The Trip Notes provide detailed information and background for the Adventure Consultants Three Day Backcountry Ski Tour.
You can view the trip notes online by clicking the image or download a pdf by clicking the following link:
3 Day Backcountry Ski Tour New Zealand Trip Notes 2021
Team Membership
The trip will run with a minimum number of two people and a maximum of eight. The guiding ratio is 1:4.
Our Guides
Adventure Consultants is a member of the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association Professional and experienced mountain guides run the trip. Adventure Consultants have a commitment to ensure the highest standard of instruction and guiding practices and we only employ guides who share our philosophy. Our guides will offer you the best possible learning experience, and a safe and enjoyable time. An open and helpful approach is encouraged within the group to help communicate and Adventure Consultants' mountain guides are qualified IFMGA / UIAGM Mountain and Ski Guides reinforce the learning process.
Our guides are all NZMGA and/or IFMGA internationally qualified. They have been trained and assessed through the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association, and operate to the high standards and guidelines set out by the association.
Head Office Support Team
Running successful journeys and expeditions is more about experience, knowledge and strategic management than any other factors. As an organisation, we place a substantial amount of time and resources into ensuring our trips are well planned and supported. You can be assured that the AC staff will provide you with friendly advice and knowledgeable support throughout the planning stages of your trip and we will be there to provide backup while the trip is running.
Suze Kelly, General Manager
Suze has been coordinating the office at AC headquarters since 1996 and was our Everest Base Camp Manager in 2000, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Much of the quality of our expeditions and the way we go about things here at AC is owed to the attention to detail which Suze applies in her role. Suze has skied and climbed in New Zealand all her life, including ascents of Mt Aspiring and Mt Cook and internationally she has climbed Island Peak, Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro, Lhotse, Everest and Vinson.

Your Health
Our registration form requests that you advise us of any medical problems you may have and if you are on any medication. Any information you supply will be treated as confidential.
Level of Experience Required
You need to be a strong intermediate skier or snowboarder. Your guide places special focus on fitness levels and will regulate the pace accordingly.
Difficulty Rating
Each of our trips is individually rated according to its physical and technical difficulty, displayed in the icons towards the top of each trip page. You can click on the accompanying question mark for additional descriptions and the full run-down of our grading system is available on our Difficulty Ratings page.
Preparing for Your Trip
To make the most of your skiing experience we encourage you to work on your fitness and skiing/snowboarding prior to the trip. See our Fitness Training Programs for information on how we can help you prepare for your trip.
Food
We place emphasis on providing nutritious meals and a good supply of snack food throughout the trip. If you have any special dietary requirements, please advise us at the time of registration. For special diets such as vegan and gluten/dairy free, we will call you to discuss your needs and how this will work in the group cooking situation.
Accommodation
Wanaka has a range of accommodation from backpackers, motels, hotels and luxury lodges. We are happy to assist with your accommodation arrangements.
The best thing of all about this trip is that the course operates from a cosy hut, high up above the snowline. A short tour takes us directly to the surrounding peaks and bowls with vast amounts of untracked snow. The hut provides a cosy atmosphere to enjoy the evening meals and reflect on each days skiing before a well-earned sleep.
Please note: Adventure Consultants will provide accommodation while the course is running which is from 9.00am on Day 1 until 5.00pm on Day 3. All accommodation outside this time will be at your expense.
Clothing & Equipment
While winter ski touring in the New Zealand mountains requires good personal gear due to the potential cold weather conditions, your regular ski clothing, bulked up with a warm down jacket (and a few other items) will normally suffice. Our focus is on having the essential clothing and equipment, whilst keeping pack weights as light as possible for your comfort and ease of travel. We can supply a winter sleeping bag for your use on the course if you do not have your own.
Click here for a comprehensive equipment list. We carry a good range of modern rental equipment. If you will be renting equipment from us please advise your requirements in advance to ensure correct sizing and availability. If you intend on buying any equipment items, we are happy to advise on recommended brands and models, and of key importance - their suitability to the type of activity. We offer our clients discounted prices on a selection of equipment and clothing, and can arrange for the equipment to be available upon your arrival.
Your guide will go through an equipment checklist with you prior to the trip. We have snowshoes available for rent for snowboarders or we can help you rent a split board and climbing skins. For skiers, we can help you with sourcing rental of specialised touring skis, boots and climbing skins.
You can also read the following equipment notes which are designed to help you when making decisions about which equipment best suits your personal needs.
Travel
We commence this trip from our base in Wanaka. The nearest airport is located in Queenstown, approximately one hour's drive away. Air New Zealand and Jetstar airlines provide daily services to Queenstown from Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington. There are also direct international flights from most major Australian cities.
A shuttle service operates several times daily between Queenstown and Wanaka (from $35 each way), see https://www.ritchies.co.nz/wanaka. We are happy to assist with your transfer arrangements.
Bus services also operate daily between Christchurch and Wanaka (approximately 6 hours' travel time).
Weather
Weather is an integral facet of any mountain range but the advantage of this trip is we do not rely on helicopter access so we are able to ski up in the Pisa Range area in all but the worse storms. Temperatures will drop to as low as –10° Celsius at night and could rise to as high as 15° Celsius during the day.