Bring on summer (& Christmas)!

Hi <<First Name>>.

Our summer season kicked off at the start of November. After having some very warm weather at the start of October we thought we were already into summer... Apparently not so! We've had some big storms over the past few weeks, bringing up to 70cms of snow to Caroline Hut on a number of occasions. On the upside, it has been filling in the crevasses nicely at higher levels :)

The year has gone fast and Christmas is already knocking at our door. We hope that the silly season brings you lots of fun times with family and friends, and a well earned holiday. Looking forward to hot summer days and BBQs on the lawn...

Have a happy Christmas and all the best for the New Year from the team at Alpine Recreation!

Olivier Bonnet on Aoraki/Mt. Cook, Oct 2011. Photo: Marty Schmidt.

Ascents: Congratulations to Liz Roberts and Julian Ballance who summited Mt. Aspiring with guides Gary Kuehn and Elke Braun-Elwert back in September. A great week ski touring in the Mt. Aspiring area with a ski descent of French Ridge (photos). Our climbing season started early with Olivier Bonnet climbing Aoraki/Mt. Cook with guide Marty Schmidt in October (photos) - well done Olivier! Congratulations also to Bryce Alexander who summited Elie de Beaumont with guide Wolfgang Maier as part of his Advanced Climbing Course (ADC) last week (photos).


Bryce Alexander on Elie de Beaumont, Nov 2011. Photo: Wolfgang Maier.

Climbing Courses: We have already run our first courses of the season. Guides Andrew Finnigan and Gary Kuehn have just had an Intermediate Climbing Course with 8 participants at Caroline Hut.


Snowshoeing Expedition to Caroline Hut, October 2011. Photo: Marty Schmidt.

Snowshoeing trips were popular during September and October with many participants visiting New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup. Guides Marty Schmidt and Elke Braun-Elwert had a fun trip up to Caroline Hut with five Frenchmen. More photos...

The Gottlieb-Erica Scholarship for Aspiring Young Alpinists 2011 has been awarded to Jennifer Fife. To celebrate the life and climbs of Erica Beuzenberg and Gottlieb Braun-Elwert, the Erica-Gottlieb Trust contributes $500 towards the alpine instruction of an aspiring young climber. This is an annual scholarship awarded through the New Zealand Alpine Club. Congratulations Jennifer and all the best for your upcoming alpine skills course!


Skiing down the Mannering Glacier, Oct 2011. Photo: Jin Ong.

What some of our guides have been up to... The start of October saw Gavin Lang and Elke Braun-Elwert (joined by Jin Ong) ski touring on the Tasman and Murchison Glaciers with an ascent of "Ice Creme" on Mt. Walter (photos). Later in the month, Elke teamed up with Marty Schmidt for a new route on the South Face of Aoraki/Mt. Cook, followed by an ascent of the newly renamed "Hillary Ridge" (photos).


Elke on "Pounamu", Aoraki/Mt. Cook, Oct 2011. Photo: Marty Schmidt.

Our core guiding team this season consists of Gary Kuehn, Wolfgang Maier and Andrew Finnigan. They'll be helped out by Ewan Paterson, Dave Crow, Marty Schmidt, Graham Jackson, Andy Cole, Gavin Lang and Elke Braun-Elwert, amongst others. Welcome back to everyone and looking forward to a good season ahead!


Tobi Deinlein on an Introductory Climbing Course, December 2010.

Climbing Courses & Guided Ascents: the summer climbing season is already looking quite full. In particular, our Intermediate Climbing Courses have been filling up fast. We also have ascents of Aoraki/Mt. Cook, Mt. Tasman, Mt. Lendenfeld and Mt. Aspiring booked over the next 2 months. Our guides are going to be busy!

Current guide availability: climbing


Hikers above Lake Tekapo on the Tekapo Trek.

Trekking: We'd like to welcome Terres D'Aventure onboard as our French agent. They're kicking off their summer season with 8 participants on the Tekapo Trek next week. If any of you are interested in a Westland Glaciers Trek this summer, please contact us, as we have 2 spaces left to fill (27 February - 3 March 2012).

Current guide availability: trekking

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