High Alpine Skills Course 2010 Images

The New Zealand Alpine Club ran a High Alpine Skills Course for those NZAC members’ who had already participated on a Basic Instruction Course or instructed in a trainee capacity.
The course ran for five days from February 1st – 5th,2010 and was based at Mt Cook. Instructors were qualified NZMGA Mountain Guides. The ‘chief’ guide being Ray Button.

The course covered these topics:
•    Snow skills- use of crampons and ice-axe
•    Glacier travel and crevasse rescue
•    Pitched climbing on rock and snow
•    Soft snow anchors
•    Rock anchors
•    Basic ice-screw anchors
•    Route assessment and avalanche evaluation
•    Basic navigation
•    Alpine bivvying/ camping
•    Basic weather assessment

The course was based on foot, rather than utilising helicopter or fixed wing access. It also was ‘bivvy’ based rather than ‘hut’ based. This was to keep the cost low and hopefully instil a ‘walk-in’ ethic in the participants. However, it did mean it is important participants have a good level of fitness. The cost of the course was $650. Additionally, participants had to provide their own transport, food and pay their accommodation at Unwin.