Speaking of Mountaineering
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Snow Mobile.
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Snow Mobile
Hi,
The topic of mountaineering insurance has shown me there are people here who have done it. I just had a couple of Q’s for those who are into alpine climbing.
Where did you train for it? I was looking at going to ASM and doing their 5 day course cause it’s reasonably cheap and would give me a good taste of what to expect and help me decide if I wanna continue.
Is it best to go with commercial expeditions? They cost a fair whack of dosh. How can the average joe afford to pursure the big mountains?
How does it impact on family life? What do your partners think? My wife is not too fond of the idea…
Any info would be a great help!
Mike
I did a 10 day course with NZ Alpine Guides in Mt Cook. Good course. Not much more cost at the time compared with ASM (I think), plus almost guaranteed good snow/ice at Mt Cook (glaciers), and you have highish mountains.
As for training – rock-climbing.
Commercial expeditions? How about trying hiring a mountain guide. I recently went to Chamonix http://www.chamonix-guides.com
– guides cost say 100 euros a day with a group.
Or else practice on easier glaciers (following an initial course maybe) to get your confidence up.
Get the wife involved.
Good luck.
gemmaw
The main problem with the Australian courses is that you will only get a limited amount of instruction relating directly to mountaineering simply due to the fact that it’s just snow and snow slopes, ie. no crevasses or mixed terrain or steep stuff, not much ice, no avalanche risk to assess, etc. Sure they will be able to teach you self-arrest, snow anchors, rope techniques, snow caves, but you can pretty much learn that from books, but it’s the other stuff that they won’t be able to teach you that will be the most valuable if you do head to NZ or elsewhere for a climbing trip. Toddling along snow slopes is soooo different to being on steeper, icy, mixed terrain (ie. the fun stuff!).
It is worth getting a good mteering instruction book to get an idea of some basics – ‘Freedom of the Hills’ would have to be the best I know of. If you have had little snow experience, it is certainly worth a trip to the snowier regions of Oz – ski or snowshoe in, take a tent, have a play, but then from WA, it won’t cost that much more to go to NZ.
There has been some similar discussion on Chockstone also that might be helpful:
gemmaw
The main problem with the Australian courses is that you will only get a limited amount of instruction relating directly to mountaineering simply due to the fact that it’s just snow and snow slopes, ie. no crevasses or mixed terrain or steep stuff, not much ice, no avalanche risk to assess, etc. . Sure they will be able to teach you self-arrest, snow anchors, rope techniques, snow caves, but you can pretty much learn that from books, but it’s the other stuff that they won’t be able to teach you that will be the most valuable if you do head to NZ or elsewhere for a climbing trip. Toddling along snow slopes is soooo different to being on steeper, icy, mixed terrain (ie. the fun stuff!).
It is worth getting a good mteering instruction book to get an idea of some basics – ‘Freedom of the Hills’ would have to be the best I know of. If you have had little snow experience, it is certainly worth a trip to the snowier regions of Oz – ski or snowshoe in, take a tent, have a play, but then from WA, it won’t cost that much more to go to NZ.
There has been some similar discussion on Chockstone also that might be helpful:
gemmaw
Ooops sorry about that double posting – obviously can’t edit your own posts.
However I was going to add that the ASM courses are most likely only 5 days long because of the limitation to what they can teach.
I did a course out of Aspiring area and although it was useful, no course can prepare you fully for the real thing – that just takes experience and getting out there as much as possible, which is difficult from WA, and is why I moved closer to the action!
Snow Mobile
Thanx for the insight guys. I have signed up with ASM in the end. It came down to just trying to get a taste for myself and my wife (she’s a little hesitant) without too much expense.
I’m hoping then next year to get on an expedition to a more “real” peak. Perhaps a higher altitude ‘trekking’ peak would be a good introduction?
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