Technical Mountaineering Course

[Vern]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone has done one of the Technical Mountaineering Courses in NZ and what they thought of it?

I'm looking to do one late this year or early next year with the view of getting some mountaineering skills enough to take me up Mt Cook.

[under10kg]

I did a mountaineeing course a long time ago. After the course 3 of us got up mt Aspiring. I think to attempt Mt Cook the course would be have to be pretty advanced but others might have a better idea.

[Maelgwn]

I know some people who are capable rock climbers who have gone on courses in NZ. They found the courses covered a lot of rope skills that they already had regarding multi pitching and anchors and say hiring a guide and going with one or two others that you know would be better value for money.

They needed more practice and pointers from guides and more experienced climbers before feeling confident on any terrain that was vaguely hard.

[ninjapuppet]

Most NZ commercial courses cost around $2000-$2500. Some dont include the chopper flight down so you have to factor that in too.

I found the Best value courses were run by the NZAC which were around $1000 Aussie bucks (with our good exchange rate). We saw a few of them being run at the unwin hut in January, plus a few other courses run by the canterbury mountaineering club, also based at the Unwin hut. I think they're cheap because they're run by other club members.

Another mate did his at the Nehru institute of Mountaineering in the Indian Himalayas for 5000 rupees ($100 USD) for a whole month course. Foreigners pay a little more, but if you have a month free, it would be an awesome experience to be learning skills whilst totally immersed in the real mountains! It was like military training where you had to get up and go for a run each morning and clean the poo..., etc. http://www.nimindia.net/..

I paid over $4000 for my 2 weeks in Alaska, while pretty awesome, I still dont think was worth it. I would rather spend that extra $$$ on gear or another trip.
We met up with other mates who did different courses, compared what we learnt and found we pretty much learnt the same things.

A mate did his 1 week course for $600 in Chamonix + $2000 airfares and had much better scenery than we did .

so it all comes down to what you prefer. if you have multipitch experience, as mentioned it might be better to just hire a guide with some mates and get a tailored course done up.
My first mountain climbed after the course was aspiring with a guide and its a good mountain for someone new to the game. Last month we attempted some routes with some very experienced mates but found it was totally too gnarly for me when the ice beneath my feet started breaking away.

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I would feel that Cook also would be a real challenge for someone new to the game. Its a good goal eventually but keep in mind there are many nearby climbs better than mt cook itself. Cook is mainly famous because its the highest.
here's a good read for you if you're considering cook: http://www.chockstone.org/Forum/Forum.asp?Action=DisplayTopic&ForumID=2&MessageID=7978&Replies=8&PagePos=0&Sort=#NewPost

[Vern]

Thanks for the feedback. I've checked out those links and I'll have to look into the club courses in NZ a bit more as well I think.

Not a big following of NZAC here in NSW with the odd meeting here and there but looks like there's a group in Vic who meet regularly who are associated.

Otherwise a tailored course sounds good. I'd be a bit dissappointed if I went there just to do multi pitch climbing. Even though the scenery would be amazing!

I'd also love to go for a month in the Himalayas but it's just not practical at this stage. I'll stick to dreaming of NZ at the moment

[Nick S]

I'm so keen to do one of these course. Got a month trip to nepal this Sept/Oct. Thinking about Mera peak but still haven't done much research.

[weeman]

I've doing a TMC Course in NZ with Alpine Guides in mid March. I don't have any previous rock climbing experience so expect to learn quite a lot during the course.

Yes, the course is expensive but if it gives me the necessary skills to tackle more difficult climbs / summits then it will be worth it. I've been spending the past month purchasing all the required equipment and can't wait to get out there and learn how to use it all.

[Vern]

Well I finished the course with NZ Alpine Guides and took your advice ninja puppet and roped 3 others into doing a private instruction course which ended up being about $1000 cheaper. We covered all the TMC course skills at the same time including but not limited to crevasse rescue, snow anchors, ice climbing, crampon techniques, rope work, navigation, avalanche awareness, snow shelters, mixed climbing etc etc.

Had great weather with only two half days in the hut doing rope work. I ate like a king but woked it off easily. The scenery was brilliant. I used so much sunscreen that when I got back from the course and had to wash my face 3 times to get rid of any residue. We were a bit smelly and tired by the end but loved every minute of it. Would recommend it to anyone interested in that sort of thing.

I think I'll do some lesser peaks first to cement the learned skills before launching an attempt on Cook.

[Son of a Beach]

One of the blokes here did one of these courses in NZ a few weeks ago. The helicopter crashed.

They all survived which is very unusual for a helicopter crash (it was scooting across just above the ground trying to find the landing area in bad weather). The photos are impressive. Bits of chopper spread out over a wide area. I'm hoping he'll post the pics on the forum some time.

He still got into another helicopter the next day and did the mountaineering course afterwards.

[Wollemi]

Anyone got an opinion on keeping skills in check by top-roping at disused road-side quarries? I have previously found steep grassy banks and practised cramponing - in Penrith.
I am not concerned about the need to sharpen tools afterwards. These slopes are only 50 degrees with a layer of stony soil accumulated over them.

FWIW, I have tele-skiied into Blue Lake with 28kg pack and climbed there, as well as front-point leading out of moulins at Fox Glacier snout. NZ locals tell me they practised on Oak trees and other weed trees (hmm... some trees of age, though not native, are protected by heritage legislation).

[blacksheep]

One of the blokes here did one of these courses in NZ a few weeks ago. The helicopter crashed.

They all survived which is very unusual for a helicopter crash (it was scooting across just above the ground trying to find the landing area in bad weather). The photos are impressive. Bits of chopper spread out over a wide area. I'm hoping he'll post the pics on the forum some time.

He still got into another helicopter the next day and did the mountaineering course afterwards.

was he flying with Marty Schmidt? I was having a coffee this morning with Marty, and he told me about it...crazy!

[Son of a Beach]

Small world, eh? I don't know who he was flying with but it sounds likely. There can't be too many helicopter crash survival stories from the last few weeks.

[blacksheep]

here is an excert lifted from Marty's post on that other social media space...
"It seems to be that many others know about an accident that happen a few days ago then I told......welcome to FB. Just to let everyone know, that I am safe and sound along with my 3 clients. We were flying into the Upper Fox Glacier Neve, wanting to land near the Pioneer ridge, when the pilot started to crab right, being 10 meters above the ground level....while crabbing, he lowered his height and began picking up speed.......I yelled out at 1.2 seconds before to " Pull Up", he pulled up at -.1 second.....catching the right skid with speed, flipping us to our right, impacting the rotor blades, severing the tail rotor completely, then instantly being flipped to our left....pinning everyone inside in our seat belts. I yelled if everyone was OK, we were, then started to get everyone out of the bird to safety, JP4 was being smelled, I ended up staying inside to throw all our packs out for survival. The pilot only had a shirt on and we clothed him, he had no comms, I used my Sat Phone to call it in. Life comes to us all in seconds and can leave us in milli seconds......enjoy every moment my friends. Much love and light from the Southern Alps of New Zealand.......life is good."

[Son of a Beach]

Yep, that fit's exactly what the bloke here described about how the crash he survived (and the photos he showed me) so it must be the same one. Pretty scary stuff.

[andrewbish]

I would feel that Cook also would be a real challenge for someone new to the game. Its a good goal eventually but keep in mind there are many nearby climbs better than mt cook itself. Cook is mainly famous because its the highest.
here's a good read for you if you're considering cook: http://www.chockstone.org/Forum/Forum.asp?Action=DisplayTopic&ForumID=2&MessageID=7978&Replies=8&PagePos=0&Sort=#NewPost

Hey NP

Do you agree with the poster's opinion on the level of fitness required for Cook?

[Vern]

The chopper pilot was filling in for someone. The owner and pilot that took us up was not that happy with the other pilot that crashed but didn't seem to mind having a new chopper either.

The guide for our course was 56 but fit as and he regularly guides Cook. He gave the impression that Cook was a long day but the length of the day was more determined by your skill level.

He also mentioned that he enjoyed Mt Tasman more so than Cook and said that cook varied between level 2 and 5 depending on the conditions at the time.