Resources
Trip Planning
It's essential to have a good understanding of the avalanche dangers present on the day. You'll also need to understand what the weather will be doing, the ability of your group, and make sure to take the right gear. Read more
Above and Beyond Mountaineering Research
NZ Mountain Safety Council's exploration of the culture, behaviours and attitudes of the New Zealand mountaineering community towards avalanche safety. Published February 2023
The New Zealand mountaineering community is one full of rich history and deep passion. Mountaineering is interwoven into the fabric of our country’s history.
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Backcountry Access Policies
Find links to backcountry access policies or information for tourers at various ski areas across New Zealand. Follow the link to the operators relevant webpage or document, in some cases you'll need to scroll to find it if it's amongst other information. Read more
Competitions
Our Public Observation Competition is on this seasonCheck out the 2022 Competition details below to see how you can enter and what is up for grabs. Public Observations 2022
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New Zealand Avalanche Dispatch
September 2022 Click the cover to read
Jun 2022 Click the cover to read
Sep 2021 Click the cover to read
June 2021 Click the cover to read
September 2020 Click the cover to read
June 2020 Click the cover to read
If you are interested in learning more and keeping up to date on the latest research…
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NZ Guidelines & Recording Standards for Weather, Snowpack & Avalanche
Continuous information about the weather, snowpack condition, and avalanche occurrences is essential for making decisions about avalanche safety in mountain operations including ski areas, guiding operations (heliski or ski touring), and road safety operations. Read more
International Avalanche Centres
Heading overseas? If backcountry trips are on the agenda, it's imperative that you check in on what the local conditions are like. Often there are big differences in snow types, terrain, and weather patterns that you may be unfamiliar with. Read more
Avalanche Incidents in New Zealand
An in-depth look at 20 years of avalanche incident dataPublished June 2021Recently the NZ Mountain Safety Council conducted an in-depth analysis of 20 years worth of reported avalanche incident data. Read more
Mountain Cameras
Remote mountain cameras provide a useful source of information about past and current weather conditions. Read more