January has had return client Mic return with his son and his two mates, for a 7 day private alpine instruction course based out of Tasman Saddle Hut, Mt Cook National Park.
Tag Archives: Private Mountaineering Instruction
Private mountaineering instruction course
The 22/23 summer mountaineering season is upon us. Join Gary Dickson, NZ’s leading private instruction specialist for a week of custom learning, coaching and mentorship in NZ’s premier Souther Alps mountain range.
Private instruction mountaineering
Just back from the head of the Fox Glacier, Gary and Josh enjoyed 6 days of brilliant weather and conditions.
Ice climbing, glacier travel, snow and ice anchors, cramponing…. 1:1 private instruction customized….
Glorious West Coast morning
Pioneer hut – spectacular NZ mountain accommodation for a private instruction course
Crevasse rescue prussiking skills on the private instruction course
Private mountaineering instruction Switzerland
Last week, Gary , Steph and Josh had a great week refreshing skills learn’t in New Zealand and applying them to the glaciers , and rock ridges of Switzerland. 1st part of the mountaineering instruction week was in the Trient ice Plateau region based out of Cabane d Orny – a fantastic Swiss Hut with great service and great things to do from there.
Second part we headed to Cabane d Dix and climbed the Mt Blanc Du Cheilon which was in excellent condition. A spectacular view and awesome Swiss summit.
Multipitch rock climbing instruction above the Orny Glacier
High on the Summit of Mt Blanc du Cheilon
High on Mt Blanc du Cheilon. Matterhorn in the background.
Private Mountaineering Instruction
Decemeber was busy for IFMGA mountain guide Gary Dickson with him working at Mt Cook doing two 5 day private mountaineering courses. These shorter courses are ideal in length for introductory or skills update, and being not too long in the mountains, making for a pleasant amount of time for many people to be in the back country. Both trips were based out of Tasman Saddle hut, at the head of the Tasman Glacier, which was ideal in the quite changeable westerly weather conditions.
Tasman Saddle hut, your base for a private mountaineering instruction course
Alpine ski mountaineering course
In October, Gary headed into the head of the Tasman Glacier, based at Tasman Saddle hut with clients Mark and Rachel. Learing the skills of ski mountaineering in preparation for a trip May 2017 to Denali. Cold snowy weather conditions provided perfect conditions to test gear , back country skiing / ski touring techniques , learn and apply technical mountaineering skills and weather and avalanche knowledge.
Sunset from Tasman saddle hut
Canyon lands, back basins Tasman Glacier
private mountaineering instruction Switzerland
August had Mountain Guide Gary Dickson and Anand heading to the Kandersteg region of Switzerland to do some mountaineering instruction and crampon milage on the Morgen Horn, Blumlisalp mountains of the Swiss Alps.
Sunrise in the Blumlisalp region of Switzerland
Private mountaineering instruction
Late March saw Mountain guide Gary and two German lads ( who have been working on a local region vineyard ) head into Tasman Saddle for a week for a private mountaineering instruction course. Although the glacier was heavily crevassed, which is to be expected at this time of the year, conditions were especially good for learning cramponing technique and glacier travel.
Private Mountaineering Instruction course, New Zealand
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
Private mountaineering instruction and alpine climbing
Climbing up to Single Cone
A day out on the Remarkables
Still plenty of snow around
Just a few days ago: an excellent one day experience to test alpine climbing skills and fitness is the ascent of Single Cone on the Remarkables near Queenstown. Next for John will be an attempt at Mt Aspiring. More soon…