Trip Leaders Weekend 2026

NZAC Canterbury Westland Section Trip Leaders Weekend in Arthur’s Pass

A practical, hands-on weekend designed to build your confidence, judgement, and skills needed to lead safe and enjoyable club trips.

Based in Arthur’s Pass, this weekend focuses on learning by practice. Section members will spend both days outdoors working through trip leadership situations, developing decision-making skills, navigation, group management, and leadership confidence to be able to run a trip for other club members. 

Arrive Friday evening, meet the group, settle into accommodation, and prepare for a full weekend of learning. Trip Leader activities begin Saturday morning.

Over the weekend participants will cover:

• Trip leadership roles and responsibilities

• Group management in the field

• Communication and team dynamics

• Navigation and route finding

• Hazard awareness and dynamic risk management

• Decision making in changing conditions

• Managing pace, morale, and mixed abilities

• Incident response and common field scenarios

Saturday is focused on practical learning, followed by an evening theory session covering trip planning, weather, risk management and making a plan for the Sunday day trip for the group to go on. 

Sunday the group will undertake the Trip Plan where participants rotate through leader roles and apply the skills learned throughout the weekend. 

This weekend is ideal for NZAC members who want to begin leading trips or strengthen their outdoor leadership or build the club community. 

Click here to register, and your facilitator will be in touch to confirm your place.

Contact the organiser if you have questions:

nzac.cw.trips@gmail.com