Specialised, Innovative, Personalised

We believe that by attending one of our instruction courses you will shortcut the road to mountaineering proficiency and increase your safety and enjoyment factor, whilst developing the necessary skills. Each course is structured with a focus on meeting your individual objectives, whilst creating an environment that enhances group dynamics.

We are about action. We believe that you don’t gain judgment, skills and safe practices in the lecture room. Our courses take place in the mountains, where with top professional guides, you will be learning, doing and gaining the skills to become a safe and knowledgeable climber/mountaineer.

The emphasis of our instruction courses is on learning and developing the essential skills, which include:

• trip planning
• equipment considerations
• snow and ice climbing
• anchors
• belaying and rope skills
• glacier travel techniques
• alpine rock climbing
• route selection & navigation
• weather analysis and forecasting
• avalanche awareness
• camp management
• crevasse and alpine rescue
• emergency shelters

Comprehensive course notes are supplied, which will assist in your trip planning, equipment selection and purchase advice, what you can expect to be doing on a day to day basis, and much more. A reasonable standard of fitness makes any mountain experience more fulfilling.

Instruction Courses

• Mountain Skills Course
  "New Zealand's best introductory mountaineering course"
  An essential 7 day course for anyone travelling in the mountains, no matter the degree of technicality. Get to grips with a wide range of skills which will enable you to move with confidence through the mountain environment. This price includes a flights into the mountains, hut fees, New Zealand Alpine Club annual membership fee, technical equipment and course manual. These courses are based at either Centennial hut in Westland National Park, Plateau hut in Mt Cook National Park, or French Ridge hut, Mt Aspiring National Park.
• Expedition - Mt Aspiring Course
  Learn state of the art alpine climbing techniques on steeper, longer and more remote routes. Objective 3000m is an 8 day course for those who want to upgrade skills or move towards climbing a larger peak under the watchful eye of a guide. Mt Aspiring is the objective of this course.
• Steep Alpine Ice
  Learn state of the art alpine climbing techniques on steeper, longer and more remote routes. Steep Alpine Ice is an eight day course focussing on just that.
  Winter Waterfall Ice Climbing
  Learn the skills required to safely ice climb [with an experienced partner or group of 3 clients].  Stay in our heated private hut close to the ice. Fly in and out for these 3 day courses every weekend in June and July. 
• Rock Development
  From 3 day introductory courses teaching you the fundamentals to 6 day multipitch alpine rock courses. If you've always yearned to take your rock skills to new heights, here's your chance for an exhilarating rock adventure. The Twin Streams option is suitable for your first Alpine Rock experience.
• Darran Mountains rock week
  1:1 or 1:2 week based at Homer hut, Fiordland national Park.... alpine rock climbing. There's nothing more to say .... 
• Private Instruction
  You nominate the dates and duration, and we design a course syllabus around your skill base and objectives. 6, 8 & 10 days.