Training

WTMC runs instruction courses throughout the year, with an emphasis on learning new skills and helping you be safe in the outdoors. A few things to note:

  • For liability reasons, instruction courses are restricted to club members only.
  • Instructions courses are run by experienced club members or contracted to external provider, depending on instructor availability and level of risk. Actual content and duration will be confirmed before the course.

SIGNING UP
Sign up for courses via the links below or the trip schedule or contact the chief guide.

HELPING OUT
If you are interested in helping with training, either to coordinate or run a course, please check the Volunteering page or email the Chief Guide to discuss. Courses are more likely to occur if we have volunteers to help organise them!

Tramping SkillsIndicative contentOnline resources
Leadership
(Read more)
Leading club trips: Organisation and group management
  – know how to navigate admin processes to organise a club trip (e.g. sign up, payment and transport and food)
  – understand the safety processes in place for club trips
  – be equipped to plan a tramp, including basic map reading and weather forecast
  – be equipped to manage a group and deal with issues on the track
MSC Trip Planning
MSC Tramping Skills
Bushcraft
(Read more)
Basic tramping skills to stay safe on the track and in the bush;
– clothing, equipment, food
– shelters
– weather, basic navigation
– river and water safety
– emergency procedures
– hazards, tramping skills
MSC Supplies
MSC Weather
MSC Comms
MSC Gas and Fire
MSC Emergency
MSC Environmental Care
NavigationNavigation skills to travel on track and off track:
    – map and compass features
    – being aware of track features and landscape to support navigation
    – orientating the map using a compass
    – setting a bearing from a map and following its direction off-track
    – capturing a bearing to an object, triangulate tofind out where you are
MSC Navigation
River SafetyHow to assess whether a river or stream is safe to cross
Choosing not to cross
How to identify safe crossing points
Practice techniques to safely cross a river
MSC River Safety
Outdoor First AidBasic first aid skills, with tramping specific scenariosMSC Basic First Aid
PackraftingIntroduction to packrafting, suitable for beginners
EXTERNAL COURSE: Please liaise with the provider directly for any queries
Enhance Your SkillsOther skills
Alpine SkillsShort DescriptionIndicative durationOnline resources
Snowcraft
(Read more)
Beginners alpine skills, necessary to join Alp 1 club trips
– Clothing, equipment, food, hydration
– Shelter. 
– Weather and reading the alpine terrain. 
– Trip planning, navigation and route selection. 
– Moving on snow and ice without and without ice axe and/or crampons. 
– Alpine hazards.  
– Leadership, decision making and risk management. 
(3 evenings +
Long weekend)
Refresh your basic
snowcraft skills
by watching these
short videos:
Cutting steps
Cutting a stance position
Self-belay
Self-arrest (1 of 2)
Self-arrest (2 of 2)
Using crampons (1 of 2)
Using crampons (2 of 2)
Walking in snow
Avalanche AwarenessSkills to stay safe in avalanche terrain, including:
– Identifying avalanche terrain
– Gathering snowpack and weather information
– Companion rescue
(Day course)Free online avalanche course

Avalanche course providers

MSC Avalanche Safety
NZ Avalanche Advisory
Alpine LeadershipTo lead club alpine trips
Alpine risk identification and management
(Weekend)