The club runs instruction courses covering rock, snow, avalanche awareness and navigation. These courses are for NZAC members only, you must have an in date membership to sign up for a course. NZAC National run further courses to section courses and are available through the national site.

Before signing up to a course please make sure you have read the requirements for experience and that you are available for the selected dates. Furthermore, please ensure you have read our Instruction Refund Policy prior to signing-up. 

Email Natasha if you have any summer rock course related questions. 

Intro to Top Rope Rock Climbing 

A two-day course designed for those either making the transition from indoor top rope climbing to outside or for complete beginner climbers. Topics: Balance, movement and technique on rock, Safe top rope belaying, Top rope climbing,  Abseiling, Knots, Equipment and its use.

Intro to Lead Climbing 

A two-day course designed for those either making the transition from indoor sport climbing or as the next step on the climbing pathway from top rope climbing to independent sport climbing. Topics: Balance, Movement and technique on rock, Safe top rope belaying, Top rope climbing, Abseiling, Knots, Equipment and its use. 

Sport Multi Pitch 

A two-day course is suitable for those who have a sport climbing background - know how to sport lead climb, lead belay and abseil (this is NOT a beginners course). Topics: Multi-pitch sport leading, setting anchors for multi-pitch, managing the anchor station, swinging leads, belaying consideration including guide mode, multi-pitch descents, and rope management.

Traditional Climbing 

A three-day course to the introduction for Traditional Rock Climbing. This is not a beginners course and at a minimum people need to be confident sport lead climbing, lead climbing and abseiled before. Topics: Trad equipment and it's use, leading on trad, cleaning a climb, anchor set up, trouble shooting and useful tips. 

Trad Anchor/Rope Rescue

A two-day course designed to upskill and refresh on the finer points of trad climbing anchors and placements and basic rope rescue skills needed in a multi-pitch environment. Topics: Multi-directional trad anchors and trad placements, transfer the belay, release a top loaded belay (escape the belay), tandem abseil, simple hoist, troubleshooting.

This course is NOT a beginner’s course and at a minimum, you must have done the basics of trad lead climbing or recent trad course and follow-up days and know how to lead belay and abseil.

Rock Climbing Syllabus 

Please Email the Winter Instruction Co-ordinator if you have any snowcraft course related questions

Basic Snowcraft

The NZAC Basic Snowcraft course is designed for experienced trampers and those with a passion for the outdoors who are looking to gain additional skills to travel safely in alpine terrain where snow and ice is often encountered.

For more information on what will be taught check out the Basic Snowcraft Course Outline 

Intermediate Snowcraft

The NZAC Intermediate Snowcraft course is designed for NZAC Novice Mountaineers (or those with an equivalent skill set) who are looking to gain additional skills to travel safely in alpine terrain where straightforward steep snow and ice is encountered, and where abseiling on descent could be required. This is an alpine course suitable for NZAC Novice Mountaineers who have consolidated their skills through trips on grade 1+ alpine terrain. Please ensure you meet the minimum requirements.

For more information on what will be taught check out the Intermediate Snowcraft Course Outline

Avalanche Awareness 

The NZAC Avalanche Awareness course is designed for NZAC Novice mountaineers (or equivalent skill set) who are looking to gain a greater understanding of the avalanche phenomenon. This course is designed to introduce participants to the avalanche phenomenon. Those looking to spend a significant amount of time in the alpine environment should consider the 4 day Backcountry Avalanche Course. Participants should be competent in the skills listed in the Basic Snowcraft course outline to ensure they can safely access terrain during the course Please do not apply if you are not competent in the course outcomes from the NZAC Basic Snowcraft Course.

For more information on what will be taught check out the Avalanche Awareness Course Outline

Basic Navigation Course

This is a one-day basic navigation course open to NZAC members and part of the NZAC Snowcraft & Mountaineering Pathway. 

For more information on what will be taught check out the Basic Navigation Course Outline

Bush Survival Intro

A course designed to show students how to make a shelter, light a fire, signal for rescue etc when things go wrong while having an adventure in the backcountry, using both traditional bushcraft skills alongside modern equipment. Topics: Priorities of survival, Shelters - natural and man made, Fire - types, set up, lighting and maintenance, Water - procurement and processing, Signals - types and manufacturing, Kit and equipment that aid survival. 

The pathway gives you an overview of the progression and the development stages required for course attendance.