Climb Aoraki Mount Cook Challenge (See Diary Below!)

What is Glentanner Park Centre's 'Climb Aoraki Mount Cook Challenge'?
Staff at Glentanner Park are working to individually climb the same vertical height as New Zealand's highest peak - Aoraki Mount Cook. Aoraki Mount Cook stands at 12.316 feet. The height in vertical feet from Glentanner Park Centre to the 'Shelf' on Glentanner Station is approximately 1200 feet. Glentanner Park Staff are aiming to do this climb 10 times by 2011 (that is over 1 climb per week!), therefore climbing the height of Aoraki Mount Cook.

Why are we doing this?
No, we are not crazy! Glentanner Park is aiming to raise $1000 for the Breast Cancer Research Trust (as part of the Holiday Park's Challenge). We also plan to get fit doing it! We will blog about our progress, and if you would like to help us by making a donation you can do so at www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/glentannerpark. Your help and support would be greatly appreciated.

Did you know?
Regular and increased physical activity (even when begun later in life) reduces the overall Breast Cancer risk by 20 percent among women at all levels of risk.

So, what now?
Let the climbing begin!!!!!!!!!

Watch this space for photos etc.




Climb Aoraki Mount Cook Challenge - Diary


26th October 2010
First climb is tomorrow night. Check out the large hill we have to climb, it looks even bigger when you are directly below it (and it is not through a camera lens!). I walked up a bit of a hill today and was very puffed ..........





28th October 2010
Wow, I am so proud of everyone! We all made it to the top, just before dark! It was hard work, but it can only get easier, right? A couple of really steep bits made the legs very heavy, but looking out over Mount Cook and Lake Pukaki from such a height made it all worth it! The view at the top made me think just how amazing it must be to conquer Aoraki Mount Cook itself.
1 down, 9 to go!!!


5th November 2010
We have a new recruit - Erwin; so Caroline, Erwin and I climbed up to the top again on Wednesday. The start was a hell of a lot harder than I had remembered. We said we would keep going until we reached the huts, where we would stop for a drink. We carried on, picking up the speed hoping the huts were just around the corner.... but they weren't! By the time we reached the huts (about half way to the top) we had stopped for two very necessary drink breaks. Did I mention it was a very very hot day! The rest of the climb was steeper, but much more enjoyable. We jogged the last 200 metres, and had that incredible feeling where you just want to keep going and going and going!!!! And the view .... wow, everytime it blows me away! We had some very interesting conversations on the way down, Caroline is from Ireland and Erwin is from Chile - I was thinking how nice it is to get to know people outside of work. This challenge has many benefits :) Looking forward to hearing how Natalia, Nicola and Luciana get on this week.



17th November 2010

Progress Update:
With only just over 6 weeks to go until the end of this challenge, many of us have a lot of climbing to do!
Nicola - 9 climbs to go
Luciana - 9 climbs to go
Natalia - 9 climbs to go
Erwin - 9 climbs to go
Caroline - 8 climbs to go
Kate - 6 climbs to go

Everyone better get cracking or it will be hard going at the end!


18th January 2011

Wow 2 months since I have written - how slack! Anyway, the challenge is still going due to the terrible weather we had around Christmas/New Year. Everyone is going well, with only 1 climb to go (of those who are left in it!). The stakes have been upped, with the person raising the most money winning a soak in the Hot Tubs for 2 (Thank you Omarama Hot Tubs), second winning dinner and a drink for 2 at the Chamois Bar (Thank you Chamois Bar) and third winning a $10 Glentanner Cafe voucher. The challenge DEFINITELY finishes at the end of January. I am excited to see how much we have raised for the Breast Cancer Research Trust.

10th February 2011

Finally, the walks have been completed and the money collected. Through the 'Climb Aoraki Mount Cook Challenge' we have raised $625.10 for the Breast Cancer Research Trust. This is great (but does mean we have more fundraising to do!)

Thank you very much to all those who have taken part, and to Omarama Hot Tubs and The Chamois Bar for donating the incentives!

Kate x

School has Successful Winter School Camp in the Mount Cook Region

During August, Long Beach School from Ashburton had a very successful Winter School Camp in the Aoraki Mount Cook and Mackenzie Region. They stayed at Glentanner Park, and were able to ski at Round Hill Ski Field, Learn about Search and Rescue in Mount Cook, do the famous Hooker Valley Track in Mount Cook National Park, learn about and visit the Black Stilt Recovery Programme, catch a Salmon at the Salmon Farm, visit the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre and watch the 3D Movies, and ice skate and swim at Alpine Springs.


Read what the students thought of the Aoraki/Mount Cook Winter School Camp:

Day 1

At quarter to seven in the morning, every child in Huntingdon Class had to drag their sleepy bodies out of bed and come to school with all their gear ready to be packed into the horse float. We all said our goodbyes and started driving to Round Hill. The trip seemed to take ages but we did have our friends to talk to, but sometimes when you're sitting in the car for two hours with nothing do do other than talk, you can get a bit annoyed with them!!!

Finally we arrived at the ski field, and we all cued to get some skis. Then we started our lessons which took about an hour and a half. At the start of the lesson we went up and down the pommer on which I managed to get to the top four times out of seven. When I was going down, I could feel the icy cold snow flinging up off the person in front of Me's skis. After that we had some free time and had a yummy sausage and milo for lunch.

Then Pup and Baz showed us how to build a snow cave to keep warm and out of the wind in a blizzard which was really cool, and he also showed us how to find out if someone was trapped under the snow.

Then we got into our cars, and we set our course for Glentanner. When we got to Glentanner we unpacked and then went over to the toasty dinner room to have tea. After tea we did the dishes and jumped into our PJ's to watch a movie. After that we went back to cabin one and kept on talking because we were on a sugar rush from the lollies we had, but sadly Mrs Quinlan told us off and we had to go to sleep.

Day 2

Yaaaaaawn! The next day was a struggle to get out of bed because we were knackered from the HUGE day of skiing, and as well as that we had to get up at 7am and queue up for the showers in the freeeeeezing cold morning frost!

But then the scrumptious bacon and eggs cheered us up. Once we had licked our plates clean and sculled our raros, we headed outside to do Search and Rescue with Pup and Baz. We learnt how to make stretchers to lay the patient onto, wrap up serious cuts and also how to carry the stretcher (that's important!!!).

Once our patient was feeling better we all popped inside for some morning tea and a run around. After that we hopped into the cars and drove off down the track, headed for the Hooker Valley track which was really cool because there was snow everywhere, and I mean everywhere!

Day 3

The next day we did our routine things, get up, have a shower, eat breakfast and do the dishes. On this day we did a lot of activities including; the movies at the Hermitage, which were really cool because it wasn't just a normal screen, it was a giant hollow dome that came down over us and there were 4 projectors, 1 on each side, and it gave it a really cool 3D effect.

Then we went to see the rare Black Stilts and how they look after them and try to trap all their predators including; the Ferret, Wild Cats and Stoats. Did you know there are only 80 adult Black Stilts left?

After that we had to go to see the slimy salmon farm which was really cool because we got to feed the fish and gut one when we caught it, and we even gave it to Mrs Quinlan!

After a long day we headed home and had another yummy tea before we started off the camp concert which was hilarious, then we had to make a dress out of rubbish bags which was also very cool!

Day 4

By now we had got used to the cold and were fine about getting up at seven in the morning and having a shower, but sadly this was our last day of camp and it was now time to have breakfast and pack up all our stuff, which was hard because our rooms were total pig sty's, well, the boy's were.

On the way home we stopped in Tekapo to go ice skating and swimming. Eventually the pools were too hot for us to take, so the pool carers turned some fountains on beside the pool so that chilled us off a bit.

Wow, time sure goes fast when you're having fun, we can't wait until next year!

30 - 50 Million Tonnes of Ice Crashes off Glacier

Wow! 30 - 50 million tonnes of ice has crashed of the Terminal Face of the Tasman Glacier into the Terminal Lake! This historic event has created at least 20 significant icebergs.

The Glacier Explorers Boat Trip which takes you out onto this lake to touch the icebergs is a Mount Cook 'must do' and comes highly recommended by Glentanner Park Centre. Not only is it a unique experience but the scenery is exceptional. Excitingly, this summer activity is resuming on September 3rd 2010 - one month earlier than scheduled due to the warm weather.

Book this activity and your Mount Cook accommodation at http://www.glentanner.co.nz/

I can't wait to get out on the boats again, and see the new icebergs for myself!

Canterbury Aero Club Students Catered for at Glentanner Park Cafe

Last week, students from Canterbury Aero Club landed at Glentanner for lunch. The students were on their way from Queenstown to Christchurch as part of thier four day 'fly away'

The students were the first aviation club to make the most of our special $10 all day breakfast offer. This offer is open to all those that land at Glentanner from 1st June 2010 to 30th September 2010.

With a 1km sealed run way and a cafe with great deals and coffee, Glentanner is a great place to stop

About Glentanner Park

Glentanner Park is the holiday park, flightseeing and activity centre, and the only fully equipped campground for the Mount Cook region. Glentanner offers fantastic budget accommodation with an outstanding panoramic view of Mount Cook and the surrounding alps.

Set amongst a working sheep station on the shores of Lake Pukaki, Glentanner is the complete Mount Cook experience. Activities include helicopter flights with snow landings, flightseeing, horse treks, glacier boat trips, heliskiing, fishing, hunting and walking.

Glentanner Park includes a BYO licensed cafe and a Merino retail shop.

Visit our website, http://www.glentanner.co.nz/