5 - 6 day instruction course, 1 - 2 participants per guide.
"Above average and more than met with my expectations." J. Fisher, Australia.
"The main benefit of the trip was being with an experienced guide = big improvement in my techniques and procedures, especially rope skills. Lendenfeld was my first 3000m ascent. Learnt a lot...all good. Thanks!" G. Cunningham, Auckland, Jan. 2006.
Climber on the Main Divide
5 or 6 or more days based at Kelman, Pioneer or Centennial Hut, high on the Tasman or Franz Josef Glaciers. The aim is to consolidate and practice skills learned at introductory level. Skills focused on are snow, rock and ice belays, crampon techniques, safe route selection, glacier travel, navigation in poor visibility, weather interpretation, improvised rescue techniques. Or, you can opt for a 1:1 guide-client ratio for private guiding and climb peaks of your choice, see our ascents programme.
| Dates: | November - April by arrangement; ex Lake Tekapo. Check availability. |
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| Fitness: | A very high level of fitness is required. | ||||||||||||
| Group Size : | Maximum 2 participants per guide. | ||||||||||||
| Cost per person: |
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| Included in price: | All trips start 8am first day, finish about 5pm last day and include guide, hut accommodation, all food, surface transport Lake Tekapo - Mount Cook, crampons, ice-axe, and all other climbing equipment, National Park concession fees, 12.5% GST. Meals and accommodation before/after tour not included. For travel to West Coast venues additional vehicle costs apply. |
| Aircraft Access (Not Included): |
Cost varies according to venue, type of aircraft and occupancy. Ski Plane rates. Helicopter for 3 passengers plus packs from Fox/Franz Josef to Pioneer/Centennial Huts NZ$380. Helicopter Fox - Chancellor Hut $200. Prices subject to change. |
Ice climbing practice
Intermediate Climbing can take the form of a course with emphasis on instruction, and putting things into practice by climbing peaks; or it can take the form of private guiding where the emphasis is on climbing as many peaks as possible. The venues we choose are usually Kelman Hut, at the head of the Tasman Glacier, Pioneer Hut high on the Fox Glacier or Centennial Hut on the Franz Josef Glacier. Venue can be decided finally after closer discussion between you and the guide to determine your requirements and taking into account hut occupancy, weather and snow conditions. Professional mountain guides.
Day 1: Gear check 8.00am at Alpine Recreation office, 30 Murray Place, Lake Tekapo. Drive to Mount Cook. Fly in to hut. Usually time for an afternoon excursion. If planes not flying at Mt. Cook and not likely to by Day 2, then the best option is often to drive to Fox Glacier, where ice climbing is still possible in marginal weather, and where a short helicopter flight is often possible in a window in the weather to Pioneer or Centennial Hut. In this case a contribution of $200, shared with the other participant, will be asked for to pay for the travel from Tekapo to Fox and return (it's a 5-6 hour drive). This cost is offset by the cheaper cost of the helicopter flight from Fox.
Days 2-5: A different climb is proposed each day of peaks in the vicinity. Some possibilities from Kelman Hut: Hochstetter Dome (2820m), Mt. Green (2850m), Mt. Walter (2900m), Elie de Beaumont (3117m). From Centennial Hut: the Minarets (3048m and 3055m), De La Beche (2992m). From Pioneer Hut: Grey Peak (2882m), Douglas Peak (3085m), Mt. Haast (3138m), Mt. Haidinger (3066m), Lendenfeld Peak (3201m).
If opting for instruction: Some of the skills practised and extended are snow, rock, and ice anchors and belays, front-pointing, and other crampon techniques, safe route selection, navigation in poor visibility, weather interpretation, improvised rescue techniques, crevasse rescue, as part of glacier travel. It must be recognised that conditions may not allow all topics to be covered. If necessary, some of them can be done in the hut, regardless of conditions! In any case we ensure that instruction is complemented with plenty of practice.
Last day: We have to be prepared to walk out in the event of non-flying weather. However, to gain maximum benefit from the time available with the guide you are better to spend the last day with further instruction or a short climb, and then fly out. In any case it is recommended to also fly out, because the walk down the glacier is tedious and can take 9 hours or more. Return flights are usually cheaper.
There is no hard and fast itinerary for each day, because no two Intermediate Climbing Programmes are the same, due to the variable factors of weather and clients' abilities.
Ice climbing and crevasse extraction practice
This course will equip you to tackle technical peaks independently. It is presumed that anyone enrolling for an Intermediate Course will already be competent in using crampons and ice-axe and have some knowledge of rope skills, and will be of above average fitness. If not, then you should be considering an Introductory Course first. You may choose to do an Intermediate Course immediately following an Introductory Course, with one night in Mt Cook Village or Lake Tekapo in between (not included in price). The guide-client ratio on our Intermediate Courses is 1:2 which means that technical climbs can be attempted under close supervision. There is also a 1:1 option if you prefer not to take the risk of being matched up with someone whose ability or fitness level may be different from yours. Ideally you should bring your climbing partner with you to guarantee compatibility with the 1:2 option.
Kelman, Pioneer, Centennial Huts, the bases for our Intermediate Climbing are public huts that cannot be booked. The huts work on a first come first served basis. Climbers must carry their own sleeping bags, food, stove, fuel and cooking utensils to the huts as well as some party equipment and their personal equipment.
Alpine Recreation provides all technical mountaineering equipment. The only equipment that clients are requested to bring are their own plastic mountaineering boots. We only store a limited range of such boots. A detailed equipment list will be sent at time of booking.
We recommend to settle guiding dates well in advance since peak season times are often booked up. Please allow extra time in case you are held up in the mountains due to weather. Book now.
As our equipment check takes place at 8am on the morning of departure, you need to book accommodation in Tekapo the night before. After the tour, it is recommended to overnight in Tekapo again, or in Mount Cook. Accommodation options in Tekapo.
New Zealand's Accident Compensation scheme will provide some assistance to visitors to New Zealand who are injured, but you are strongly advised to have full travel insurance to cover such things as your cancellation if an injury prevents you taking part on the trip; and medical insurance in case you become ill. More information re Accident Compensation.