Jim Spencer: NZMGA Climbing Guide (level 2) / NZMGA Winter Guide
Nationality: NZ
First worked with Alpine Guides: 1998
 
""Right," said Jim. "Let's have a wee hike up the hill and have a peek, shall we?" Hearing words like "wee" and "peek" coming from a burly, six-foot-five outdoorsman seemed decidedly Monty Pythonish."

So wrote journalist Amanda Jones after first meeting Jim when he guided her on Ski The Tasman in 2003. You can read the article here ››

He may be long, tall and laid-back, but Jim bears little resemblance to John Cleese.

Jim began exploring the Canterbury high country as a young lad, hunting with his father. He took up skiing as soon as Mt Hutt (the local ski area) first opened it's gates.

Jim's ski bum (and ski instructor) life took him to France, Washington State and Colorado. He also spent 4 summer seasons working for the NZ and the US Antarctic programs, guiding and training on The Ice.

A full NZMGA Winter Guide, Jim started working at Wilderness Heliski in 1998, and is regularly seen there and at Methven Heliski over the NZ winter. He spent many summer months chopping steps as a glacier guide (working for Alpine Guides Fox Glacier) before beginning summer mountain guide work with us in 2004.

Jim's time on the NZ West Coast wasn't completely wasted, as he did learn to surf (and dodge sharks) at Gillespies Beach. These days when he isn't in the mountains he's usually not far from a surf beach.

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