Tag Archives: Private Mountain Guiding

Aircraft access/egress in NZ

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What you need to know about aircraft access/egress for our guided mountain climbing and mountaineering courses here in the NZ southern alps

Heliaircraft used for mountaineering adventures

fox neve drop off

 

 

Accessing glaciated mountaineering terrain in the Southern alps requires travelling in to our National parks some distance. Most locations if done on foot would require a good weather period, 2 days travel with big packs and a substantial elevation gain all in good weather.( same to get out) Often when the party travelling in via foot access gets to the climbing location the weather is already on the turn, the party gets some hut time, finds their food is running out and then is forced to start heading out down the valley again. Hmmmm.  Yep, as a young student at university, this used to be a common scenario. I got a bit done, but not as much as I could have…..

Alpinism and Ski uses helicopters to access and egress the climbing venues ( this is actually  a very common and standard thing for NZ mountaineering). There are many helicopter bases close to  the mountain venues we go to which is ideal. Yes this is an added expense, but one which many climbers who understand kiwi weather  and logistics regularly use.

Flying in and out maximizes your precious time in the alpine zone. Last but not least, when you fly in, your legs are fresh for your climbing, mountaineering and ski touring adventure and so is the food.

Knowing and understanding Kiwi weather is cruicial for trip planning and  working in with the helicopter companies. This is where my 30 years of exerience and my solid understanding of local weather patterns comes in.

Our guided mountaineering and ski touring parties wait for good weather in the mountains to arrive and then quickly, efficiently and painlessly fly in. If the weather is bad for flying in, time is spent rock climbing/scrambling, revising rope skills and/or relaxing at the Alpinism and Ski base.

Aircraft cost for alpinism adventures in NZ

Your New Zealand mountaineering and ski touring adventures with Alpinism and Ski Wanaka do not include the price of flights in or out of the mountains. Why….?

Trips in NZ are driven by the weather and conditions options, sometimes you end up going into your first objective,  often you end up going somewhere different that first thought.

Prices of flights vary depending on the area flown in to (e.g. Mt Cook-Aoraki National park or Westland National park) as well as aircraft used. The rules and regulations governing these areas vary too. I am more than happy to explain it and  give estimates on application to help you with budgeting. You pay directly to the aircraft company involved. there is no fee taken by us for that part of the trip.

We leave the flying to the expert aviation companies. We have an excellent working relationship with them and they and us do our best to get the most efficient and economical flight deals for your New Zealand alpinism adventures.

Pure Alpinism, mountaineering adventures in NZ

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Alpinism & Ski Wanaka

change of colors, change of season

Summer climbing trips in NZ are gone again until later in the year but autumn mountaineering adventures can be stunning too. Mountain guide Gaz has just returned from an NZMGA course for future guides and has now put his mountaineering gear in the shed for a break. He’ll work on his aerial photography missions with his drone, the hexacopter. Summer in Europe is not too far away and the Icelandic mountain guides have requested the chief’s presence for more expert training.

The Alpinism & Ski team have had the opportunity to visit the Albert Burn chalet recently, a beautiful area, great views of Mt Aspiring and we had some pesky Keas around too, making sure we did not sleep in. A most interesting alpine flora session we had too, a separate album coming up. Here a few pictures of the latest Pure Alpinism 7 day trip, to Westland National Park with Charles Day from Australia:

Private mountain guiding in New Zealand

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Guided mountaineering inNZ

Simon enjoying the climb

2014 ended with Gary taking Simon  from the UK on for a guided climb of Mt Cook. Simon and his wife Jacki had planned eight days based at the Alpinism & Ski studio with the plan for Gary and him to ultimately go for the ascent our New Zealand’s highest peak.

A training ‘exercise’ was a day out on the Remarkables for the classic and beautiful alpine traverse of Single and Double Cones. Stunning views, great rock formation, excellent climbing and just simply an awesome day out.

The team had some ‘weather issues’, and we all enjoyed a wine tour in the area too. But they finally were able to fly to Plateau hut and stood on the summit of Aoraki -Mt Cook (on his shoulder only of course:-) just a day before Christmas. Meanwhile at the base in Wanaka, preparations were going on for a xmas roast and welcome back for the blokes as well as some packing up and we saw our wonderful visitors off on further travels towards the Westcoast.

Mountain guide Gaz’ report on returning was that this had been the most complicated route finding through the Linda glacier he’d ever done. Our Private Mountain Guiding in New Zealand trips in the future will not likely include Mt Cook-Aoraki any more, as it is increasingly hard to climb and guides willing to do it not many around! Some more photos of this last Cook climb:

Private Mountaineering Instruction course, New Zealand

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guided climb of Mt Aspiring

Andy and Dave, behind them Mt Aspiring – Tititea

A testimonial :

Gary, our wives and children thank you for safely delivering home their two Aussie husbands (mid-40’s) from a recent 6day mountaineering instructional course in New Zealand’s Mt Aspiring National Park. We arrived with a good level of physical fitness and a healthy dose of trepidation given we had no real mountaineering experience between us. Gaz, reviewed our clothing before distributing necessary climbing gear and food and then we headed into the mountains via helicopter. Gary’s professionalism quickly became apparent as he tailored a logical instruction framework with constant risk assessment whilst providing respectful critique of our efforts throughout. We gained exposure to crampon travel over rock, ice and snow; an array of safety knots as well as both short rope and glacial travel roping techniques. Gary’s ‘keep it simple’ philosophy helped us grow in confidence as we trained in anticipation of a summit opportunity during our stay at Colin Todd Hut only to be dealt a poor hand by the weather gods. Not to worry, our hut day was filled with indoor classes in map reading, glacial navigation, weather forecasting and prussiking.  Our instruction also covered off on anchoring, self-arrest and crevasse rescue techniques all of which enhanced our comfort levels and our skills. The hike out required a solid effort so be warned. An awesome experience, an extremely experienced guide and leader, a magnificent amphitheater in which to learn new skills and be at one with nature in New Zealand’s majestic Southern Alps. Highly recommended, we’ll be back!

 

Andrew & Dave (Dec 2014, Sydney, Australia)

Thanks Andrew and Dave, we look forward to welcome you back for some more Pure Alpinism fun!

Happy New Year to you and yours

Guided Climbing in New Zealand – Alpinism & Ski Wanaka

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The peak season of mountaineering adventures in the Southern Alps has started with this last month of the year. Guided climbing adventures with us begin most often right here in Wanaka, including ascents of Mt Aspiring, Mt Tasman and of course the highest, Mt Cook – Aoraki.

Also mountaineering courses and Gary has just spent a 7 day trip with three Australians, based at Pioneer hut for the best weather days, learning, refreshing and improving alpine climbing skills, enjoying the alpine ambiance and taking in the wilderness aspect of the Southern Alps:

Mic and Monty have both been on Alpinism adventures here with us before and it was a pleasure to introduce Mic’s son Pat to the fun and excitement of alpine climbing.

Mountaineering in New Zealand – Pure Alpinism

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Ropework and knots, part of alpinism skills

refreshing some technical mountaineering skills at Pioneer hut – the loo is vertical in reality:)

February’s mountaineering highlight for us was Mark’s Pure Alpinism week in the Southern Alps of NZ. The team was able to fly up to Pioneer hut as planned on a Monday morning and the weather turned out to be much better than expected during the six days. Only another couple of people were up there during that week. For IFMGA/NZMGA Mountain Guide Gary Dickson and Mark it was the third mountaineering trip together in New Zealand and he promised it won’t be the last.

 

 

Private mountain guiding

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Late November, local woman Jackie went off with Alpinism and Ski Mountain Guide Callum into the Aspiring climbing region for a private mountain guiding adventure. They got in and did a warm up climb of Rolling Pin, before the next day making an attempt to climb Mt Aspiring. In was an extremely windy and cold day and wisely they turned back at an appropriate spot on the NW ridge around 2/3 the way up the mountain. As a testament to Jackies fitness and preparation, the next day they walked all the way out to the Raspberry creek carpark and a well earned shower and feed in Wanaka. A great experience was had by Jackie. Mt Aspiring summit will always be there for a less windy day.  Nice work team 🙂

Part of private mountain guiding adventures - walking out thru the sub alpine

Jackie climbing on the biggest mountain on her back doorstep

Mountain guide Callum and Jackie - the climbing team for a crack at some private mountain guiding in their back yard - Mt Aspiring

Alpinism Adventures in Europe

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alpine fauna while mountaineering

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 →

Private Mountain Guiding – Alpinism at its best

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Mountain Guiding - Alpinism

Private mountain guiding adventures

Swiss Alps private mountain guiding

Alpinism on a private mountain guiding trip

Climbing Dent Blanche

Climbing Dent Blanche - private mountain guiding

As summer in New Zealand is disappearing, our minds are turning to the mountain guiding season in Europe where we’ll be based again until end of August. This year, given that Gary is president of NZMGA at the moment, he’ll be representing his favorite country at the international mountain guides festival in France during the first week of May. Iris & Gaz look forward to their personal ski touring while there too. However, before the departure in six weeks, we have some more Alpinism in New Zealand on the program.