It was decided that the most valuable way to spend the final day of the course was for our instructors to assist us in planning our goals for the upcoming week, during which we were all going to be in NZ. Due to the extremely variable weather in NZ, planning is crucial if you don’t want to miss out on the good weather windows required to summit mountains!
As expected making plans for a group of 8 all with varying abilities, interests, goals and experience wasn’t straight forward. Add the weather window restrictions, car logistics, need for some people to stock up on food and/or gear, limited time we had in NZ and instructor recommendations and it puts some strain on the decision making! There were discussions of Maria, Henry, Matt and Brendon going up Mt. Edgar Thomson, other peaks near Unwin Lodge, Stephen, Ash, Jeffrey and I repeating the Grand Traverse and peaks near French Ridge Hut. In the end, we all decided to base ourselves at French Ridge Hut – there were a few suitable peaks and it meant we could be together at the hut.
Some tips for planning:
- Follow the good weather.
- Combine faff days/planning days/bad weather days with rest days.
- Don’t underestimate the importance of an alpine start.
- Research the route yourself, do you have the skills and gear required?
- People are a great source of route information and advice, use it wisely.
- Are there any overriding considerations e.g. need buy more food/gear, injuries, flights home.
- Stay flexible, the circumstances might change.
Challenges facing young mountaineers:
Earlier in the course we had discussed some of the challenges facing young people trying to get into mountaineering. Now that we were planning our own independent outings, some of the points of discussion were very relatable…
Immaturity
Deciding to turn back, allowing sufficient time to complete a route, choosing realistic goals, building trust with a climbing partner, packing appropriately and knowing your limits all require a good level of maturity. Typically, maturity is expected to develop with age. Importantly, maturity is not determined by age!
Right: Playing a game of Mr and Mrs while being hut bound. Our instructor is being mature and reading a book.
Money
Mountaineering requires a large initial investment, which may create an entry for young people. Perhaps a more problematic aspect associated with the cost of mountaineering is that young people might skimp on gear that they do not see as being necessary, or will make do with second hand gear that they can acquire cheaply.
Naivety
Catch-22. The only way to gain experience is by starting off as being inexperienced and going mountaineering. It can be safely overcome as long the mountainous environment and associated dangers are respected.
