JOURNEYS AND COURSES OPEN FOR BOOKING

9-10 December 2023: INTRODUCTORY NAVIGATION COURSE

Duration: 2 days

Group Size: limited to 6

Cost: $745 per person

Meeting point: Wanaka

Instructor: Rob Frost

Have you ever found yourself accidentally off-track in the forest or thick mist and not known what to do? Or the idea of doing a trip away from marked routes makes you nervous? Join our introductory navigation course in real off-track terrain and become a confident navigator.

We’ll help you translate what the map means so you can determine how it relates to the landscape around you. We’ll go over methods for working out where you are, how to plan and follow a logical route, and how to estimate how long a route will take to travel. We’ll also show you some tips for using topomap apps on your phone, together with a few ways that a compass can help you, using a very simple method (no more remembering “do I add or subtract?”).

If at least four people sign up to this course, all participants will receive a 10% discount on the standard price.

2-7 Jan 2024: LANDSBOROUGH MISSION

Duration: 6 days

Difficulty: Very Hard

Group size: limited to 4

Cost: $3725

Meeting point: Christchurch (evening of 1 Jan) or Twizel (2 Jan)

Guide: Rob Frost

This trip aims to get into the mighty Landsborough River valley, starting and finishing in the Hopkins Valley and crossing the Main Divide twice. This is the hardest trip we’ve ever advertised and is not for the faint hearted. Participants need to be good at moving over uneven ground and should be prepared for a couple of long days.

It’ll be an unforgettable experience with a small group, taking everything we need in order to be self-sufficient.

Mountain Journeys will supply the tents, cooking equipment, alpine equipment, and food – all you need to bring is your personal gear. $80/day discount if you supply your own food.

27-29 JAN 2024: ADVANCED NAVIGATION COURSE

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Duration: 3 days

Group Size: limited to 4

Cost: $1285

Meeting Point: Christchurch or Arthurs Pass

Instructor: Rob Frost

This course will be aimed at those of you who already know how to read a topomap but want to learn a few extra tricks, such as:

really understanding the nuances of contour lines and what they can (and can’t) tell you
choosing an efficient route and estimating how long it will take
determining your location with greater confidence
anticipating the nature of terrain before you get to it, and where you’re likely to find good campsites or river crossing locations
what kinds of natural features allow faster or slower progress
efficient use of the map, compass, and altimeter system, and how a phone app can be effectively utilised when available

The skills covered on this course are essential for anyone getting into remote off-track tramping or hunting trips, or looking to improve efficiency on adventure races.

3-6 Feb 2024: MODERATE-HARD GUIDED JOURNEY

Duration: 4 days

Difficulty: Moderate to Hard

Group size: limited to 4

Cost: $2545

Meeting point: Christchurch (evening of 2 Feb)

Guide: Rob Frost

This Waitangi Weekend, join us for a challenging yet achievable journey above the bushline on a self-sufficient off-track tramping trip. Our primary aim will be to head to rugged ranges and valleys of the West Coast, but if the weather dictates then we can change plans to head for the east side of the Main Divide.

We’ll travel as a small group, using tracks and huts to help us get to and from the nearest road, but carrying tents for at least one night out somewhere a little more remote and off-track. There will probably be one or two longish days (8-10 hours) and some uneven travel.

This trip is best suited to people who’ve found marked routes a little too tame for their liking but aren’t quite sure how to push the boat out further.

2-3 March 2024: INTRODUCTORY NAVIGATION COURSE

Duration: 2 days

Group Size: limited to 6

Cost: $745 per person

Meeting point: Christchurch or Arthurs Pass (evening of 1 March)

Instructor: Rob Frost

29 March – 2 April 2024 (Easter): TRANSALPINE SKILLS COURSE

Duration: 5 days

Group size: limited to 4

Cost: $2425

Meeting point: Christchurch (evening of 28 March)

Instructor: Rob Frost

For those of you who want to venture out independently off-track, whether your tramping, hunting, or seeking remote mountaineering objectives, this is the course that gives you the route finding ability to do so.

This is a great course for a group of friends wanting to do more trips together. River crossing, campsite selection, off-track navigation, and most importantly route selection, are all covered. Each of our Transalpine Skills Courses are different – they’re heavily influenced by the experience levels and future ambitions of you and your fellow participants.

This Autumn course does not include snow skills due to seasonal conditions. However, it has a much stronger focus on route selection and advanced navigation than the Spring course, and requires a high level of competency at moving over uneven ground.

24-28 April 2024: WEST COAST WILDERNESS PHOTOGRAPHY JOURNEY

Duration: 4 1/2 days

Group size: limited to 4

Cost: $3950

Meeting point: Christchurch (afternoon of 24 April)

Instructors: Rob Frost & Mark Watson

Join guide & photographer Rob Frost and renowned wilderness and adventure photographer Mark Watson on a unique opportunity to learn landscape and wilderness photography techniques in the mountains of Westland.

This course will cover a range of photographic skills: from shooting tramping and outdoor activity to landscapes and the night skies. You’ll experience a wide range of settings and subjects as we tramp to a remote location through the best of West Coast river valleys, luxuriant forest and tussocky alpine tops. We’ll camp in photogenic locations with ample opportunities to learn and practise the craft of photography.

This trip will have a general tuition structure that can be tailored specifically to the skills or experience of the participants and is a rare opportunity to learn from two of the country’s most experienced transalpine photographers, as they impart not only their photographic knowledge, but also transalpine tramping skills such as navigation and route finding.

Participants are required to carry all of their own personal equipment such as sleeping bags, clothing, snacks, lunches, and photography equipment. Mountain Journeys will provide tents, cooking equipment, dinners, breakfasts, and safety equipment.

See more of Rob’s work here and Mark’s work here.

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JOURNEYS AND COURSES OPEN FOR BOOKING

9-10 December 2023: INTRODUCTORY NAVIGATION COURSE

2-7 Jan 2024: LANDSBOROUGH MISSION

27-29 JAN 2024: ADVANCED NAVIGATION COURSE

3-6 Feb 2024: MODERATE-HARD GUIDED JOURNEY

2-3 March 2024: INTRODUCTORY NAVIGATION COURSE

29 March – 2 April 2024 (Easter): TRANSALPINE SKILLS COURSE

24-28 April 2024: WEST COAST WILDERNESS PHOTOGRAPHY JOURNEY

…or send us a quick message via our contact page to let us know you’re interested.