1. What is your skill/ experience level?

It?s very important to be honest with yourself about where you?re at and try and equate your skill level with a target.There is a huge amount to learn about multi-day climbing at altitude, that can?t be got from climbing in New Zealand.
So don?t sandbag yourself! If you want a modicum of success your first time out, don?t aim too big or it will all end in tears!

Be aware:
The climbing will seem a lot harder than it does at home.
? The mountains are bigger and require multiple days to climb- you may well be carrying 10 days food and equipment on top of what you would normally take to do an ascent of a peak in New Zealand.
? You will be in a foreign, most likely third world country with an alien culture and alien food. There is a reasonable chance someone in the party will have been ill even before reaching base camp.
? Most of all, you will be climbing at ALTITUDE, and until you?ve done this you wont be able to comprehend its debilitating effect, or know how you personally, are going to perform.

2. How fit and strong is your expedition team as a whole?

Is your team capable of a long approach carrying heavy packs, or do you have to choose a mountain that porters can get all the way to the bottom of.
It?s important to realistically assess the team?s strength and fitness as a whole. As already mentioned, carrying heavy packs at altitude is very physically taxing. If some of your team members aren?t very strong at load carrying, or you think they won?t train seriously for the trip, choose something below 6000m that?s relatively non technical. Also choose something you can get porters to the base of- you don?t want to be left trying to get three weeks of food and equipment 20 km up a glacier unless you have a strong team.

Do you want to climb a Himalayan peak in a third world country where you get the full expedition experience: peak fees, bureaucracy, long uncomfortable road trips, liaison officers, porters ?and all the associated potential pitfalls?
Or would you would you rather go somewhere like Alaska, or even South America, where bureaucracy, logistics and the effects of altitude are minimal?

The thing about tackling an expedition to the Greater Ranges is the more times you do it, the easier if becomes and if you want to do this sort of thing you gotta get started sometime. And you are in for a great great adventure!

On the other hand Alaska or somewhere like Peru are really good stepping stones towards climbing in the Greater Ranges – the mountains aren?t too high, but they have a ?high? feel about them, and Alaska especially, it can be very remote.

4. What is your budget?

Anywhere is going to be pricey with the Kiwi dollar the way it is, but obviously some places are more expensive than others.
If you are on a tight budget, then you might to look for a mountain where some of the following apply:

1. The peak fee is low or non existent.
(Western China, Alaska, South America, some Nepalese peaks)

2. Other fees (eg. environmental or rescue) are at a minimum.
(Not India and not Pakistan!)

3. Your peak is close to your point of entry into the country eg. you don?t have a five day drive across the Tibetan Plateau, only a two day drive!
(Alaska, a small portion of Western China, Peru, flying into the Khumbu, Nepal)

4. Base camp is close to the road end which will reduce porter costs.
( Peru,)

5. You can get away with not having a liaison officer and possibly a cook.
(Again, not India and not Pakistan!)

6. You don?t need to buy a whole lot of new equipment eg. porter-ledge or full down-suit.
(Don?t go steep and don?t go high)

7. The peak is around or below the 6000m mark, so you can acclimatise and whizz up it without spending a lot of expensive time.
(Western China has some goodies, the Khumbu in Nepal)

8. The area is known for its really settled weather- again you can whiz up and down quickly without any weather hold up.
(Ha! Ha!)

5. Is the trip subject to getting grants or sponsorship to finance it?

A whole new ball game but it can be done! See ?Climbing Grants Available to Kiwi Climbers?.

6. What is your time-frame?

This will be determined by work and family obligations, budget, the climbing conditions (monsoon, the onset of winter) in particular parts of the world, and other stuff.

Its possible to have a successful expedition out of New Zealand in 24 days (minimum) to peak around 6000m.

This will enable you the following:
1. An eighteen hour flight from New Zealand/ eighteen hours return.
2. A day in the city to sort stuff and a day on the way back to shop for presents and get drunk.
3. Two day drive to the road end/ two days to return.
4. Two day walk in to base camp/ two days to return.
5. Twelve days to acclimatise and summit a beautiful moderately technical 6000m peak alpine style in great condition, with four days up your sleeve for bad weather, porter strikes, road hold ups etc.

Some places that would allow for this type of trip would be:
? The Daxue Shan Range in Sichuan, China.
? The Khumbu region of Nepal
? The Mt McKinley area in Alaska
? Certain parts of Pakistan adjacent the Karakoram Highway, like the Passu Glacier.
? Nyainqentanglha East in Tibet (if you a sure confident your bureaucracy is in order.)

For a peak a thousand metres higher (6500-7000m), to have a good shot at the summit you need around 42 days.

This will enable you:
A two day flight from New Zealand/ two days return.
1. A day in the city meeting you outfitter and getting sorted.
2. A three day drive to the road end/ two days return.
3. A four day walk into base camp/ two days return.
4. 24 days to acclimatise and climb the peak, allowing for weather hold ups.
5. Two days in the city organising freight, having meetings,get drunk.
6. Two day flight back to New Zealand.

Some places that would allow for this type of trip would be:
? The Garwhal Region of India.
? The western end of the Karakoram.
? Nyainqentanglha East in Tibet.
? The Hindu Kush ( so long as you can avoid the Taliban.

Obviously with an 8000m peak you need more time, but that isn?t the kind of expedition we are dealing with.

7. What outcome is important to you?

Is summiting important, or is the experience itself enough regardless of whether you get to the top.

If summiting is your goal then don?t sandbagging yourself on you first time in the Greater Ranges.
Choose carefully something that?s not too high, well within your technical ability, and build into your schedule plenty of time to acclimatise, get fit, deal with unfamiliar bureaucracy and culture, the vagaries of porters and staff, and of course the weather.

However if you are happy with sitting at the bottom of the north face of Jannu for six weeks because its beyond your climbing ability, just to be able to say ?I?ve just come home from an attempt on north face of Jannu? ? then go for it! You will get some kudos regardless of whether you did any climbing, but it won?t have made you a better climber.
7. Do you want to climb an unclimbed peak or route? Or are you happy on something already climbed, even ?classic?

Unclimbed
Advantages:
? You are more likely to be eligible for grants and sponsorship
? You?ll be treated like a hero if you get to the top (especially if others have failed).
? You?ll get written up in the likes of the AAC, the Himalayan Journal, Alpinist Magazine, the Alpine Club Journal.
? It?s just the best feeling getting to the top of something no one else has climbed.
Disadvantage:
You have to do a lot more research to find a peak that?s suitable. This takes time!

Climbed
Advantages:
There will be plenty of information available- you will be able to use others research and save heaps of time.
You will still get a great feeling when you get to the top!
Disavantage: no one will care a toss except you and your mum!

8. What style of climbing?

If you are going to be climbing at altitude, your ascent will be multi-day – something that just doesn?t happen in New Zealand. You need to decide whether you want to make an ?alpine-style? attempt, or go ?expedition? style.

Note: ?Alpine style? refers to mountaineering in a self-sufficient manner, climbing from the bottom to the summit without porters or oxygen, carrying all of one’s food, shelter and equipment.
This compares with ?expedition? (or siege style) mountaineering which involves setting up a fixed line of stocked camps (potentially using porters) to be accessed at ones leisure.

Most likely you will be climbing alpine style, or a version of it, unless you are going really steep, or on a commercial guided ascent of an 8000m peak.
Expect to have to work hard, but believe me, the rewards of getting up a mountain in the Himalaya or Karokoram without the aid of porters or supplementary oxygen is endlessly worth it.

Sources of information

Publications:

1) Chronik der Erschliebung des Karakorum: Teil 1 ? Western Karakorum
By Wolfgang Heichel
Published by Haus des Alpinismus, Alpines Museum, Praterinsel 5, Munchen. 2005.
http:www.alpenverein.de

2) Japanese Alpine Centenary: 1905- 2005.
By Tamotsu Nakamura
Published by The Japanese Alpine Club, Yonbancho-ku, Tokyo.2005
http:www.jac.or/English/jac_e.htm

3) East of the Himalaya: To the Alps of Tibet
By Tamotsu Nakamura
Published by The Japanese Alpine Club, Yonbancho-ku, Tokyo.2003
http:www.jac.or/English/jac_e.htm

4) A Guide to Mountaineering in China
Published by the Chinese Mountaineering Association
(Now out of print)

5) Peaks and Passes of the Garwhal Himalaya
By Jan Babicz
Published by Alpinistcyny Klub Eksploracyjny. Ul. Armii Krayowej Sopot. 1990.
Distributed in Britain by: Cordee, 3a De Montford St, Leicester LE1 7HD.

Climbing Grants Available to Kiwi Climbers

? New Zealand Alpine Club Expedition Fund
Available to anyone who?s a member of the NZAC and looking to go on an overseas expedition. Applications are considered twice yearly. Grants range from $300 to $3000. Find the application form on: http://alpineclub.org.nz/default/37

? Sparc Hillary Expedition Fund
Sparc made $100,000 in grants available to Kiwi expeditions in 2003, 2006 and 2008 and hopefully this will happen again. Grants ranging from $5000 to $20,000 are made to groups of New Zealanders challenge themselves and inspire others in the great outdoors. They are not just available to climbers and are heavily contested, with an in depth application process. Don?t be disappointed if you don?t get one the first time you apply. Try again!.
Go to: http://www.sparc.govt.nz/en-nz/recreation/Hillary-Expedition/

? Mount Everest Foundation Grant
Available to British and New Zealand climbers who are attempting first ascents or new routes in the Greater Ranges, Alaska and South America. The expedition must have a strong exploratory component. Applications are accepted twice a year. After the expedition a preliminary report is required, followed by an intensive report within three months. The amount of the grants has gone up recently, and can be as much as British ?2000. Application form on the website.
www.mef.org.uk

? Shipton Tilman Grant
These are offered by WL Gore and Associates, as a tribute to Eric Shipton and Bill Tilman and the spirit of adventure they embodied. The grant provides US$30,000/year to be divided amongst three to six expeditions from any part of the world, who plan to accomplish their feat in a self-propelled environmentally sound way. Exploration and new routing is a big part of this award.
Applications are accepted every eighteen months. Application form on the web site: http://www.gore.com/en_xx/news/2010shiptontilman.html
or write to: WL Gore and Associates Inc, 295 Blue Ball Road, Elkton, MD 21921

? International Polartec Challenge
Offered by Polartec (fabrics) this grant assists low impact teams from around the world who support the spirit and practice of outdoor adventure. Grants are around US$5000. Applications are accepted once a year. Application form on the website.
www.polartec.com
Contact: Ruthann Brown: brownr@maldenmills.com

? Mazamas Expedition Grants
The goal of these grants is to develop the physical and mental abilities of climbers through expedition training. Mazamas is a club, but the organisation will support non members for possible contribution to the sport of climbing. The deadline is ongoing and the amount is variable. Applciation form on the website.
www.mazamas.org/adventure

? National Geographic Expeditions Council Grant
These grants are offered by National Geographic to fund exploration and adventure around the world. To get one of these you would have to put in a very strong application with a ?compelling story.? The deadline is ongoing and the amounts range from US$5000 to $US35,000. Application form on the website.
www.nationalgeographic.com

? Nick Escourt Award
This award goes to one elite expedition every year, and ?expeditions to easily accessible areas or those with ill-defined objectives? are unlikely to be accessible. It?s unlikely a New Zealand Expedition will win this award any time in the near future but there is no harm in putting in an application, for the practice. The amounts are around British ?1000. Applications are accepted once a year. Application form on the website.
www.nickescourtaward.org

? British Mountaineering Council
If you are lucky enough to have a British passport or be climbing with a Brit, you may benefit from a BMC grant. These are around the 400 pound mark. Applications are accepted twice a year. Application form on the website.
www.bmc.org.uk

? Timmissartok Foundation
This organisation will partially support projects that involve ?travel with a purpose? in which a particular passion is explored. It is open to ?individuals seeking adventure in foreign lands? ? all nationalities and ages. Grant amounts are ?small.? Applications are accepted anytime. Application form on the website.
www.timmissartok.com

? Hans Saari Memorial Fund Exploration Grant
This grant supports innovative ski mountaineering expeditions with technical goals in alpine terrain. Special consideration is given to expeditions to unclimbed, unexplored regions. Up to three grants are awarded per year. Applications are accepted once a year. The amount is US15000. Application form on the website.
www.hansfund.org

In 2002 Pat was part of an expedition to Alaska. She made six successful ascents including two technical test pieces on Mt Huntington (the Nettle/Quirk route and the Colton/Leach route). She returned to Alaska in 2003 and made a first ascent of the Nth. Face of Pk 11,520 in the Alaskan Range. She also made an ascent of the Nth Buttress of Mt. Hunter (via ?Deprivation?) and the SW Ridge of 11,300 in the Ruth Amphitheatre.
In 2004 Pat took part in two Himalayan mountaineering expeditions: the British/New Zealand Jankuth Expedition to the Indian Garwhal region, and the New Zealand Expedition to Cholatse, Nepal. Neither expedition summated due to poor weather and snow conditions.
In 2005, with ex-pat New Zealander Karen McNeill, she made the first ascent of Xiashe (6000m), a remote and technical route in eastern Tibet. The team of two women beat a strong team of British climbers to the summit.
In September 2006 she returned to eastern Tibet and made the first ascent of the much coveted Haizi Shan (approximately 6000m) by the direct north face with British climber Malcolm Bass. They were the eleventh expedition to try the peak and the first to succeed.
In 2007 Pat took part in two expeditions to Asia. In June/July she attempted the first ascent of Beka Brakkai Chhok (6900m) with fellow Kiwi Lydia Bradey. The pair were unsuccessful on BBC, but did make the first ascent of a smaller peak in the same area which they named Wahine (5900m).
A month later Pat returned to India and made the first ascent of a 6400m peak in the Gangotri glacier with Scottish climber Bruce Norman. The pair called the peak Miandi Peak.
The following (2008) year Pat returned to Pakistanwith Malcolm Bass to make a second attempt at Beka Brakkai Chhok. The pair were forced to sit out a seven day storm at over 6000m which left them with very little food. Once the weather cleared they attempted at the summit but were forced back at 6400 by bad snow conditions.
In 2009 Pat made a successful solo ascent of unclimbed Karim Sar (Northern Pakistan). Her team mate Paul Hersey waited at 5000m while Pat climbed the final 1000m alone. She received much international acclaim for this ascent.
Over the past decade Pat has waterfall ice climbed and rock-climbed internationally to a very high level.
During recent Nth American winters she has spent 120 days waterfall ice climbing in the Canadian Rockies. She has led water fall ice to grade 7, including lead ascents of highly acclaimed test pieces ?Sea of Vapours?(WI 7), Acid Howl (WI 6+) and French Maid (WI 6+). With a Canadian climbing partner she completed a significant new route on the Terminator Wall,?Stuck in the Middle? (M7, WI6)
Pat has been a dedicated rock climber since 1990. She has climbed extensively throughout Australia over the past fifteen years. In 1996 she was part of the first female partnership ascent of ?Siblings of the Sun? (9 pp, grd.26/12.c), at the time considered Australia?s most committing multipitch climb. In 1997 she climbed for four months in Thailand, Spain and France. In 1999 she spent six months climbing in Britain and the USA. In 2001 she completed the first ascent of her hardest climb to date ??Intifada? (grd28/ 29/ French 8a)
She was the New Zealand Women?s Sport Climbing Champion in 1994 and was placed 3rd in the Escalade Australia International Competition in 1995.
Pat won the Macpac/CMC Mountaineer of the Year Award in 1999

Mountaineering
? 2009: First ascent solo of Karim Sar (6200m) Hunza region, Northern Pakistan.
? 2008: Second attempt at Beka Brakkai Chok. (unsuccessful)
? 2007: First ascent of Miandi Peak, Gangotri Glacier, Northern India.
? 2007: Attempt at the first ascent of Beka Brakkai Chok (5900m) Baltoro Massif, Northern Pakistan. (unsuccessful). Successful first ascent of Wahine (5800m)
? 2006 Member of a two person team to make the first ascent of Haizi Shan (6000m), Western Sichuan, China.
? 2005 Member of a two person team to make the first ascent of Xiashe (6000m), Eastern Tibet.
? 2004 Member of British/New Zealand Himalayan Expedition to make first ascent of (Mt) Janahut, Uttaranchal, India. (unsuccessful)
? 2004 Member of 2 man New Zealand expedition to (Mt) Cholatse, Khumbu region, Nepal.
? 2004 Ascent of the Caroline Face of Mt Cook.
? 2003 ?Take Two? Expedition to Alaska. First ascent of the North Face of Peak 11,520. Ascent of ?Deprivation?, on the North Buttress of Mt Hunter. Ascent of the South Ridge of Peak 11,300
? 2002 ?One Lucky Guy? Alaska Expedition. Single push ascents of Colton/Leach and Nettle/Quirk routes on Mt Huntington, Alaska.
? 2002 First ascent of new route ?Centurion? (left hand variant) Mt Tasman grade 5.
? 2000 First female team ascent (with sister ) of the South Face of Douglas Peak grade 5+
? 2000 First female ascent of the Hidden Balfour face of Mt Tasman grade 6+
? 1999 First female ascent of ?Logans Run? (Mt Hicks) grade 6+
? 1999 First female team ascent of the Sth Face of Mt Aspiring grade 5
? 1999 Won Macpac / Canterbury Mountaineering Club ?Mountaineer of the Year ?award.
? 1994. First female teams ascent Straughan face Mt Dilemma grade 5+
? 1985-7.Two years spent travelling and climbing in the Himalaya and Karakoram ranges. Two man unsupported ascents of several 6000+m peaks, including the South Face of Mera (Nepal) and the East Ridge of Girgindil (Karakoram). Unsupported traverse of the Barpu?Hispar glaciers with ascents of peaks in the Snow Lake area of the Karakoram.
? 1977?1979 Ascents of all of New Zealands? 10,000ft mountains.
? 1979 South to north traverse on the length of the Southern Alps of New Zealand over 3? months.

Kayaking
? 1992 First attempted female descent of Huka Falls (grade 6) Waikato River NZ.
? 1991 Raft supported descents of Nepalese rivers: Sun Khosi, Trisuli, Modi Khola and Khanali rivers.
? 1991 NZ Second descent (and first female descent) ?Nevis Bluff ?rapid (grade 6) Kawarau River NZ.
? 1991 Member of the New Zealand Woman?s Himalayan Kayaking Expedition to Sikkim, India First kayaking expedition to enter Sikim. First descents of the Tista and Ranjit Rivers (the two major rivers draining Sikkim from the Himalayan range to the Indian plains) and their tributaries, the Rangpo, and Rongni Chhu Rivers.
? 1990 First descent of the Perth River and the Manganui-a-te-au river.
? 1989 First female descent of ?Sargoods Weir? rapid (grade 5+) Kawarau River

Rock Climbing
? 1991?2004 Numerous trips to rock climb in Australia.
? 2001 First ascent ?Intifada? grade 28/29 (13a/b) (Hardest personal climb).
? 1999 6 months rock climbing tour of Britain and the USA.
? 1997 4 month rock climbing tour of Thailand, Spain and France.
? 1996 First female team ascent of ?Siblings of the Sun? (9 pitch, grade 26) Bungonia Gorge Australia. At the time considered Australia?s most committing multi-pitch climb.
? 1995 3rd place ?Escalade? international climbing competition and meet.
? 1994 1st place New Zealand. Sport climbing Championships (NZ Women?s Champion).

Waterfall ice climbing
In the northern winters of 1999/2000 and 2000/20001 I spent 120 days waterfall ice climbing in Rocky Mountain region of Canada. Highlights included:
? Lead ascents of many of the hard grade 6 climbs including Sea of Vapours, Nemesis, Acid Howl, Curtain Call, French Maid.
? Solo ascents of the classics, Bourgeau Left (WI5 ) Carlesburg (WI5 ) and Polar Circus (WI5)
? First ascent with Rob Owen of ?Stuck in the Middle? (M7+ WI 6) on the Terminator Wall in Feb 2000.

A long snow route with a few pitches of ice like, for instance, the east ridge of Cook, is the hardest type of climbing to choose an appropriate tool for. You can either have a good ice tool that?s hopeless for self arresting and shaft belays, is heavier than you want and hard to walk with, or a standard axe that doesn?t perform on the ice.

However, I?ve found the Black Diamond Venom takes away this dilemma ?it plunges into the snow well and is designed to self arrest, but also performs excellently climbing ice. The Venom, which comes in both a hammer and an axe, and in 50cm and 57cm lengths, has a slight bend at the top of the shaft which allows it to perform in steep terrain, while still allowing it to be plunged into the snow for a belay.

It also has an interchangeable pick: with the axe this is a traditional curved pick, with the hammer it is reverse curved. Both tools are well balanced, with a decent head-weight that makes them easy to swing, and come with a lock-down leash.

The Venom?s aluminium shaft is thin, and plunges into the snow well, especially due to the no-frills spike at the end. I also find it easy to wrap my unusually stumpy fingers around. The rubber grip never impeded the plunging action as far as I could tell, but it was sticky and easy to grab.

I have taken my set of Venom?s on the likes of the Zurbriggens Ridge at the end of April when its been really icy, and the Hooker face of Cook and they?ve been great. I?ve also had them on three Himalayan expeditions and am convinced these are the way to go if the mountain in question is steep and technical. They perform well on steep ground but are much lighter than other technical tools due to their ?paired down? features and to me this is vitally important. The Venom will remain my tool of choice for future expeditions

This compact two-person, four season tent weighs 1.5 kilograms and must be one of the lightest on the market?.. and is a real gem!

I?ve used it on three overseas mountaineering expeditions, each with different weather conditions, and its stood up to the test each time. In India last October it dealt with three feet of snow overnight without leaking or compressing under the weight. In Tibet the year before it dealt with 60km/hour winds and driving snow which flattened it to our faces, but didn?t seem to struggle.

The tent is built with EPIC (by Nextec) for the canopy and SilNylon on the floor. It packs down to approximately 15 x 30 cm and the poles and stakes are about 4 x 40cm It is small at 2.5 sq m so two large people may be less comfortable than me and my climbing partners. It has a bathtub floor and a single door. The door zips down with a screen flap that opens for ventilation. It also has a vent opposite the door. Outside, the tent has guy loops mid way up each of the four corners as well as stake loops on the corners. It also has small rain deflectors or hoods over the vent and the top of the door which allow the vent and door screen covers to remain slightly open during rain.

Pitching the Firstlight is very simple, the two poles setup inside the tent by fitting into a metal snap in each corner. There are also four hook and loop closures to keep the poles in place (one in each corner). My only fear when pitching the tent was the poles punching through the light Epic fabric. It is also really important to keep a hold on the tent when pitching as the lightest puff of wind will send it flying off down the mountain.
The design, based on the classic Bibler single shell tent has steep walls and a simple floor shape to optimize living space and increase headroom. I?ve really appreciated the tiny footprint when having to chop a tent platform in ice. In fact the weight of the tent and the space it takes up are comparable if not lighter and smaller than two bivi bags

With two people there is some condensation when temperatures get down below zero. I would also be reluctant to use the tent in persistent rain; in fact I got quite damp from a heavy dew in a West Coast river valley recently. It also takes some practice to live in comfortably for any length of time- you need to be organised. The fabric also seems fragile and although I haven?t torn mine yet, I?m waiting for the day.

If you are a weight conscious climber, as I am, and looking for a price-competive tent for multi-day mountain routes, particularly where its more likely to snow than rain, the First Light is a great way to go.