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What is best mountaineering course NZ? 10-Mar-2012 At 3:25:15 PM cruze

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On 9/03/2012 dtb wrote:
>We did a course with Aspiring Guides last year. It was the 8 day Aspiring
>course.
>Best intro I could have asked for. We spent the whole time up at Colin
>Todd hut learning everything on the glacier and climbing the smaller mountains
>in the area. When we got a decent weather window we made an assent of Mt
>Aspiring itself with a bivvy night at the top of the ramp.
>Groups are small, it was me, my climbing partner and the guide. They have
>a much smaller guide ratio than others in the area.
>Great company and really personal, see if Tony Donaldson is free. Really
>knows his stuff and a great bloke to be stuck in a hut with in bad weather.
>
>
Hey David, we met at Colin Todd (I was there with my wife) in November. I think you had fantastic weather and a great attitude which helped! Hope to catch you 'round somewhere. Maybe next season?!

As far as the original question goes, I also agree with the suggestions to do as personalised an approach as possible. Especially if you go with a regular climbing partner, girlfriend, girlfriend to be, etc. Probably also depends on whether you will want to make a regular thing of climbing the white hills or you just want a taste. Staying around afterwards and reinforcing your skills is recommended.

Had a couple of friends do the High Alpine Skills NZAC course last year and they had magic weather and did heaps. Probably a similar level to TMC and a lot cheaper and shorter. They choppered to Barron Saddle and walked out with ascents and skills along the way.