Risk Disclosure
Alpine Recreation requires every person who participates in one of the company's trips to acknowledge the inherent risks in the activity being undertaken. Because you will be entering a natural environment, where there are many uncontrolled hazards ranging from weather to avalanches, there is no guarantee that Alpine Recreation can entirely eliminate all risks resulting from your exposure to those hazards. Guides will use a high degree of skill to mitigate, minimise and avoid those risks, to ensure the safety and welfare of participants. Alpine Recreation Canterbury Ltd. will not accept liability for loss, injury or damage sustained by a participant or his/her dependents in circumstances where the likelihood or occurence AND the consequences of a natural hazard or other event was difficult to predict, or avoid by the exercise of reasonable care. Alpine Recreation reserves the right to withdraw any person who in their opinion is likely to endanger themselves or others. This exclusion includes the overuse of alcohol and/or recreational drugs.
Agreement
In this agreement we explain the risk that results from the exposure to multiple natural and man-made hazards during mountaineering, trekking, ski touring and split-boarding. It is important to understand that a hazard only becomes a risk to you once you are exposed to it. Each hazard has a different probability to occur while you are exposed to it and the consequences to you are very different depending on the hazard. It is the guides job to clearly explain to you WHEN you are exposed to a hazard, WHAT the consequences might be so you have a good understanding HOW vulnerable you are AFTER we have applied all mitigation and minimisation measures. We have listed the most common HAZARDS for you in the list below and illustrated some risk associated with them.
While the staff and management of Alpine Recreation will take all practicable steps to identify and minimize your exposure, as well as mitigate your vulnerability to potential hazards, I acknowledge that I must follow the instructions of the guide and use the safety equipment, when instructed at all times. If I am responsible for a person under the age of 18, I must ensure that the underage person follows the Guides' instructions at all times. I release and indemnify Alpine Recreation and staff against any liability they incur to anyone else, resulting from my failure to follow Alpine Recreation's instructions or rules, or the failure of any underage person accompanying me to follow the Guides' instructions.
I also recognise that Alpine Recreation reserves the right to cancel, modify, or curtail any trip, if my safety or that of any other person becomes a concern. Safety becomes a concern when the guide or management has reason to believe that the exposure to a hazard may result in physical or mental harm to you. Alpine Recreation Guides are trained to use specific tools to help them assess hazards and estimate the consequences to you or other people in the group. I acknowledge that the actual risk I am getting exposed to can only be estimated and therefore safety can NEVER be guaranteed 100%.
I am aware that mountaineering, ski touring, split-boarding or trekking while on an Alpine Recreation trip will expose me to multiple hazards resulting in a residual risk despite all mitigation measures implemented by the guide and management. Some of the HAZARDS include, but are not limited to:
- HAZARD: Mountain Terrain - mountainous areas with steep slopes in their natural state have many obstacles and extreme hazards, may not have been climbed or skied before, are not regularly patrolled or examined and where climbers or skiers may become lost or separated from the Guide or the Guiding Staff or other climbers or skiers and where communication may be difficult and rescue and medical treatment may not be available.
UNDERSTAND YOUR RISK: Make sure you understand and question the mitigation measures you guide uses. E.g. the use of a rope to protect against severe consequences from a fall in steep terrain - OR the use of a helmet to protect you from rockfall injury. Also be aware that a guide cannot help you or influence the risk you take if you behave recklessly, e.g. skiing too fast or out of control on a steep slope.
- HAZARD: Avalanches - which may frequently occur in mountainous terrain and may be caused by natural forces including steepness of the slopes, snow depth, instability of the snow pack or glaciers, by changing weather conditions or by climbers or skiers, helicopter or failure for any reason of the Guide or the Guiding Staff to predict when or where avalanches may occur.
UNDERSTAND YOUR RISK: guides can only estimate the likelihood of triggering an avalanche, so respect very conservative decision making!
- HAZARD: Weather - weather conditions may be extreme and change rapidly without warning.
UNDERSTAND YOUR RISK: Guides will ask you to carry extra gear to safeguard against unexpected changes in the weather - please respect those decisions.
- HAZARD: Vehicle, Aeroplane or Helicopter Travel - additional risks are posed by road travel and by flying in mountainous areas and in variable weather conditions.
UNDERSTAND YOUR RISK: Often a third party is involved in transport - in particular aircraft mountain access. This adds the potential of conflicting messages from guide and transport provider/pilot. Make sure to be clear on who is in charge!
- HAZARD: Conduct of the Guide - the conduct of the Guide and/or the Guiding Staff and the conduct of other climbers or skiers.
UNDERSTAND YOUR RISK: Guides are human and are influenced and biased, so question and try to understand their decisions while following their instructions.
I willingly accept all the risks of mountaineering/ski touring/trekking including without limitation the risks described above and the possibility of personal injury, death, property damage or loss resulting therefrom for any reason. I acknowledge that the enjoyment and excitement of being in the mountains is derived in part from climbing, trekking or skiing on steep terrain and that the inherent risks of adventuring in this environment contribute to such enjoyment and excitement.
I accept that all Alpine Recreation's liability for loss of or damage to my property, disruption to travel plans, or mental injury is excluded. This exclusion is subject to any rights or remedies a customer has under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, or any other New Zealand law.
By accepting this Risk Disclosure, I confirm that I am of the Age of Majority and that I have read and understood this Agreement and agree that this Agreement will be binding upon my heirs, next of kin, executors, administrators and successors. If under 18 years, parent or legal guardian must accept this Agreement.
I certify that the information I have provided on my enrolment form regarding Medical Condition/s or other information is correct.
WARNING: Under New Zealand law it is extremely unlikely that you will be able to sue anyone if you are injured. New Zealand's Accident Compensation scheme provides limited assistance for injury. Visitors to New Zealand are strongly recommended to have full insurance covering injury, illness and cancellation.
