Backcountry Avalanche Course

NZ$ exchange rate

Included:

• IFMGA/NZMGA certified mountain and ski guide
• Department of Conservation licence fee
• Heated PRIVATE hut accommodation
• A complete BACKCOUNTRY based course (no flying costs, no lift ticket costs)
• Local accommodation for any nights required during the course
• Free transport (Tekapo - Mt. Gerald return)
• ALL meals (including snacks & energy bars) for the duration of the course
• ALL avalanche safety and technical ski touring equipment (with the exception of ski touring boots)
• Avalanche Awareness handbook covering course material

Meals and accommodation before/after the course are NOT included.

Green : Minimum reached - guaranteed departure.
Orange : Only 4 or fewer places available.
Red : No availability.

↑ Fresh turns above Rex Simpson Hut

Rex Simpson Hut

Rex Simpson Hut sits at an altitude of 1300m in the Two Thumb Range. It is located in a beautiful setting, with great views of the Southern Alps and vistas over Lake Tekapo across the Mackenzie Basin. It is a fantastic location for star gazing - the Mackenzie District is renowned for the clarity of its sky and freedom from light pollution, which is why the area was recently designated as an International Dark Sky Reserve.

Privately Owned

The Hut is privately owned by Alpine Recreation and is an ideal base for backcountry skiing with ready access to a range of slopes suitable for intermediate to advanced skiers. It is our base for the Tekapo High Country Hike in Summer and Alpine Ski Touring, Nordic Skiing, Snowshoeing and Instruction Courses during the winter.

Easy Access

No aircraft required: The hut can be reached in 3 hours' walking from the road end and is located at 1300m, in a beautiful setting, with great views of the Southern Alps and out over Lake Tekapo across the Mackenzie Basin.

Fully Equipped

The hut is equipped with firewood, gas, solar lighting, sleeping bags, bunks, pillows and mattresses, and nonperishable food. A wood-fired stove means there are good heating and drying facilities.

Facilities

The hut consists of three rooms, sleeping up to 13 participants and 2 guides in total. There are no showers, but warm water and a basin can be provided for washing or you can find a private spot somewhere along the alpine stream. The toilet is a traditional longdrop loo with a view!

→ More Rex Simpson Hut photos.

FIRST DAY

8:30am gear check at Alpine Recreation's Edelweiss Lodge, 8 Erebus Place, Lake Tekapo.

From Lake Tekapo township we drive along the lakeshore to the head of Lake Tekapo. 3 hours' hike/ski with a climb of 550m/1805t brings us to the cosy Rex Simpson Hut, at 1300m/4265ft, in the Kahui Kaupeka Conservation Park. Depending on snow levels usually you will be able to don skis and skins about half-way to the hut, but other times you may need to carry the skis until the last 800m - 1 km before the hut.

Warm-up mini ski tour and instruction.

As the hut is fully stocked we only need to carry some fresh items of food (e.g. bread, fruit, vegetables, meat) and our personal clothing and equipment

SUBSEQUENT DAYS

Day tours from Rex Simpson Hut with instruction in the field. There are plenty of slopes of varying angles and aspects to test your avalanche assessment skills and your decision-making re safe route selection.

LAST DAY

Return to Lake Tekapo, after a 3-5 hour ski tour in the morning, arriving back around 5pm.

The Backcountry Avalanche Course is the next step in the development of observation, route finding and decision making skills that are critical for winter recreation in the mountains.

The course focuses on avoiding the need for avalanche related rescue, but also dedicates time to learning the technical skills required for rescuing a companion or small party.

Instruction topics include:

• Characteristics of the avalanche phenomenon
• Snowpack factors (layers, crystal ID, basic metamorphosis)
• Observation techniques
• Human factors in decision making
• Group travel in avalanche terrain
• Small party search and rescue

This course has a formal assessment and on successful completion, a 'Certificate of Completion' will be issued.

Bad weather options: Rex Simpson Hut is spacious enough to make a good classroom if weather forces us inside. It's rare to have more than half a day of hut-confining weather in the Two Thumb Range.

Fitness

A high level of fitness is required. Participants need to carry a backpack of about 8 kg plus their skis for 3 hours to the hut (550 vertical metres). On subsequent days packs will be light, but participants will be doing the equivalent of a six-hour walk/climb each day. Previous tramping or hiking experience is essential.

Skiing ability

The Two Thumb Range is suitable for intermediate to advanced skiers. Guides will give instruction on downhill technique as needed. If you have little or no off-piste skiing experience, we recommend spending 1-2 days before the tour with our private ski instructor at one of our local ski fields (Mt. Dobson, Roundhill or Ohau).

Ski Touring experience

No previous ski touring experience is required, however you are expected to have at least an intermediate level of downhill skiing ability (safe turns in untracked snow).