4-Day Alpine & Avalanche Course Master alpine skills—from crampons and self-rescue to route planning and avalanche response. / Public Courses / Alpine Courses / 4-Day Alpine & Avalanche Course Overview This is our most popular course for beginners looking to learn alpine skills. No prior experience is required, and we provide all the necessary gear and equipment for you to use. The 4-day Alpine & Avalanche course is an introductory program that combines our 2-day Alpine course with a 2-day Avalanche Awareness course. It takes place at our lodge in Arthur’s Pass Village. You do not need any previous skills or experience to participate in this course. Upon completion, you will have a solid foundation in winter skills, allowing you to hike or climb in the mountains safely. Course Details Course Location This course is delivered in the Craigieburn Range and/or Arthur’s Pass area. The course starts in Darfield (30 mins from Christchurch) at 7:30 am. We access the snow at Broken River or Mt Cheeseman ski fields on the first day and drive to our lodge in Arthur’s Pass at the end of each day. The exact locations for days 2-4 will be decided by the group and your instructor during the course, depending on local weather and snow conditions. The course finishes at 4 pm in Arthur’s Pass or Castle Hill village (approx 1.5-2 hours from Christchurch airport). Accommodation **All your accommodation is included in this alpine course** Arthur’s Pass This course is based out of our lodge in Arthur’s Pass Village. The lodge features bunk beds arranged across three bedrooms, accommodating up to 20 people. It includes a fully equipped kitchen stocked with utensils, cookware, a refrigerator, and ovens. You will also have access to electricity, bathroom facilities, hot showers, and heating. Please remember to bring your sleeping bag and pillow. Food Food is not provided on this course. We recommend packing plenty of snacks and lunches that do not require cooking. The lodge has a full kitchen & fridge that you are welcome to use. Free Transport If You’re Travelling From Out Of Town: Free transport is available from Christchurch for those travelling to attend our courses. Check our FAQ’s for a list of hotel pickup locations. We recommend that you arrive in Christchurch the day before your course. At the end of the course, we are more than happy to drop you back at your accommodation or directly to the airport. The earliest time we can have you back at the airport is 6 pm. Meeting locations (catch a ride with us): If you are bringing your car and want a lift, please meet us at one of the following locations: Yaldhurst McDonald’s 7:00 am (see on Google Maps) *Darfield Bakery 7:30 am (see on Google Maps) Castle Hill Village 8:30 am (see on Google Maps) *Our preferred meeting location is Darfield Bakery. OENZ Vans Gear & Equipment You don’t need your own climbing or mountaineering gear for this course. We have all the specialist gear & equipment available for you to borrow. If you have your own gear, we encourage you to bring it along as it’s better to train with the gear you will be using in the mountains. Gear List Alpine Boot Guide Is this the right alpine course for me? OENZ Alpine Training Pathway OENZ Alpine Courses Flow Chart Download Flow Chart Course Outline This alpine and avalanche training course spans four days and equips you with essential skills for safe and effective travel in alpine environments, covering basic mountaineering techniques and avalanche safety. Day 1: Learn Foundation Skills Crampons Flat foot technique Front-pointing Mixed technique Down climbing Ice axe Holding an ice axe Self-belay/plunge Self-arresting Two-axe climbing techniques Steep cutting Day 2: Consolidation Day Today, our goal is to consolidate our new skills and attempt to climb to a high point in the Craigieburn Range or Arthur’s Pass National Park. Please note the word “attempt,” as the mountains will ultimately determine our success in reaching our goal. Our focus is to pass on skills and knowledge so you can enjoy the mountains safely in your own time. Day 3: Introduction to Avalanche Skills & Equipment Avalanche Transceivers Pre-trip checks Wearing a transceiver Coarse search techniques Fine search techniques Pin-point search techniques Probing & Digging Spiral probing technique Snow shovelling techniques Team digging Safe Terrain Travel Identifying avalanche terrain Identifying terrain traps Introduction to safe travel techniques Day 4: Avalanche Skills Weather & Avalanche Forecasts Introduction to the NZ Backcountry Avalanche Advisory Mountain Weather in NZ Probing & Digging Spiral probing technique Snow shovelling techniques Team digging Rescue Scenarios Buddy rescue Small party rescue scenarios Terrain Travel Scrambling (un-roped travel) Roped ridge travel Climbing steep snow/ice Download Course Outline Meet Some of Our Alpine Instructors Alan Haslip Sarah English Kieran Mckay Michael Pickner Frequently Asked Questions Do I need prior experience to attend this course? No prior alpine experience is required to enrol in this course. It is specifically designed to provide all the essential knowledge and skills necessary for success in the mountains. The course covers a wide range of topics, ensuring that every participant can easily follow along and develop a strong foundation in mountaineering skills and knowledge. How many people will be on my course? We believe that small groups are better for this type of training. So we have a maximum client-to-instructor ratio of just six clients to one instructor for this coruse What gear do I need to attend an OENZ alpine course? You will need to bring your own clothing, waterproof gear, and boots; OENZ will provide the rest. A complete packing list is available here. Gear list Alpine boot guide Do I need to provide my own avalanche gear for the course? OENZ will provide all avalanche safety gear at no cost. You are welcome to bring and use your own avalanche safety gear if you prefer. What type of boots do I need? You will need good waterproof boots that have ankle support. Trail shoes are not appropriate for alpine use. Click here to download our Alpine boot guide. Can I hire boots for my alpine course? No, sorry, we do not have boots available to borrow or hire. Does this mountaineering course have minimum numbers? The minimum number of participants for the course to proceed at the advertised price is four people If you enrol in a course that does not meet this minimum requirement, there is no need to worry; we will not cancel your course. Instead, you will have the following options: 1. Shorter Private Course: You can opt for a private course with one-on-one tuition. Since we can cover the course content much faster with just one student, this option may require fewer days to complete. 2. Continue with the Course: You can choose to proceed with the course as planned, understanding that there will be an additional cost. 3. Transfer to Another Date: You can request to be transferred to another date when the course will be offered again. What is the minimum age for this course? The minimum age for this course is 18 years old. 16-17-year-olds may attend this course if accompanied by an adult who is also attending this course. Do you have alpine course sutible for younger people? Yes, we run several family-friendly courses. Please see our family-friendly courses page for more details. 4-day alpine & avalanche course photos Avalanche rescue training (credit Chris Pruden) Praticing crampon skills Summit of Mt Cassidy, Arthurs Pass Mt Rolleston, Arthurs Pass National Park (Credit Chris Pruden) Arthurs Pass National Park Crampon skills Allan's Basin Craigieburn Range Avalanche digging High above Caste Hill Village Craigieburn Ridge Summit of Hamilton Peak Practicing front point crampon skills Customer Reviews “Just completed the 4 day Alpine & Avalanche Safety Course and had an absolute ball! Lots of skills and knowledge gained and so many takeaways that will be invaluable for my upcoming winter trips. Whether you are a hiker, snowshoer or skier, this course will give you more confidence to get out and explore the mountains and at the same time make you a safer adventurer. Thank you Sarah and Michael for sharing your decades of wisdom and experience!.” David Lack, NZ “The 4-day Alpine Skills and Avalanche course was a good balance of learning (instruction) and activity (hiking up & climbing). The instructor (Alan) clearly had a depth of knowledge and passion for climbing (and avalanches)! I am mid-50’s, with backcountry hiking experience, but not winter alpine, so this was a great extension for me and built both knowledge and confidence. The group was mostly 25-35 and fit / capable, but there was no pressure to keep up or do things I was uncomfortable with. That said, it is not a course to undertake if you are unfit – 2 days would have been 2 short, 4 days was perfect. I would recommend OENZ and will look to do further courses with them in the future.” Anton Douglas “Just finished a four day Alpine Skills and Avalanche course with OENZ, led by Alan (Al). Awesome course, great group, and we got a wee summit too! Really pleased to have done the course; feeling much more prepared to safely play around in the mountains a bit now. Will definitely be back for the six day course in a year or so.” Kimberley Lawrence “Attended the 4 Day Alpine and Avalanche Awareness course. Invaluable experience gained, excellent time spent and overall an amazing course. Brilliant value for money and the instructors were fantastic! Definitely recommend!!!” Alexei Maiorov “This was an excellent in-depth introduction to NZ alpine skills. The strong focus on safety and the depth of the instructors expereince were first class.” Andy, New Zealand “Incredibly valuable and impowering course that gives me confidence and knowledge to continue to explore Alpine terrains safely.” Harry, New Zealand “Going from having never seen snow before to feeling comfortable traversing!” Madeline Still Have Questions? Get in touch with our team — we’re happy to help you prepare for your alpine adventure. Contact Us
