Adventure Logistics Ltd.

Back again from Antarctica

2012-02-20T16:42:00.001-08:00

Hi All yet again I'm back from the great harsh continent.

I have just got back from another season working for the New Zealand Antarctic program as a field trainer and guide to their science events.

I have put my pictures on Picasa web albums for all to see, check it out. But here is my favourite landscape pic from this trip, of Mt Erebus.

I did this playing with my new Nikon P700 camera which is a great camera which makes me look talented

Enjoy the pics

2011-03-28T14:55:00.000-07:00

Grivel Air-Tech Crampon Review
One Crampon to rule them all.

Another great product from the guys in Courmayeur Italy I would like to recommend: The Air-Tec Crampon by Grivel.

I have had a pair of Air-Tec Crampons for the last 3 years and I love them as an all round mountaineering crampon.
These guys are some of the lightest full steel crampons available in NZ (790gr w/o Antibotts), and lend them selves so well to some of the following: Mixed climbing routes in Arthur's Pass, The high neves of Mt Cook National park, Antarctic mountaineering and Ski Touring in winter.

The reason I like these sharps are because they have the same aggressive 2 front points that it's bigger brother the Grivel G12's has making them climb moderate ice and steep gully climbs securely but also the lower profile underfoot points that make walking so easy on hard ice and long trips when you are tired and slightly lazier as you don't need to lift your feet as much. Rock or mixed climbing in these guys is also easier due to their lower profile secondary points that don't scratch around as much as the G12's do meaning you can place the side of your foot securely and not feel as though you are on high heels as much as other more specific alpine crampons.

I have adapted them slightly from out of the box to make them as versatile as I rant about.
The adaptations that I have done are to make them as versatile as I can for all the work that I do. I have replaced the hard centre bar with a flex bar and nylon nut and bolt which means that they are lighter, able to work on all my boot types and are slightly safer as they are less likely to loose parts while in transit on my pack than the standard clip (this is only a theoretical problem).

I chose to go with the full strap option as they are then usable on all my boots from light alpine rock boots through to my ski boots, speaking of ski boots, I have added a small double fisherman loop of 3mm cord on the front bail to give me the extension I needed to reach over my high altitude boots and my ski boots without having to adjust the center bar, which I think is a great idea (=

So if you are looking for a great all round mountaineering crampon that can do a little of everything these are the guys for you. They will walk well on hard ice and firm to slushy snow with the help of the 'antibotts' that actively push off snow build up while you walk which makes for a safer crampon. The Air-Tecs' will climb most types of terrain up to NZ Gr3 routes, where the steepness of ice and harder terrain make the secondary points of the G12's preferred as they make vertical climbing more secure.

If you are too hardcore for these beauties Grivel has a great range available from the high performance ice and alpine masters the G14's or the Alpine crampons that 'go to 11' the G12's check them out. They are also really good at making Axes especially the Air-Tec Series of axes.

I rate them, you will too.
Have fun...

2011-03-28T13:45:00.000-07:00

Julbo Explorer Glasses Review.

As you can see, Julbo NZ were kind enough to give me a pair of glasses both to try and to 'sell' on to clients and others I came a cross this last year, that being said it was not hard to do.

After the initial instinct to page Elton John for his missing glasses, these guys grew on me and seeing that there is not an abundance of mirrors in the great southern continent I was secure in my masculinity.
There are a few other, less challenging colours available including Black and Grey but I liked that challenge of looking like a French mountain guide.

The short of it is that these glasses rock, as a glacier and high altitude glass, with their great coverage, side shields and adjustable arms for fit they worked a treat.
Being able to remove the side shields and or adjust the flow of air with them was great when ski touring uphill on days with no or little wind to cool off. They are great solid design with more than one screw holding them on the arms which seemed to add a great amount of redundancy. With my only concern being the attachment of the flexible arms to the body which seemed to be able to pull off if you tried hard but would be fixed with a bit of super glue.

Check these guys out, they are a great mountaineering glass that will push the boundaries of cafe life but will protect your eyes phenomenally while in the hills. So if you are spending a lot of time in the hills, on glaciers or anywhere that there is large amounts of glare like expeditions or the like I highly recommend them.
Thanks Julbo Julbo Explorer Glasses.

2011-03-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

Finally I am back,
I have a few things to review after my season in Antarctica including the following:

Julbo Explorer Glasses
Zamberlan Denali 6000 Boots
GRIVEL Air-Tec Crampons

I have also included a link to the trip so you can see that all whas not just in my head.

Adventure Logistics Picasa: Antarctica Album
Watch this space...

2010-09-09T02:37:00.000-07:00

ANTARCTICA 2010-11

Hi All,
LOOOONG time with nothing from me here, as the past couple of years have been very busy and I am also quite bad at remembering this.But turns out that I have been selected to be an Antarctica NZ 'Feild Trainer' for the 2010-11 summer season.
My Job will be to deliver to all who come onto the ice at the NZ end (Scott Base) their antarctica survival and safety training, which looks like some 300+ people this season. As well as this rather exiting but daunting job I am also a member of the JASAR-Joint Antarctica Search and Rescue team along with the american contingent of my 'compadres' from McMurdo the USAP base. Or 'Mac Town' as it is know by the Kiwis.
I will try and keep this up to date with currant pics and stuff throughout the summer season which has started for me in Aug but I arrive in Ant. My fly down date is the 28th Sep. I have attached a Pic of my Iisued work uniform for Antarctica.
Talk soon.

2009-08-06T00:39:00.001-07:00

Hi All,
Another bumper winter season in Arthurs Pass and Temple Basin, running the New Zealand Snow Safety Institute www.nzssi.com
This year I have a few things to write about including the following.
- GRIVEL AirTec Crampons
- JULBO Explorer Guide Glasses
- BD Prodogy Gloves
- And my New Skis: G3 Reverends with DYNAFIT Bindings
It should be a great season to try all these things out, as I have 6 different courses running this year including 3. 7 day Mountaineering Skills Courses, 5 Day Alpine Skills for Climbers and Trampers and 5 Day Back Country Skills course for Skiers and Boarders. This is on top of 2 weeks of Snow Caving trips with different high schools and Mountain Training courses for Christchurch Polytec outdoor recreation Certificate program.
So I should have enough days in the hills this winter to let you know how things go. I have given you a shot of the main Lodge at Templebasin with a full moon while snowcaving one night.

2009-03-04T16:04:00.000-08:00

New Route at Temple Basin Ski Field:
Just thought I would show you all a new route at Temple Basin Ski Field, it is on the main
ridge looking up the skyline from the top lodge. As far as we know there is no claim to it but
being not that long and very close to the lodge I am guessing that someone has already
climbed it.
The route starts at the base of the obvious face at the top of the towline just right of the
vegitated gully, protection is sparce but holds are great and very positive (climbed in my La Sportiva EXUMS the first time). It is possible to top rope it with one 120cm sling, size2 nut and .25 cam from a tiny ledge at the top, or if you are feeling solid to free climb it.
Next time you are up there check it out and let me know what you all think.
With any luck we will be putting more up on peak 1728m Nth of the top lodge in the next few weeks.

Skippy the French Man Gr 12.15m
-G.Geerling & S. Athura 2009

2008-11-24T00:45:00.000-08:00

What and Why: Things for an O/Night Alpine Climb

I thought that having a look at what works and why things should be taken on an Alpine climb would be a good start to this Blog.
So I will go through each item and some not shown and give you reasons and products that I have found that work well in NZ.
This list of equipment is for NZ Grade 2-3 climbs with minimal if any glaciated terrain.

1. Pack 50-60L/1.5-2kg Max!

Any 'Alpine Pack' should not have a very rigid harness, it should have flexibility and not too much padding which will limit or restrict movement while climbing This pack should have all the gear attachments for Axes, Crampons so things are nicely attached and your pack does not look like a 'Chinese laundry' which can put your balance off, gear loops are good if they can be reached easily while climbing. (Don't forget the pack liner!!!)

Cactus 'Deep winter'
Arcteryx 'No-Zone'
FairyDown 'Hammer Head'
Deuter 'Guide 45'

2. Clothing System & Rain Shell

Have a system that can be removed and added to with minimal weight and bulk when conditions change. have only 1 or 2 windproof layers and build the rest under that for heat, don't forget that your rain shell is wind proof, so you can lower weight and bulk by leaving the heavy windproof fleece at home, butv you will be slightly damper as H2o proof fabrics don't breath as well as lightweight layers so only use your shell in super cold WX or storms..
Micro fleece AKA 100 weight polartec is a great heat layer with minimal bulk and weight.

A great wind layer and real soft-shell option are either the 'parachute' type fabrics that are light and windproof but breath well or schoeller if you can afford it.

I love and swear by mt schoeller soft shell pants as a great total layer for my legs with at a maximum a pair of thermal leggings cut off at the knees during winter. Schoeller is wind resistant, wicking and water resistant making them the perfect enviroment for my active legs that create their own heat (http://www.schoeller-textiles.com)

MARMOT 'Pre-Cip' Jacket and Oricle full Zip pants
MARMOT 'Dri-Clime' Jacket
Mountain Designs Full Zip 100 Polartec Classic Jacket / Mountain Equipment 'Compressor'Synthetic Jacket
MAMMUT Champ/Base-Jump Schoeller pants

3. Sleep System

Sleeping Bag: A good quality down sleeping bag is great if you team it up with a bivi bag or if you are out just for 1 night you can skip the bivi if the WX is looking good.
a good 3+ season mummy bag should be round 1kg with a few of note under that:

Marmot 'Helium' 0.8kg
Mountain Designs 'Ultra 500' 0.9kg
Mountain Equipment 'Xero 550'

Sleeping Mat: A light and 3/4 size piece of closed cell mat is great and can be used for many things from a lunch chair to immobilizing a limb as a splint, this can be teamed up with a Ultra light self inflating mat if you want the comfort or plan to have another night out

Therm 'A' rest Pro-Lite 4 Short

Bivi Bag/Tent: Some sort of element protection is a must in NZ, things change fast so if you have decided to skip the bivi bag for weight and WX report than at least carry a tarp or 'Bothy Bag' as we have long sub alpine approaches that we could need to shelter from.

NEMO 'Tenshi' Tent 1.8Kg
Mountain Equipment 'Borealis Bivibag' 0.6Kg
Terra Nova 'Bothy Bag' 2/4 Person 0.3Kg+

4. 'Stocking fillers' AKA the little things
Head Torch: There are allot of great high output LED head torches available on the market, the difference comes down to preference and a few design features.

PETZL Myo XP / PETZL Tikka XP

Repair Kit: Your repair kit is there to deal with anything that breaks that would stop your trip fast. Some things that I would recommend you carry are; Crampon bar & bolts, spare batteries for your GPS & Torch, Gaffe tape for clothing tears and anything else, Multi tool, Needle & thread and lighter and a small candle for light or starting a fire. The rest can be tailored to the specific trip.
When I am guiding or instructing I have a massive R.K. with spare sunnies, gloves and head ware for clients that could forget or drop them or if I too have an embarrassing, forget full moment.
Allot of people have their R.K. and first-aid lit together this is a good idea as both should never need using in a perfect climbing day.

First-Aid: You can never carry enough things to deal with every emergency, if you did you would be on the ambulance helicopter doing the rescue. having some basic supplies, the knowledge and inventiveness will help you every time.
Based on industry incident reports and history you will need 3 things:

Stop the Bleeding: Wound dressings with attached bandages are great and small
Immobilize a limb: A compression/'crepe' bandage and your mandatory closed cell foam mat and a triangular bandage if you have run out of slings or other practical things
Treat the pain: this will vary on your personal preferences and how Friend to some medical practitioners as to the strength available. a good thing to remember is that PARACETAMOL treats 'neural' AKA Head aches etc and IBUPROFEN treats muscle based ailments such as cramp, cuts.
+1 Strapping tape for blisters (Blister covers/plasters are good underneath the tape), sprains etc

Navigation: A map of the area, rout plan and compass should not be even mentioned. Along with this you could include a GPS if there was allot of glaciated terrain or an area that you did not know well.(make shore your GPS and Torch are the same batteries or carry spares anyway)

Garmin GPS 'Etrex' / Foretrex 101
Suunto Compass 'M3G'
'Memory Map' Mapping Program NZ South Ist.

Sun Protection: Sunnies, 'Buff', cap and sunscreen
Kids Sunscreen is great, as it is thicker and has moisturisers that will help with wind burn. A good pair of Sunnies is essential! something with wrap around and high UV filter is a must here with the extra high UV from the clean air, that without it's excess pollutants does not refract the UV like Europe and other countries.
A 'dorky' but practical sun hat is something like a legionaries cap that has a large neck cover, the good ones are called 'Arafat' hats that have multi adjustable positions for the neck piece, these are available through fishing shops in Australia. 'Buffs' are a good sweat band and wind protection, you do look like the quintessential European tourist while styling one.
Do think about Storms and the need for storm eye ware protection like a cheap pair of goggles that are a must in out NW Storms.

JULBO 'Instinct' Multi lens / Explorer x4 Sunglasses

Sanitation: I carry a pee bottle in winter and always carry alcohol gel and T.Paper, allot of the areas climbed in NZ now encourage/demand the use of 'Poo Pots' which are a great idea if you spend a little time making one out of PVC Pipes instead of just the cheap pots provided which have a tendency to crack.

NALGENE Collapsible Canteen

5. Stove, Snacks, Water & Food: What ever float your boat will be fine, think high, long lasting energy and easy to eat all this with minimal packaging. You may or may not bring a stove so if you do you can have actual meals with hot drinks etc but the weight will go up by 50% at least. If you are doing a winter trip you must carry a stove as it is your only guaranteed way of re hydrating without running H20.

JET-BOIL PCS with modifications to the heat fins using 'pot black' paint to increase efficiency
NALGENE W/Mouth in Winter for water and a cup
MSR DROMEDARY Hydration system in Summer only (This is W/Mouth and black so I can melt snow on the top of my pack)

6. Hardware

Tools & crampons

GRIVEL G12 Crampons, Grivel seem to make the most consistent, lightest and reliable tools on the market at the moment and have for quite some time, due to their classic construction methods. There are numerous articles about crampon, boot interfaces around so I won't go on about this. Only to say that NZ has very hard snow due to the high water content from the maritime climate. And long approaches that will wear out Mtn. Boots quickly so the system that you employ needs to be secure. We have found that the 'New-Matic and full Strap systems' are the best over here as wire bindings come out of worn leather Mtn Boots easily.
GRIVEL Air-Tec / Jorasses Axe, the Jorasses is not made anymore but if you can find one greb it it is great as it has a reverse pick but still works great as a general mountain axe. The Air-Tec is it's replacement, bringing a lighter but just as strong axe and great all round performance. (www.grivel.com)

Light Alpine Rock Rack & Harness

Your harness needs to be light and have enough gear loops for all your gear (x4) and should not be uncomfortable and be able to reach everything with your full pack on. Bothy these harnesses are great, the BD is a great price point and weighs just over 300gm and the Arcteryx is the 'gucci' option but a great high tech option for those wanting high quality and high tech at a 3x the price though.

BD 'Alpine Bod' (www.bdel.com)
ARCTERYX 'X.350a' (www.arcteryx.com)

Alpine Rack: This is a great and long discussion fo ranother time, I will outline what I choose from and then take for different climbs in NZ and then let you decide what works for you and each different climb. I have given you a link with some great infomation to help with this.

4 Med Nuts (HB 3-5) / 2 Camp Tri-Cams larger than the Nuts (Black & Blue) / BD .75 & 2 Cam / 22cm AKA Yellow 'Grivel 360 Screw' with 'V' threader (Always on Glacier trips) /8x BD Hotwires /4x 8mm x 120cm Mammut Dyneema Slings / 2 Med Pitons smaller than your smallest nut / MSR 60cm/2tf 'T' Picket with center swage cable or 120cmx8mm dyneema sling / 2x 5mx7mm Cordellette
(www.aai.cc/alpine-rack.asp)

Rope:

Single, Half or short? Choose a rope system that is best for you. I have been using a 30m x 8mm glacier rope more and more as I feel my ability increases to the point that I am comfortable down climbing anything that I have climbed up, but I have the light rope as an insurance policyif I need to abseil or travel on a glacier. but for routes -1 to+2 I am normally happy soloing but this depend as well on my partner. If it is a commmiting route I might take a half rope system so I have longer abseils but this dose make for trickier rope management. I always reccomend people start with a good 9.2-10mm x 60m Dry treated rope as management is easier, you have enough for 30m abseils and they are a cheaper starting option. (www.mammut.ch)

MAMMUT 'Infinity 9.5mmx60m'/'Galaxy 10mmx60m' (Single)
MAMMUT 'Pheonix 8mmx60m Pair' (Half)
BEAL 'Rando 8mmx30m' (half/glacier rope)

Helmet

GRIVEL 'salamnder'
PETZL 'Elios"

Walking Poles

Walking poles are great on the approach and the decent as they help stabilise the body with extra weight on your back and can reduce the load on your joints by up to 25%, they do take practice to use but one you have them you will wnder why you mocked the european's doing laps around you in the hills. Look for poles that are feild maintainable with easy but relyable locking mechanisims and the minnimal of gadgets.

BD Expedition Poles Short

7. Extras: Boots, Gloves

Glove systems seem to be a personal prefrence things, remember that we are working in a damper enviroment that the continents and need a good easy to dry layering system. we also don't have such extreeme temps as they are gracedwith so the hard core 'expedition' style gloves will be too hot for the majority of what we do here. So I would suggest the following: 2x Liners (polypro) / Leather work gloves and a extreme shell layer.

CACTUS 'SPG' (Light polypro linede leather gloves with a geat cuff)
BD Patrol Glove (Leather with goos=d cuff and warm)
MARMOT Work Glove (Leather with lining and h20 proof)
BD Guide Glove (great h20 proof glove that dries quickish)

Boots:

Boots are also personal but going with the leather mountaineering boots I would insist with; we have long approaches not on snow and need dexterity and support withour being uncomfortable. the system of plastics and tennis shoes has been done away with buy employing the high tech version of what the foundding fathers used, thus becomming lighter and simpler. Yes you might be a bit hot walking up the valley but its better than carrying 1kg extra of plastic boot for that one 10m pitch of ice that may or may not be there. Leathers are also better at climbing rock than plastic, and have a better relationship with cramponsas they have some flexability that allows the crampons to stay on better.

There are many different boots available out there but the main and most sucsessful brands are La Sportiva and Scarpa. both Italian and both good for different reasons. Try them both, most people are one ot the other brand as the lasts are different thus fitting different feet.

People also buy better than they need on the off chance that they mighyt use them for that 'odd peice of ice or winter climbing. Choose your boot for the majority of what you will be doing not for that one off trip that may not happen. I have listed boots that work well in NZ with some being better for -1 to 2+ climbing and others for Neve travel and climbng (Cumbre / Nepal Extreeme Evo)

LA SPORTIVA 'Khumbu' / 'Karakorum' / 'Nepal Extreme Evo'
SCARPA 'Chamoz' / 'Cumbre'