of Cabane d'Orny

Mid August here in Switzerland for us and Gary is on a two week mountaineering instruction course with visitor Sonia from Australia. They started with climbing near the Orny hut, a fantastic base for learning alpine tricks and skills. The area provides excellent alpine terrain with outstanding views, be it for rock climbing or glacier travel. While Sonia is getting top quality technical mountaineering instruction with Gaz, Iris continues to roam the splendid Lapiaz (lime stone formations) above Leysin and enjoying rock climbing missions. The alpine flora is still providing plenty of beautiful colours and summer weather has been fantastic for the last few weeks.

Rock climbing near Orny hut

Alpinism adventures in Switzerland

The lake next to Orny hut and courageous alpinists

Ski Touring – a dream alpinism adventure

Posted on July 23, 2012 by alpinism

Getting ready to head out ski touring

The moment has come to put on the skins

The fun run down after the uphill adventure

The present visit in Europe has allowed the team to realize a personal ski touring adventure, back in May. This alpinism activity is on for the next few months in New Zealand again and for those of you interested to get a taster, we do have a scheduled trip. Continue reading →

Mountain Guiding and Alpinism Adventures

Posted on July 20, 2012 by alpinism

Coming back from rock climbing last Thursday, we were shocked to learn that one of the Mont Blanc avalanche victims was a local mountain guide colleague from Leysin. Roger Payne, highly respected in the international mountain guiding industry – we are deeply saddened about this loss.

Here he is in Tignes/Val d’Isère during the meeting in May – Roger, you’ll be missed!

Roger and Gary at the meeting

Roger socializing with other guides

Mountain Guides qualification

Alpinism Adventures in Europe

Posted on July 10, 2012 by alpinism

Ibex in the Swiss Alps

End of June in the European Alps saw Andrew from Wanaka, with Gaz, our chief mountain guide, head off to higher altitudes. Firstly, they traversed the Weissmies, a 4023 m peak in Switzerland with just all right conditions. For their second goal, the Nadelhorn, the weather improved and blue skies were part of this alpine climbing adventure. This peak of 4327 m can be reached from the Mischabelhut and a reasonably good fitness level is required. Strong high winds and more rain approaching brought the team back to Leysin, to finish the week with the local via ferrata of Les Plans, a short but quite demanding adventure in itself. Continue reading →

Ski Touring in New Zealand’s Southern Alps

Posted on June 20, 2012 by alpinism

Bernese Oberland ski touring fun in May 2012

As Winter is starting back home in Wanaka, we are just about having the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere. Expecting our first Kiwi guest Andrew for another Euro summer alpinism adventure but already planning the ski touring and back country snowboard fun late winter and spring downunder. Alpinism & Ski will pick up activities in NZ again with a private ski touring trip: a keen team of three Ozie blokes will head off on 10th Sept.

For individuals keen to share cost and fun: we’ve fixed the dates for our

one and only 2012 scheduled 6 day ski touring adventure:

from Sunday 14th – Friday 19th October 2012

max 4 participants, $ 2430 pp (special conditions apply)

Our next newsletter and program update by email is not too far away, if you haven’t received one yet and would like to subscribe, send an email please

Mountain huts in New Zealand

Posted on March 29, 2012 by alpinism

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 →

Alpinism adventures in the mountains of New Zealand

Posted on February 25, 2012 by alpinism

As the sun is out again, mountain guide Gaz and Michelle headed off on a climbing trip. Here at the Alpinism & Ski base, the home stay accommodation has once more extended to fly fishing lodge. Iris has gone fishing with friends, here at the Ahuriri river:

Hawkeye & Karen looking good, a magnificent alpine area in the back ground of the Ahuriri river

Preparations for alpinism in Europe have started, we look forward to once again go climbing in the Northern Alps; this time ski touring will be on the menu too. But for now, walking, tramping, trekking and hiking is part of Iris’ summer based in Wanaka: Diamond lake loop track, Rob Roy glacier cirque, even lake Alta in the Remarkables. Just lately a visit to Liverpool hut and a fabulous overnight trip in Mt Aspiring National Park. Photos on facebook, Lake Alta, Liverpool but here a selection:

Enjoying alpine wonderland in the Southern Alps

on a guided trekking excursion looking down at lake Wakatipu

Phil Melchior enjoying a day out in Mt Aspiring National Park

Phil on a day trip from Wanaka

Mountaineering with Gary Dickson, Alpinism & Ski Wanaka – NZ and Europe

Posted on January 9, 2012 by alpinism

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 Ball on the Fiescherhorn with mountain guide Gary Dickson

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

Gary Dickson Mountain Guide

Your New Zealand Mountain and Ski Guiding specialist

Tag Archives: Alpinism adventure