Women's MOuntaineering Course. Photo by Dan Griffith
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Women's Mountaineering Course (WMC) | Details for summer 2012/13

The Women’s Mountaineering Course (WMC) is a female-only alternative to our renowned Technical Mountaineering Course (TMC). It is a complete introduction to climbing, living, and surviving in the high alpine environment.

All the mountaineering action takes place in the serious mountain landscape of Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. The course format is flexible enough to move elsewhere for a few days if the local weather becomes inhospitable.

Be inspired by your female guides

You will learn the latest and safest climbing techniques from some of New Zealand’s (and the world’s) most experienced female guides. They are women passionate about climbing, and sharing their enthusiasm for the mountains.

You will be climbing peaks, and learning “hands on” as you go. Every day you will build on what you learn, extending your skill-set whilst climbing. At the end of the course you should be able to climb moderate technical peaks independently, safely, and with confidence.

A personalised approach

All our courses run at a low 1:4 guide to participant. This means your instructor can take a personalised approach, helping create a positive learning environment.

Aside from technical skills the focus is on travel, and awareness of all types of mountain terrain. This ensures you come away with a well-rounded “mountain education”, not just a repertoire of knots!

At the end of the course you will have gained new skills, and some new friends. The confidence instilled and the experience you gain from your guides will open up unlimited opportunities, and challenges in the high places of the world.

What You Will Learn

Topics covered include:

  • Equipment, what to bring and how to use it
  • Trip planning and preparation
  • Knots and hitches for mountaineering
  • Snow and ice climbing
  • Abseiling, belay techniques and systems
  • Snow, ice and rock anchors
  • Step and stance cutting
  • Alpine Rock climbing
  • Glacier travel and crevasse rescue systems
  • Route finding
  • Emergency shelters and procedures
  • Rope management
  • Mountain weather and forecasting
  • Avalanche hazard evaluation
  • First aid for mountaineering
  • Mountain navigation
  • Hut management, food preparation, cooking

You will also learn about your own capabilities and ability to live in the mountains and to accept their ever changing conditions.

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Experience Required

The WMC is a great follow-up to our Mountain Experience Course (MEC). Course participants often have longer-term ambitions for future independent mountaineering.

Technical skills required

Prior alpine (snow and ice) mountaineering experience is not required.

We expect all participants to have rock climbing skills. You should:

  • Be comfortable seconding to AU grade 14 rock
  • Know some basic climbing knots (e.g. Figure-8, Clove Hitch, Italian Hitch)
  • Be familiar with tying into and using a harness
  • Able to operate a belay device and belay a partner

The WMC involves learning some complex rope systems. Without prior rope-handling experience the course will present too steep a learning curve. Any rope skills from caving, abseiling, or rescue work are transferable to the course.

A high level of aerobic fitness is required

Previous bush-walking/trekking experience is expected, as you will carry a backpack each day, and a heavier pack for long days, if walking out at the course conclusion.

Read more about fitness for mountaineering ›

Price and Inclusions | summer 2012/13

Cost: NZ$3,450 per person

The course fee includes:

Not Included

Cost of flight out of mountains. See Egress From The Mountains for more details.

Maximum and Minimum Bookings

All WMC's are limited to a maximum of 8 participants. The maximum guide to participant ratio is 1:4.

Minimum bookings

We guarantee to run the course you are booked on, with the following modifications:

  • One person only: We shorten the course to 7 days
  • 2 people only: We shorten the course to 8 days

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Reporting Details

The course begins at 13:30 and finishes at 12:00 midday on the final day. These times fit with scheduled bus services. Please report to Alpine Guides shop in Mt Cook Village ›

Private Courses

If the course format, or the dates do not work for you - contact us about arranging a private course.

Women’s Mountaineering Courses can be arranged at any time over the summer months (November - April) for groups of 2 or more people. You can choose dates, duration, and tailor the content to your specific requirements (subject to guide availability). See the "Private Instruction" package for details ›

Mountain Hut Venues

The WMC is normally based out of a mountain hut at the head of the Tasman Glacier. This area is fantastic venue (easily accessible by air) that offers a number of peaks, snow and ice ascents, plus mixed and alpine rock routes. In order to optimise use of time available, the course will fly in. This avoids a 2 day walk in.

Tasman Saddle is slightly east of the Main Divide. It is often possible to be out climbing here when the parties at West Coast venues (just kilometres away) are hut-bound due to bad weather from the west.

Depending on weather and conditions, other venues can include Centennial Hut at the head of the Franz Josef Glacier, or (less frequently) Plateau Hut, on the Grand Plateau.

Read more about mountain hut living conditions ›

Course Daily Organisation

When dealing with a dynamic environment it is not realistic to plan fixed day-to-day schedules. Instead we work around prevailing weather and snow conditions to provide the most comprehensive coverage of all the course topics.

After meeting your teammates, the first afternoon involves an outline of the course and an equipment check. If there is time some initial instruction (roping-up for glacier travel, for example) will be covered.

You fly in to the mountains at the first possible opportunity, usually the morning of day 2. Expect to be in the mountains for up to 7 or 8 nights of the course.

The first few days typically involves more theory and instruction. As you progress the focus shifts to more climbing, putting to good use the skills you develop.

Instructional days will begin at around 07:00. When climbing on good weather days you may have “alpine starts” - as early as 04:00 if tackling a longer ascent. Most day's activities will have you out for 8 to 10 hours.

During any poor weather you will be busy with rope skills, theory, and practical - using instruction venues close to the hut. We aim to have you back in Mount Cook Village by late afternoon on the final full day.

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Egress from the mountains

Two means are available at the end of the course: walking or flying out. Flying out is the most common choice. Please - ALWAYS BUDGET FOR A FLIGHT OUT.

1. Flying out at course end

Almost all WMC's fly out of the mountains. It maximises time spent on climbing and instruction and avoids an extremely arduous trip that must be done inside the course time.

The cost of flying out is ADDITIONAL to the course fees.

  • Range of costs possible: NZ$160 to NZ$320 per-person
  • Typical average cost: NZ$190 to NZ$210 per-person

For more details please read about air transport ›

2. Walking out at course end

Walking is the most physically demanding part of a WMC. If you walk out this must be done inside course time. It may not be possible for your party to to walk out due to conditions, weather and fitness.

Your guide is the final arbiter on whether a walk out will go ahead.

Read more about walking out ›

Equipment and Clothing | Women's Mountaineering Course

Download the equipment checklist for the WMC (.pdf 200 Kb) ›

Please let us know what gear you need to rent - including any equipment supplied free of charge.

Choosing your clothing | Seasonal Variation

Our gear lists cater for all eventualities. Sometimes you may not require everything on the equipment list. Weather and conditions when your trip starts will help determine what is needed.

Temperatures, weather, and snow conditions will vary. The program is designed to work around these changes. Read about Weather & Snow Conditions, Summer and Winter ›

Questions about clothing and gear? See the Equipment & Clothing Guide to gear for mountaineering in New Zealand ›

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