High Alpine Skills Courses - October 2019 - January 2020 - NZ Alpine Club
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High Alpine Skills Courses
Credit: Paul Rogers
October 2019 – January 2020
NZAC – High Alpine Skills Course Info 1
Credit: Paul Rogers
NZAC High Alpine Skills Courses 2019-2020
Where: Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park
When: 25–30 October
5–10 November
12-17 November
19-24 November
25-30 November
10-15 December
7-12 January
14-19 January
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ONLINE
Who is this course for?
The High Alpine Skills Course (HASC) is a six-day course designed for those who already
have some alpine climbing experience in New Zealand, and have familiarity with lead
climbing on rock or indoors. Ideally, they will have taken part in a Snowcraft Course with
the NZAC or similar organisation. Participants will have embedded their knowledge with
further climbing in New Zealand on snow covered peaks.
The ability to carry a heavy pack for several days at a time is mandatory and all those
who register for the course must have a suitable level of fitness. Weather Permitting
you will spend up to 6 day in the mountains. The skills covered and duration of time
on the mountain are dependent on conditions.
NZAC – High Alpine Skills Course Info 2
At a MINIMUM, those wishing to register for the HASC must be capable of:
• Fitting and adjusting crampons quickly and correctly
• Putting on a harness quickly and correctly
• Tying the rope into a harness with a recognised knot quickly and correctly
• Lead climbing on easy bolted climbs either indoor or outdoor.
• Belaying a lead climber safely and effectively
• A good understanding of abseiling
• Able to tie the following knots: figure 8, bowline, prussik, clove hitch, Italian
hitch, tape knot, alpine butterfly
• Coil a rope quickly
• Confident with the use of an ice axe and crampons, including self-arresting
and basic step cutting
• Carrying a heavy pack (15-20kg) for several days at a time.
On the HASC, participants will learn the following: (dependent on weather
conditions and participants desired learning outcomes)
• Snow skills-correct use of crampons and ice-axe
• Glacier travel and crevasse rescue
• Pitched climbing on rock and snow
• Soft snow anchors
• Rock anchors
• Route assessment
• Avalanche evaluation
• Alpine bivvying/ camping
• Basic weather assessment
• Basic navigation
Instruction
Credit: Tom Hoyle
The course will be run with up to 8 students in a maximum 1:4 guide to student ratio,
headed by a fully qualified IFMGA or NZMGA Climbing Guide. All participants must agree
to follow the guide’s instructions and directions.NZAC – High Alpine Skills Course Info 3 Course Fees The course fees are $1890. Payment of a $400 non-refundable deposit on acceptance secures you a place on the course. The remaining $1490 is due on September 30th, 2019. No refunds will be available should you cancel within 60 days of the course start. Any refunds are at the discretion of the NZAC National Office and will depend on whether a replacement can be found. The course fee includes accommodation at Unwin Lodge the night before the course start date and flights to and from the course location. It is important to note that once on the course if you decide to leave the course early for personal reasons the cost of an individual early flight out is not included in the course fees and you will be responsible for the cost of the helicopter flight out. No refunds are due for courses voluntarily reduced in length. If weather and/or conditions require the course objectives/itinerary/length to be modified no refund is due. Some course costs may be returned if they have not been incurred. No refunds are due for leaving the trip for medical or fitness reasons. Exceptional circumstances may be considered and are at the discretion of the NZAC. Course Location Based at the NZAC Unwin Lodge in the Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park. The course will be split between DOC hut nights and bivvying depending on weather and terrain conditions. Hut fees are included in the course cost. The course will generally be run out of Kelman Hut, Tasman Saddle hut, or Grand Plateau hut. Which hut will depend on hut occupancy as there may be other groups using the huts. In the case of severe weather, the guides may choose to fly in late or out early and move the course to an alternative location to continue instruction. The course location has moved to Tai Poutini National Park due to conditions in the past, and so was accessed from Fox Glacier. Please be aware that this may happen and addition travel time prior to your course starting may be incurred. You Guide will be in touch with you regarding this prior to the course starting to discuss any changes.
NZAC – High Alpine Skills Course Info 4 Insurance We encourage you to consider insurance options as part of your preparation for participating on NZAC Instruction courses. NZAC offers some insurance options for both New Zealand and Australian residents linked here. For NZ residents we strongly recommend taking out our loss of deposits insurance, to cover you once the full course payment has been made to the lead up of the course start date. Alternatively, Travel insurance is available to Australia section members travelling to climb in New Zealand and is recommended for the HASC course. Emergency Situations and Risk Disclosure: The course instructor will have Emergency Management Procedures in place and a Satellite phone to immediately contact rescue services in the case of an accident or emergency. It is encouraged to take your own personal locator beacon if you own one. The natural environment and climbing activities can involve risks. While recognising that the course organisers and instructors are doing their best to manage these risks, and agreeing to accept their direction whenever required, you must accept personal responsibility for your own actions and safety. You must also accept to follow the instructions of the Course Leader and other instructors at all times. All participants on NZAC High Alpine Skills Courses are expected to be as honest and transparent as possible about their mountaineering experience and fitness as part of their application. The course information pack provided for High Alpine Skills Course details the pre-requisites required. If a participant’s lack of fitness/ability severely affects the running of the course the participant(s) will be asked to remain at the hut or other location for certain activities. Arrangements may be made to evacuate the participant(s) at their own cost. The instructor is the final arbiter in these decisions. Gear Group gear: For purposes of organising group equipment and food, people registering for the course will be divided into pairs. Please let the organiser know when you register if you have a friend or partner you would like to be paired with. Terrain and weather conditions sometimes mean that some of the gear may not be used, but to allow for the widest range of instructional options all equipment must be brought to the course base.
NZAC – High Alpine Skills Course Info 5
A limited number of items marked with an *asterisk are available to hire from NZAC
Canterbury/Westland section, subject to availability. You will need to pre-book any hire gear
you require, please indicate on the application form if you require to hire equipment. The
available items will be at Unwin Lodge for pick up / drop off and payment can be made upon
pick up. Your NZAC section may also have these items available for hire please check your
local section webpage or with the section committee: https://alpineclub.org.nz/regions/ .
Be aware that if any essential gear is missing or inadequate at gear check on the first
day the Course Instructor may refuse your participation for safety reasons and no
refund will be given.
Equipment (per pair) list:
Item Specification #
Rope 60m dry treated lightweight single rope 1
Rock gear: Cams (#0.5 – 3) 5-6
Rock gear: Wires Assorted Sizes 6-8
Quickdraws Extendable (made from a 60cm sling) 4
Tape Sling or Cordelette 17mm tape or 6mm cord x 6m 1
V-thread (abalokov) hook Bought preferred, homemade accepted 1
Cooker Plus fuel for 5 days for 2 people 1
Pot For cooking 1
Individual gear list:
Item Specification #
Harness with adjustable leg-loops 1
Helmet rated for climbing 1
Pack alpine 55-70L (It may be possible to fly an 1
additional smaller pack 30-40L however this is
at the guides discretion. Please ensure
everything fits inside the 55-70L pack)
Bivvy bag or lightweight tent (2-person shared ok) 1
Sleeping mat foam or inflatable 1
Sleeping bag Suitable for a night bivvying 1
Locking carabiners not magnet lock. 8
Snaplink carabiners 8
Belay device ATC or similar 1
Long slings 2 x 120cm, 1 x 240cm (spectra) 3
Prussik loops (6mm) long (from foot to chest) 1
short (from belly-button to eyes) 2
Pack-leash x 60cm prussik cord (6mm x 120cm) 1
Ice Screws * 19-22cm 2NZAC – High Alpine Skills Course Info 6
Ice axe* (+ leash 50-75cm 1
optional)
Ice hammer* (+ leash 50cm approx 1
optional)
Crampons must fit boots well & have anti-ball plates 1
Mountaineering Boots Good quality, full shanked, insulated, fit 1 pair
crampons well
Snow gaiters snug, clean profile on inside of foot/leg 1 pair
Rock shoes These are compulsory however may not be 1 pair
used on all courses
Snowstake with 75cm sling attached to top 1
Headtorch plus spare batteries 1
Water bottle If you are bringing a bladder bring a back-up 1
Compass 1
Maps Barron Saddle, Plateau, Tasman Saddle 1
Transceiver 3-antennae modern 1
Shovel 1
Probe 1
Personal 1st Aid Kit Including and necessary or emergency 1
personal medication
Toiletries & Poo pot Including toilet paper 1
Walking poles Optional 1
Snow shoes Optional 1 pair
Personal Locator Beacon Optional 1
Clothing List
Again, it is important participants are sensible about how much clothing and personal
items they intend to carry in order to keep the packs at a reasonable weight. But then
again, you don’t want to be cold. An alpine-spec shell system and a down or synthetic
jacket or heavy weight fleece for bivvying is essential.
Item Specification #
Hat warm 1
Glacier glasses AS/NZS cat 3 minimum, 4 preferable and a 1
pair of backup sunglasses or ski googles
Wind defence neck gaitor; snow goggles 1
Sun defence sun-hat, face-scarf, sunscreen 1
Alpine shell jacket GoreTex or equivalent. Good Quality 1
Alpine overtrousers GoreTex or equivalent, leg zips. Good Quality 1
Gloves lightweight e.g. polypro, wool 1 pair
Gloves insulated waterproof wrist retainers & removable inners best 1 pair
Insulated Jacket Down/synthetic or extra heavy fleece 1
Jacket Fleece or softshell 1
Pants or longjohns Fleece, softshell or wool 1 pairNZAC – High Alpine Skills Course Info 7
Thermal tops Polypro or merino 1-2
Lightweight glacier shirt To keep the sun off 1
Socks, underwear, “hut” shoes Optional foot warmers 2 sets
Hut Shoes Optional 1 pair
Food
Participants will pair up and provide their own food, unless your instructor decides that
communal cooking is more appropriate, based on dietary requirements of the
participants. Flying in gives you the option to pack pre-cooked and easy to prepare
meals and fresh food. It is not recommended to solely rely on dehydrated food for
sustenance however make sure you have at least one meal suitable for preparation in
the less luxurious bivy conditions. Food can be transported in boxes within reason.
Keep in mind that food needs to be lightweight and capable of being cooked in a billy or
pot over gas. Once paired up, both persons in the pair could bring their own breakfast
and lunch material, and then each provide two or three dinners for two. Please remove
all unnecessary food packaging before getting to Unwin Lodge.
Fitness
It is crucial that all participants have suitable fitness for the course. It is unfair on other
course participants if people do not meet this requirement. As a rough gauge for fitness
you should be able to:
- Jog at a moderate pace for 5-8 kms without stopping and/or
- Hike 300 metres uphill (1,000 ft.) in less than an hour, with a 12 kg pack.
- The ability to carry a 7-10kg backpack up hill in both hot and cold conditions,
over an 8-10 hour day is vital.
Start time
Start time will be at 8am on the first day of course. The guides will do an equipment
check and briefing so please make sure that all gear is readily accessible and you are fed
and ready to go. The Helicopter will be booked for 10:30am pending weather. The
course will finish at Unwin mid-afternoon on the last day. Payment for the nights
accommodation before the course starts at Unwin Lodge is included in the course fee,
but not the final night if course participants intend to stay on. If you intend to stay at
Unwin on the night after the course finishes, please notify the hut warden.NZAC – High Alpine Skills Course Info 8
Publications:
Feedback from our guides is that it would be ideal for all participants to have read and
be familiar with the topics covered in one of the Technical Climbing Manuals available
on the NZAC website. We can supply a copy if you don’t have one already for the
discounted prices below.
Discounted rate (not including postage)
A Climbers Guide to NZ Mountaineering $18
Alpine Guides Technical Manual $21
Aspiring Guides Technical $30
Mountaineering
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ONLINE
Click here (if you are viewing online) to register, otherwise visit www.alpineclub.org.nz
Questions can be directed to:
Email: instruction@alpineclub.org.nz
Francis Charlesworth
Phone 64 3 377 7595 ext 5 Mobile 027 9000 470 Fax 64 3 377 7594
Programme Coordinator
Post PO Box 786, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
New Zealand Alpine Club
Courier Unit 6, 6 Raycroft Street, Waltham, Christchurch 8023, New ZealandYou can also read
