Ball Pass Fire and Ice
The 'Big 50' inspires Andy to expand beyond fastpacking and tackle a new type of adventure -- ski touring. After taking an alpine skills course, he and his mates head to Ball Pass in Mount Aoraki.
snow
Introduction to Backcountry Skiing
The NZAC Intro to Backcountry Skiing Course (IBSC) is a four-day course designed for strong intermediate (or better) skiers with excellent aerobic fitness wanting to get a good grounding in ski touring so they can go experience the winter backcountry by themselves.
Living the Dream Life in Wanaka
Simon Bell travels to Wanaka to become a full-time climber. His family recalls the special time they time spent together and Simon's mission to climb as many Great Peaks as possible.
Mountain Adventure Mount Cook Grand Traverse in a Day
After speed climbing in Europe, Alastair McDowell is inspired to try it again in New Zealand -- this time traversing the three peaks from the Hooker and returning via the Tasman for a total distance of 53km and 4000m of vertical gain, all in 24 hours.
Mountain Adventure Aoraki/Mt Cook via Sheila Face and Mt Tasman via Syme-Silberhorn
Alastair McDowell joins a mountaineering trip organised by the Canterbury Mountaineering Club. Using Empress Hut in Mount Cook/Aoraki as his base, he embarks on a weekend of icy adventure.
Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour NZ
(April – June 2021) The Banff Mountain Film Festival is the largest, and one of the most prestigious, mountain festivals in the world.
March 2012 Solo Tramping and Snowcaves
The only true recourse for sandfly bites? According to Uncle Jacko, it's stoicism. In this edition of UJCC, he considers sandfly bites, why he doesn't enjoy solo tramping, and an alternative floor plan to the traditional snowcave.
Mountain Adventure Mount Oates Traverse
Work could wait another day for Alastair and Elisha, as they decide to traverse Mount Oates in Arthur's Pass.
March 2004 The Föhn Effect and ‘God’s Own Wet Zone’
Where in New Zealand lies 'God's Own Wet Zone?' Former MetService Ambassador, Bob McDavitt, explains in layman terms how to understand orographic precipitation, freezing level, and the best recipe for snow.
NZ Alpine Club Novara Peak
A lost booking, new washout, and a summer sleeping bag in alpine conditions...? Despite a very cold night and some unexpected terrain, Penzy Dinsdale completes her first and much anticipated mountaineering trip with the NZ Alpine Club.
Mountain Adventure Taranaki Winter
Finding their hut frozen solid was not enough to deter Alastair and his team from successfully completing a double summit of Shark's Tooth on Mt Taranaki.
Mountain Adventure Craigieburn Moonlight Traverse
Guided by a full moon and clear skies, Alastair McDowell and his team embark on a visually charged journey -- an overnight moonlit traverse through the Craigieburn Range.
November 2015 Little Orange Track Markers
In this edition of Uncle Jacko’s Cookery Corner (originally featured in the November 2015 FMC Bulletin), Uncle Jacko covers a wide range of topics from DOC's orange track markers to the 421 different Scottish words for snow.
Alpine winter camping Setting up camp in the snow
There is nothing quite like the the silence of the mountains in winter, the clarity of the Milky Way in the crispy cold air, or an alpenglow on a snowy ridge.
