References and reading material

The following resources may be useful for your Alpine Guides mountaineering trip, but the reading is not “required”.

Guide Books

We stock all these guide books. They can also be purchased from the NZ Alpine Club ›

  • Aoraki/Mount Cook: a Guide for Mountaineers, Alex Palman, , NZ Alpine Club 2001
  • The Mount Aspiring Region, Allen Uren and Mark Watson, NZ Alpine Club 2001
  • Barron Saddle to Mt Brewster Guidebook, Ross Cullen, 2nd Edition, NZ Alpine Club 2003
  • New Zealand Backcountry Skiing, James Broadbent, 1st Edition, NZ Alpine Club 2004

Technical References

  • Alpine Guides Technical Manual, Alpine Guides, 2011 edition ›
  • Alpine Skills Manual, NZ Mountain Safety Council 2005
  • Extreme Alpinism: Climbing Light, Fast, and High, Mark Twight, Mountaineers Books 1999
  • Ice & Mixed Climbing: Modern Technique, Will Gad, Mountaineers Books 2003
  • Avalanche Safety for Skiers and Climbers, Tony Daffern 1983
  • Climbing Ice, Yvon Chouinard, Random House 1982 (a classic, may be hard to find)

Winter-specific / Avalanche Safety

  • Free Riding in Avalanche Terrain, J. Bruce Jamieson, Canadian Avalanche Association 1999
  • Snow sense - a guide to evaluating snow avalanche hazard, Jill Fredston and Doug Fesler, Anchorage, Alaska, 1994
  • The Avalanche Handbook, P. A. Schaerer and Peter Schaerer, Mountaineers Books 3rd edition 2006
  • The ABC’s of Avalanche Safety, Sue A Ferguson & Ed LaChappelle, Mountaineers Books; 3rd Rev edition 2003
  • Backcountry Avalanche Awareness, Bruce Jamieson, Canadian Avalanche Association, 2001
  • Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, Bruce Tremper, Mountaineers Books, 2nd edition, 2008

General Texts

  • "The New Zealand Weather Book", Erick Bernstrum, Craig Potton Press, 1998
  • "Outdoor First Aid", NZ Mountain Safety Council

How "hard" will the course be?

Are you ready? How does Mt Cook compare to Mount Aspiring? Read about Trip Difficulty ›

Is your gear suitable for mountaineering?

Do you have questions about your existing equipment? See our guide to Equipment for Mountaineering in New Zealand ›