2021 Inspiring Explorers Expeditions™
Two exciting New Zealand-based expeditions will see young people challenge themselves and connect with the spirit of exploration in New Zealand’s mountains as part of the Trust’s Inspiring Explorers Expeditions™.
MAHU WHENUA TRAVERSE
The Grand Opening of the Turk Trail
Applications are open for Inspiring Explorers to take part in the official opening of the new Mahu Whenua Traverse. This expedition will see seven Inspiring Explorers ski cross-country over 50km between Treble Cone and Coronet Peak in the Central Otago region of New Zealand.
The expedition will take place in winter 2021, in partnership with the Mountain Turk Club. This is an exciting opportunity for young New Zealanders to travel a world-class alpine route along the backbone of the Harris Mountains, spending four nights in new purpose built turk huts along the way, with 3781m of elevation gain, and 4029m of elevation loss throughout the journey.
Turk huts are made from large plastic water tanks and they are ideally suited to remote locations with extreme weather conditions. Early turk hut design was pioneered by Al Fastier, the Trust’s Programme Manager, Ross Sea Heritage Restoration Project, in collaboration with Erik Bradshaw, founder of the Mountain Turk Club, and Trust Structural Engineer Win Clark. The Trust uses two turk huts in Antarctica, at the field camp established to support the restoration of Borchgrevink’s Huts at Cape Adare. These turks are the first to be utilised in New Zealand.
There will be five places on this Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ that are open for applications from young people aged 18-30 from across New Zealand with experience in backcountry (cross country) skiing and their own ski gear.
Two senior students from Wakatipu High School will have the opportunity to join the team too.
MOUNT TAPUAE-O-UENUKU EXPEDITION
In the Footsteps of Hillary
The Trust is excited to continue its partnership with Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate in South Auckland, New Zealand offering seven senior students and one teacher the chance to take part in an Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ that engages the legacy of the school’s namesake as a source of inspiration.
Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku, in Marlborough New Zealand, was one of Sir Ed’s first significant mountain climbs. These Inspiring Explorers will undertake weekly fitness training sessions and a mountain skills training weekend at Mt Ruapehu, culminating in an ascent of Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku, with guides, in late 2021.
