Into the Backcountry: An Introduction to the Alpine Environment

This is your gateway to moving smarter, safer, and more confidently through Queenstown’s backcountry.

Join us for an evening designed to sharpen your skills and deepen your understanding of ski touring across Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, and the wider Queenstown lakes region. Whether you are stepping beyond the ropes for the first time or refining your approach, this is a grounded and informative evening from those leading in the backcountry space.

What We’ll Cover:
- Ski touring across Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, and the Queenstown lakes region.
- Avalanche risk management and decision making.
- How to confidently use your avalanche safety gear.
- Backcountry rescues and what happens when things go wrong.
- Inside Otago Rescue Helicopter operations and how to be prepared before you need them

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Meet The Speakers:

Sam Stevenson
Head of Ski Patrol, Coronet Peak
Over 15 years in ski patrol, with a focus on mountain safety and managing risk in alpine environments.

Will Rowntree
Ski mountaineer and IFMGA-certified mountain guide
Deep expertise in alpine travel, avalanche awareness, and technical terrain.

Jodie Burton
Intensive Care Paramedic and Queenstown Base Manager, Otago Rescue Helicopter
Specialises in emergency response and backcountry extrication.

We kick things off with a series of short talks from each speaker, offering three distinct perspectives from across the backcountry space. From there, the floor opens up for questions before the evening shifts into a more relaxed, open format.

Each speaker will be stationed in the lounge to ask further questions, a transceiver exercise for those who wish to have a practice (bring your tranciever if you have one) and the bar open for drinks and socialising.

Move between speakers, ask one to one questions, and learn by doing. It is an opportunity to build confidence, connect with experts, and step into the backcountry with intention.