Hello to all...

Ski touring is continuing here at a furious pace! With the days getting longer the first corn skiing of the season is starting to happen. Here are a few of the antics from the past month...

Snow caving - I am not sure where the idea came from but in a burst of enthusiasm the Pisa Range Backcountry Tour group of Tori Reed, Adam Smart, Karl Gebbie and Paul Cilia built this trophy igloo. A great effort by everyone even though we got the geometry slightly wonky, it fit more people standing up that it did lying down!

The weird and wacky! Inappropriately named company we saw in the Pisa! Check this video out on our YouTube channel : http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=pMa-5ua1LEw&feature=channel

Mushroom tragedies! Dying for a “particularly fine porcini”! There is just too much in this article to absorb in one reading. 18 deaths in 10 days in the Italian mountains. They should have gone climbing! A timely reminder not to “cock a snook” http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/29/italian-mountain-mushrooms-claim-lives#skiplinks

Giant snowboarder on Mount Aspiring :

We have some great terrain - here Danny Veto hits a big one in the Harris Mountains.

The New Zealand Falcon : The endangered Karearea or New Zealand Falcon is a fearless bird that will stand its ground against anyone, a trait that is the reason they are so rare. It takes little skill to kill one of these magnificent birds and the chance to see one close up almost never happens anymore. We were particularly lucky to run into this bold fellow at the Raspberry trail head last week. Not to be confused with the more common hawks, the Karearea (the Maori name) is reputedly the world’s fastest flying bird.

A KIWI IS NOT A FRUIT – for the low down on how not to offend a New Zealander and learn a little bit about an pretty cool bird read here. http://www.badassbees.com/kiwi/kiwirant.html

Wild Walks : Why not step into spring on one of our early season Wild Walks? Please get in touch for more information on these trips...

Mt Aspiring Glacier Expedition : 3 days : 26-27-28 Oct : Grade HARD

Upper Wilkin Experience : 4 days : 22-25 Nov : Grade EASY/MOD

Gillespie Pass : 4 days : 25-28 Nov : Grade MOD/HARD

Gillespie Pass - Rabbit Pass Traverse : 8 days : 13-20 Dec : Grade HARD

We look forward to catching up with you soon.

Cheers

Whit Thurlow
Chief Guide/Director
IFMGA