A NZ Mountain Safety Council (MSC) accredited course combining pure backcountry skiing with the opportunity to learn skills to keep you safer in the backcountry
Welcome to a classroom you will never forget, our private Robrosa Hut. This backcountry ski touring course combines a pure backcountry ski tour experience with the opportunity to learn the skills that you need to be safer in the backcountry. Expect four days of intensive ski touring & backcountry snowboarding skills, avalanche awareness and rescue, winter navigation and survival skills.
Helicopter access brings you deep into the NZ backcountry. With our private huts located at 1750m, we get reliable snow right through until end of September & even into October.
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How can I say enough about this experience? The location: OMG simply stunning backdrop. The private Rob Rosa huts are well organised and, well, very private. The 15 minute heli ride in was pure joy and anticipation. The course: they delivered big tim...read more
Steve, Australia, Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Touring Course
Prior to Start of Trip
Meet with your guide at the Aspiring Guides office on the evening (5:30pm) prior to departure. Your guide will check all your clothing and equipment required for the trip. Rental equipment is issued and last minute purchases can be made. The weather forecast will be discussed and a plan made for the the following morning.
Day One
Drive to Wanaka Airport (10min) and fly by helicopter into Robrosa Hut in the Pisa Range. Alternatively spend the morning focusing on refreshing on avalanche theory before flying in later in the day in time for a short tour before arriving at the huts for dinner. Backpacks are light because sleeping bags, cooking gear and other necessities will already be in the hut.
Day Two & Three
Depending upon conditions, we may choose to ski the terrain right outside the hut door or wander further afield to the Cromwell Faces or Pisa Summit. There is a wide variety of terrain for all abilities. Focus will be on terrain analysis, identifying avalanche danger and route selection. Further skills for backcountry travel will be covered such as avalanche rescue, uphill travel, trip planning and navigation.
Day Four
Everything learned up to now will be applied for the trip from Robrosa to the Snow Farm and back to Wanaka. With challenging terrain the emphasis will be on choosing a safe route. Here you will get the perfect opportunity to test your decision making under the watchful eye of your experienced guide.
Fly in to our private hut with stunning views of the Southern Alps.
At 1750m above sea level Robrosa Hut is a skier and rider's paradise with vast ski touring and backcountry snowboarding terrain. Sleeping bags, lighting, cooking equipment, outside toilet and spectacular sunrises and sunsets supplied.
Topics will include:
- Use of ski and splitboard touring equipment
- Uphill travel techniques for skiers & splitboarders
- Assessing avalanche danger
- Terrain assessment, route selection and safe travel techniques
- Decision making in avalanche terrain
- Companion rescue; including group management, transceiver searching, probing and shovelling
- Mountain weather
- Navigation strategies
- Trip planning and preparation
At the end of the course you will be a competent member of a ski or splitboard touring group, being able to plan trips appropriate to the group and conditions and contribute to safe decision making.
Availability
| Trip Date | Available |
|---|---|
| 3-6 August | FULL |
| 11-14 August | open |
| 17-20 august | Open |
| 19-22 august | FULL |
| 27-30 august | open |
| C: = confirmed to run |
Pricing
| Client Ratio | Price |
|---|---|
| 1:1 - 1:4 | NZ$2,250 |
What's included
- NZMGA qualified guide
- all meals and energy snacks
- cosy hut and bedding
- NZ Mountain Safety Council Avalanche Awareness Certificate
What's not included
- Helicopter ride to the huts on the first day. Allow approx NZ$175-210 per person for groups of 3 or 4 or NZ$345 per person for groups of 2.
Frequently asked questions
As a general rule: the more technically advanced / more complex the terrain - the lower the guide to client ratio. All professional mountain guides contracted to Aspiring Guides are qualified professionals and operate under the terrain guidelines issued by the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association.
Our maximum group size for introductory ski/snowboard backcountry tours or courses is typically 1 guide with 6 clients. We write this as 1:6 guide ratio. For ski snowboard touring in glaciated terrain this ratio is 1:4.
Under 'equipment' on each individual trip web page, we provide detailed information about the equipment required for the trip. Typically this includes a checklist which you can use to "tick off" your gear, a document giving more detailed explanations as well as some of our best "guide tips" and a video to visually explain some of the terminology.
For our climbing and skiing trips, we have 3 categories of equipment:-
Compulsory items - this is equipment you must have with you. You can either purchase or hire depending on the item.
Trip Dependent - these are items that may be needed but will depend on the venue for the trip and prevailing conditions. Most times this cannot be decided ahead of time. Our best advice is that if you already own the items listed in the trip dependent section & you can fit in your pack then bring them along. Things like your own rock shoes and snow goggles are good things to bring - but disposable eating utensils can easily be obtained in Wanaka.
Optional - these are items which you can choose to bring or leave behind. But we think you should at least bring your camera!! Your trip will to some of the most breathtaking locations on the planet!!
Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have about the suitability of equipment to avoid purchasing or carrying unnecessary equipment.
Equipment Detail
