Alpine

Trailpinism

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Running shorts and running shorts on a mountain summit?

Creator:

A. McDowell

Imagine yourself jogging up the Matukituki Valley with a 3kg pack, cresting Bevan Col, donning light crampons on your running shoes across the Bonar Glacier, taking a late morning snack at Colin Todd, scrambling the Northwest ridge of Aspiring, and ripping it all the way back to the car in time for dinner in Wanaka. Welcome to the exciting world of Trailpinism: combining trail running gear, tactics and efficiency with mountain craft for a new way of tackling higher peaks.

How to Simul Climb

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Steve Fortune finishing a simul climbing block on the West Face of Cerro Torre

Creator:

Daniel Joll

This is a technique that when used right will speed up many alpine and multi pitch ascents. Why speed up your ascent? Personally I think speed is a key factor to moving safely in the mountains. If you climb slowly you are more likely to have unplanned bivvies, get stuck in storms or get caught out by rock fall or serac fall. Moving quickly over technical terrain is also good fun!

Starting with the basics: "simul climbing" is when two climbers move at the same time with a rope between them, placing and removing protection as they go.

Les Drus North Face - Lesueur Topo and Beta

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Les Drus North Face

Creator:

Daniel Joll

This is a straight forward article with all the facts you need for climbing the Lesueur route on the North Face of Les Drus. To follow this beta you will need two climbers who feel comfortable simul climbing up to M5. Otherwise pitch it out and adjust your time expectation.

Rack

Nuts 1 – 7

Cams Double set green C3 – 3. Single #4 camalot and purple c3

Draws x 10

120cm slings x 2

2 x 4m cordalette

3 x tibloc's

2 x knife blades , 3 x ice screws, knife , v thread tool. None of these needed on route, just for the descent.

The Ice Hammock

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The ice hammock in use on an ascent of the North Face of Cholatse, Nepal

Creator:

Matthew Scholes

The ice hammock is a relatively new invention and although it's a great idea and works well, it's unlikely that any outdoor company is going to start making them commercially anytime soon, so we thought its worth writing an article for anyone who has an interest in making and using them for alpine climbing.

Climbing Communications

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Jonas leading on the North Buttress of Sabre

Creator:

J. Morris

Within our team, we want to standardise the calls we use, so you always know what to expect when you climb with someone from the NZAT. It is good to reduce the calls you use to a bare minimum and not say unnecessary things as these can add more confusion than clarity. A belayer/climber does not need a running commentary and you don't want a shouting match at the end of a pitch. It is also a good principle to acknowledge any calls heard, as often the caller does not know if they are heard. This is normally a simple 'OK' or 'Thank You'. This article describes the standard climbing calls and procedures used when climbing. Sticking to these and only these, will help reduce misunderstandings when climbing.

Choosing the right climbing rope

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Kim Ladiges climbing the Super Couloir Mt Blanc Du Tacul

Creator:

Daniel Joll

There is no rope that does every job. Therefore when building your selection of climbing ropes here are a few points to consider.

As an alpine climber I keep quite 5 main ropes or pairs of ropes in my collection for regular use.

These ropes are made up of Tendon Master & Tendon Lowe ropes.

City Fitness

Jess in Squamish

Cragging is just one part of training for alpinism

Creator:

Pete Harris

All of us find ourselves city bound from time to time. Here are some tips and tricks for staying mountain fit even during prolonged periods out of the mountains.

Short Fixing When Climbing

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Steve Fortune short fixing, high up on the Nose of El Capitan

Creator:

Daniel Joll

Please note that short-fixing is an advanced climbing technique and is not suitable for beginners or anyone new to trad climbing. In using this technique, it is necessary to have sufficient climbing experience to make a sound judgement call as to when it is appropriate to short-fix, and when it is not. This article seeks only to describe the concept of short-fixing and will not help you in making that judgement call. If you have any doubts, you should stick to regular belaying practises.

Top 10 tips for beginning to ice climb

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Ben Dare on Professor Falls.

Creator:

Jo-Anne

1. Drop your heels - This is the most classic and common problem for people beginning ice climbing. Raising your heels too high can cause your front points to shear from the ice quickly and unexpectedly. Ideally heels should be so that your boots are completely horizontal, regardless of ice angle.

Layering clothes for winter ice and mixed climbing

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What to wear for a day's winter climbing is a source for endless debate, and everyone will have different ideas about what constitutes the ideal system. What is undebatable is the end goal - being warm, dry, and actually able to climb, in a range of temperatures and conditions. That means that the basic clothes I wear never change, whether it's 0°C and sleeting in New Zealand or -30°C and dry in Canada.

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