DRAFT TTC Youth Snowcraft
Snowcraft will introduce you to the skills essential for those contemplating transalpine tramping or venturing above the bushline in winter conditions and upto grade 1.5 climbs.
There are eight spaces available in each course.
Overview of Snowcraft for Youth
The age range of those attending can be between 15-18 years of age.
We will begin with a session at the TTC club rooms to introduce the course, basic concepts and the plan for the weekend. Here we will issue you with helmets, crampons and an ice axe.
We will then run a practical two-day weekend run on the Whakapapa ski field on Mt Ruapehu.
The weekend covers the fundamental snowcraft skills such as:
- Correct selection and use of an ice axe
- Moving on Snow without crampons
- Moving on snow with crampons
- How to self-arrest
If this is something you are interested in Please register for the Youth Snowcraft here. The cost of this course is $244.
Post-course trips
Post-course trips are an excellent opportunity to help embed the knowledge you will gain through the courses.
We plan to run a post-snowcraft trip mainly in the North Island. This will be a mix of Adults and youths at times. The course will prepare you to go on trips with climbing grade 1.5.
These trips are optional and will be led by our volunteer instructors. They are weather and avalanche condition-dependent. Dates will be confirmed shortly.
Is it for me?
The courses include supervised travel on moderately-angled snow slopes which can be icy. Participants are encouraged to climb short steeper sections as their confidence and footwork improves.
Participants are expected to have reasonable level of fitness and the ability to walk for up to eight hours a day, at standard walking pace, with off track travel and 1000m of vertical ascent.
Adapting to the conditions
We can expect to experience storms and strong winds on Ruapehu and will adapt the programme to suit the conditions.
Contact the course convener if you have questions about the suitability of the course for you.
Course Costs
The costs of the courses cover accommodation, some food, and transport and subsidising our volunteer instructor costs.
TTC will provide all technical equipment for the course and optional post-course trips (axes, crampons etc). Students will be required to have appropriate mountain clothing and footwear.
The course is available only to members of the TTC or the children of members. Membership is already included in the course fee so if you are already a member or a child of a member the cost will be $49 less.
The club gear room does have some gear which members can borrow.
Once you have registered your interest in the course further details on gear needed will be provided.