Alpine Recreation

Business is on the ascent for Alpine Recreation. “Much better than expected considering the recession,” says owner Anne Braun-Elwert.  “We had a very busy summer - it appears that adventurous people still want to climb mountains!”

Age is also no barrier to climbing mountains, says Anne. While the majority of Alpine Recreation’s visitors are aged 20-55, 15% are aged 56 plus.

“We recently had a 75-year-old climb the 3151m Mount Sefton, proving himself capable of extending his climbing career way beyond his wildest expectations. Our guides are full of respect and admiration for their senior clients in achieving summits which many much younger aspirants would struggle to achieve," says Anne.

“Helping visitors achieve personal goals and bring back clients who have had a wonderful time in the mountains is an important part of the job satisfaction for our guides - and it’s especially good if they have achieved the summit they were aiming for.”

Alpine Recreation offers climbs ranging from an instruction course to a six day guided ascent up Aoraki Mount Cook, at 3750m, New Zealand’s highest peak.

The Ball Pass Crossing is the most popular trip. It introduces visitors to the use of crampons and ice-axe, but they don’t have to have previous mountaineering experience. The photo at bottom right of climbers on the Crossing is the January photo in TIA’s 2010 calendar and the winner of our recent photo competition.  It was taken by Anne’s late husband Gottlieb Braun-Elwert, who she founded the business with in 1981.

“We are thrilled that Gottlieb’s photograph is still receiving recognition even after his death and pleased to have publicity for the Ball Pass Crossing.”

Alpine Recreation is the only operator in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park to have its own mountain hut on the Ball Ridge opposite the Caroline Face of Aoraki Mt Cook. It also has a second private hut in the Two Thumb Range where it runs the Tekapo Trek in summer and ski touring and snowshoeing trips in winter.

www.alpinerecreation.com