Planking, Slack-lining... Railing??

A New Sport?

You've all heard of Planking and Slack-Lining.   Do we have a new sport?   "Railing".  Guess the jibbers have been doing it for a while now.  But perhaps, not on foot and not at 2200m / 7200ft.

14 November, 2012 - Federico Varengo, IFMGA.  Plateau Hut, Mt Cook National Park, NZ

How Do You Get to the Top of NZ?

Sheer hard work & determination!

Says Julie Burton, Bathurst, Australia  

Julie Burton has a been a long term client and friend of Aspiring Guides.  A keen canyoner and speleologist ("caver"), she's been on many a mountain adventure with us over the years, including an ascent of Mt Aspiring.   Her next challenge was always to climb Aoraki Mt Cook.  But earlier this year she faced her greatest challenge.  Julie was seriously ill and underwent major surgery in April.

All through the ordeal, she focussed on one goal..."making it to the top of NZ".   A punishing fitness regime and sheer determination, saw Julie make a speedy recovery and have enough stamina to make the physically demanding climb in 18 hours!

Congratulations to Julie.   While canyoning and caving will always be her first love, we think she's got a lot more "up" to go in the future!  Peru 2014 with us... is next in her sights.

How would you celebrate your honeymoon?

As you may know Tim Steward, NZMGA Aspirant Guide recently tied the knot and to celebrate he kept tying those knots all the way up Mt Cook with his new bride Helen.  Honeymoon highlights, apart from the obvious views from the top... being able to ski the Linda Glacier to get back to Plateau in 30 minutes!  Whoo hoo! 

 Low points for Helen: super-cooled kneecaps and viscious ski boots!   If anyone out there knows of a sure-fire cure for uncomfortable ski boots (apart from an incinerator) - let us know.  Both Tim and Helen will be eternally grateful.

Profile of Freddy

So how old do you have to be to go Ski Touring?

Going Touring with your kids is cool!

New standards of "cool" were set by the Rees Family who joined us for a couple of Ski Tours this week on the Pisa and backcountry TC.    Guided by NZMGA Ski Guide,  Geoff Small, Dad and his boys 16 & 14 really set the pace.  Even their 12 year old sister has got the bug!    Go team Rees!!  **Update... little sister is actually only 10 years old - even more of a star **

More for the Weather Geeks

Was there any doubt that we're in the Roaring 40's?

According to the weather guru's ie., our guides - the weird Easterly flow of an La Nina weather pattern has "left the building" and the windbag El Nino is moving in for the summer.   

It's dumping down with snow on the west coast, which is great to fill in all those crevasses ready for the summer climbing season and prime ski touring months of September & October.    But over this side of the divide we've been getting some extraordinarily strong wind - gusts up to 140km/hr!!    Whit decided, wisely not to get the kite out for kite-skiing this week!

If you are weather geeks like us and you'd like to understand more about the El Nino & La Nina weather effects - here's the link to our NZ long term weather forecasters - NIWA.

Spring has sprung!

4.30pm - September 1st

9.30am - September 3rd

Pictures courtesy of Whare Kea Chalet at 1700m.

How's this for the first few days of spring?!  Over 50cm of fresh new snow to help keep our toes tickling with ski fever.

Woohoo!!!