A crisp winters morning and the quiet calm welcomed staff both new and old to day one of our Winter Staff Training. The aim over the next few days is to develop a foundation of winter skills, challenge staff and develop team cohesion through shared experience.
Tim Shaw our newest contract instructor with Alpine 1 NZOIA qualification begun with a theory lesson on, preparing for a day in the mountains, weather forecasting and using the avalanche advisory, and the kit you need to be safe and make the most of the alpine environment.
Eager excitement could be felt throughout the team as they finish the theory and literally head for the mountains. They embark on a mission to the Lewis Tops. It wasn't long before they had breached the bushline to amazing snow and panaromic views! A full afternoon of walking without crampons, ice axe use, crampon use, primary belay/primary anchor, and self-arresting, ensued. Tim made sure to take advantage of teachable moments around past avalanche activity and terrain choice
Day 2's plan was to head up Mt Faust and establish a campsite above the bush line next to the (frozen) tarns. With enthusiasm the crew practiced skills from the previous day, built a camp appropriate for a school group and settled in. They have planned an early start tomorrow morning...
The alarmed roused the team from sleep at 5am, under the stars and matariki they hustled to break camp ready to summit Mt Faust and welcome in the day. On route to the summit Tim went through route finding and terrain management as well as avalanche rescue scenarios in teams of 3-4. They reached the summit on sunrise and welcomed in a beautiful sunrise and a -10 degree morning the crew plowed through waist deep pockets of snow and down a somewhat frozen scree slope arriving back at the Boyle thoroughly exhausted after a big few days.
Staff training is an integral part of our operation, developing skill sets, and team cohesion are all important aspects that have a positive flow into our culture and delivery of programmes.
