Winter is fast approaching ... fresh snow, crisp mornings --- Black Peak waterfall ice is looking promising.

New team member at Aspiring Guides
We are pleased to announce that local man Marty Beare is the latest member of our guiding team. Marty has climbed and guided throughout the world, and is well known in theNew Zealand mountaineering scene. Originally from Australia, he adds further to the international flavour of the company, whose directors hail from NZ, Australia and the UK. 

 Marty has been head guide at Mount Cook, climbing instructor for several of the country’s leading outdoor centres, and an Antarctic guide for the USA’s National Science Foundation. A graduate with a Master’s degree, he has developed and taught outdoor leadership programmes both in NZ and overseas. 

His long mountaineering career includes ascents of many of the classic climbs of the Southern Alps of New Zealand, including thirteen routes on Mt Cook, eleven routes on Mt Hicks, plus climbs of the Balfour and Hidden Balfour Faces of Mt Tasman and the South Face of Douglas. He has also climbed in Alaska, including the sought-after North Buttress of Mt Hunter, the Himalaya where he came close to making the first ascent of a difficult 6,800m peak, and the Caucasus where he guided an ascent of it’s highest peak, Mt Elbrus. He hopes to add more destinations to his list by leading expeditions for Aspiring Guides’ overseas expeditions partner, Jagged Globe.

Marty is a fully qualified IFMGA international mountain guide and will shortly be leaving for the European Alps, where he will be leading clients up the mountains where the guiding profession all began. 

Waterfall ice courses:

WIC#1 June 3-4-5 - open
WIC#2 June 10-11-12 - open
WIC#3 June 17-18-19 - open
WIC#4 June 24-25-26 - FULL
WIC#5 July 1-2-3 - open
WIC#6 July 8-9-10 - open
WIC#7 July 15-1-6-17 - 1 space only
WIC#7A July 22-23-24 - open
WIC#8 July 29-30-31 - open
WIC#9 Aug 5-6-7 - 1 space only
please note there is a free 2 day weather contingency included in all courses

We have some spaces left on our Black Peak introductory ice climbing courses. These courses run every weekend in June and July for three days. The price is NZ$1050 per person and includes three days, 2 helicopter flights, most equipment, all meals, small client ratio (1:3), cosy fully contained private hut, friendly and qualified guide. 

Backcountry awareness courses :

WBA#1 Aug 18-21 - 1 space only
WBA#2 Sep 1-4 - 1 space only

This winter we are running two intensive courses. Nick Cradock will be instructing them both. Format includes 4 days based at Black Peak hut. The price is NZ$950 plus NZ$150 helicopter ride per person and includes four days, all meals, small client ratio (1:3), cosy fully contained private hut, friendly and qualified guide, course manual. 

Wanaka Mountain Film Festival : Steve Bell will be visiting Wanaka over the Queen's birthday weekend June 3-6. Aspiring Guides are supporting this event again, and we welcome you to visit us at our exhibition booth.

Please keep in touch, we'd like to know what's happening in your world. 

from the Aspiring Guides team
Your alpine Specialists
www.aspiringguides.com