9-Day Alpine Course Learn everything from putting on crampons and walking on the snow to avalanche and crevasse rescue. / Public Courses / Alpine Courses / 9-Day Alpine Course Overview On this comprehensive 9-day TMC course (Technical Mountaineering Course), you will learn everything from putting on crampons and walking on the snow to avalanche and crevasse rescue. This course combines our 4-day Introduction to Alpine and Avalanche Skills course and our 6-day Alpine Rope Skills course. Delivered by our highly skilled local guides, you will learn all the essential skills required to get out there and climb independently in the mountains. We have access to some of the best peaks and climbing terrain in Arthur’s Pass National Park & Craigieburn Forest Park from our base lodge. Some of the well-known mountains include Mt. Temple, Mt. Phipps, Mt. Cassidy, Hamilton Peak, and Mt. Cheeseman. Course Details TMC Course Location This mountaineering course is held in Arthur’s Pass National Park, with a complimentary shuttle service provided from Christchurch. For the first four days, we will stay at a base lodge in Arthur’s Pass Village, and then we will move up the mountain to Temple Basin Lodge for the final five days of the course. Access to snow For the first few days, we will drive from our base lodge to an access point in the Craigieburn Range or Arthur’s Pass. Your instructor will select the best location to visit each day, ensuring that everyone gets the most out of the course. On day five, you will walk to the accommodation and training area at Temple Basin, where you will spend the remainder of your time. A goods lift will conveniently transport your gear to the lodge. Please note that this course does not require “fly-in” access to reach our training areas. Access to both the Craigieburn Range and Temple Basin involves a short walk uphill, which can be completed in almost any weather conditions. This ensures that we can guarantee access to the mountains in a variety of conditions. In contrast, courses that require fly-in access are often heavily adapted or shortened due to delays from helicopter flights being cancelled due to high winds or poor visibility—conditions that are frequently encountered in the New Zealand mountains. Accommodation **All your accommodation is included in this mountaineering course** Arthur’s Pass (Days 1-4 ) For the first four nights, we will be staying at 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. Temple Basin Lodge, Arthur’s Pass (Days 5-9) On the fifth day, we walk up to Temple Basin Alpine Lodge, which is situated high above Arthur’s Pass village. The lodge is very comfortable, featuring electricity, flush toilets, a drying room, heaters, bunk rooms, and a large common room with a bar & even a chef. Food This course is semi-catered. Days 1-4 Self-catered, you will have access to cooking facilities at our Arthur’s Pass lodge. Days 5-9 The team at Temple Basin lodge will look after the catering. You can expect a cooked breakfast, dinner and dessert, all prepared by the onsite chef. A small shop and bar are also available to purchase refreshments and snacks. 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 Mcdonalds 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 Courses Flow Chart Download Flow Chart Course Outline This comprehensive alpine training course spans nine days and equips you with essential skills for safe and effective travel in alpine environments, covering basic techniques, avalanche safety, advanced climbing skills, and glacier travel. Day 1 – 2: Basic Alpine 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 3 – 4: Avalanche Skills Weather & Avalanche Forecasts Introduction to the NZ Backcountry Avalanche Advisory Mountain Weather in NZ 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 Rescue Scenarios Buddy rescue Small party rescue scenarios Terrain Travel Scrambling (un-roped travel) Roped ridge travel Climbing steep snow/ice Day 5 – 9: Advanced Alpine Skills Snow Anchors Snow Stakes T-Slot Vertical placements Horizontal placement Top clips Snow Bollards Ropework Knots for alpine climbing Alpine rock protection & rock anchors Snow anchors & runners Pitching & belaying Body belays Stomp belay Abseiling Climbing in 2 & 3-person teams Glacier Travel Roping up for glacier travel Crevasse rescue Holding a fall Self-rescue 2:1 (simple) haul systems 5:1 (complex) haul systems Snow Caving/Emergency Shelters Snow cave construction Emergency shelters Route Planning NZ mountaineering grading systems Planning climbing routes/trips Download Course Outline Meet Some of Our Alpine Instructors Alan Haslip Kieran Mckay Sarah English Andy Thompson Frequently Asked Questions Do I need prior experience to attend this course? You don’t need any alpine experience to enrol in this course. It is specifically designed to cover all the essential knowledge and skills you will need to succeed in the mountains. This course includes a wide range of topics, ensuring that every participant can follow along and build a solid foundation of mountaineering skills & 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 four clients to one instructor. If there are six clients, you will have one guide and one assistant guide. With eight clients, there will be two guides, and you’ll operate in two smaller groups. Does this mountaineering course have minimum numbers? Yes, the minimum number for the course to proceed at the advertised price is two clients. We won’t cancel your course if we don’t meet the minimum numbers, though; instead, we will offer you the following options: A shorter private course with one-on-one tuition – e.g., with one person, we can cover the course content much faster, so fewer days are needed. You will be offered to continue with the course as planned and cover the extra cost. We can transfer you to another date when the course is running again. Note: In the unlikely event that the course length is shortened due to insufficient numbers, we will provide accommodation for you in Arthur’s Pass Village for the full duration of your original booking. i.e. any extra time following the course being shortened. 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? No, OENZ will provide all avalanche gear free of charge. You’re welcome to bring and use your own avalanche safety gear if you wish. 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. For this 9-day Alpine course, you’ll need stiff boots with a minimum 3/4 shank or full mountaineering boots. Click here to download our Alpine boot guide. Can I hire boots for my alpine course? OENZ does not have boots available to hire or borrow. Boot hire is available from several outdoor stores in Auckland and Dunedin. If you are hiring or borrowing boots, please get waterproof leather boots. Plastic mountaineering boots are not suitable for general mountaineering in New Zealand. What is the minimum age? 18 years old. Ask about our Family Friendly Courses for those aged less than 18 years. 9-day alpine course photos Abseiling/Repelling Praticing crampon skills Summit of Mt Cassidy, Arthurs Pass Ascending ridge near the summit of Mt Temple, Arthur's Pass Temple Basin Lodge Avalanche rescue training Mixed climbing on Mt Temple Mt Rolleston, Arthurs Pass National Park Arthurs Pass National Park Enjoying the mountains. Mt Rolleston in background Temple Basin Lodge Roped up for glacier travel Mt Blimit with Mt Rolleston in the background Sorting out the ropes Gearing up for a climb Customer Reviews “Did the 9 day mountaineering course and couldn’t recommend more, super knowledgeable trainers that know what people can handle and push them to it! Would absolutely do it again.” Pace McGowan “I had such a great time. Kieran our instructor was amazing. Passionate about outdoor, he has so much knowledges and experiences. Really good at teaching and guiding. I feel way more confident from now climbing on my own. Highly recommended.” Etienne Magnin “With instructors Nathanael, Kieran, and Sarah, the 9-day Technical Mountaineering Course was both a pivotal and thoroughly enjoyable experience. The course takes you from mastering the most basic alpine skills to avalanche awareness and technical mountaineering techniques. Its comprehensive nature ensures a strong foundational skill base, equipping participants with the confidence and competence to advance in their mountaineering journey. Each instructor demonstrated an exceptional ability to connect with every participant and the group as a whole while maintaining a high level of professionalism. They fostered a safe and productive learning environment, ensuring that best practices in mountaineering were effectively taught. This course has laid an outstanding foundation for my future in mountaineering, and I’m excited to continue my journey with the skills I’ve gained.” Chester Duffett “I did the 9 day mountaineering course and had a amazing time. I learnt heaps and was made comfortable when I was pushing myself out of my comfort zone. Great weather meant we had a lot of good days out. Accommodation and food was great. The trainers know their stuff. Thank you.” Matthew Deeley “Get someone to a summit and they will be happy, teach someone the skills to summit themselves and they will be a mountain lord!” Sando Still Have Questions? Get in touch with our team — we’re happy to help you prepare for your alpine adventure. Contact Us
