If you browse through issue 92 of The Climber magazine from the NZAC, you will see some wintry landscapes and action shots of mine. This shot was taken whilst guiding the South Ridge of Elie de Beaumont — a classic Southern Alps route accessed from the Tasman Glacier.
Elie de Beaumont
Elie de Beaumont (3109m) is one of the classic summit objectives in the Aoraki/Mount Cook region. The South Ridge is a sustained snow and ice route with excellent views of the Tasman Glacier and the Main Divide.
It’s the kind of route that rewards good technique over raw fitness — route-finding, pace management, and timing all matter significantly on a ridge like this.
Photography in the Mountains
Taking a camera into the mountains alongside clients is a constant balancing act. Photography cannot come at the cost of safety or guidance quality — but when the opportunity presents itself and the light is right, capturing the scale and beauty of the environment is deeply satisfying.
The Tasman Glacier setting in winter — under fresh snow, in clear cold air — provides light that professional studio photographers would struggle to replicate. Being in the right place at the right time, with a camera, is a privilege.
Issue 92 of The Climber
The two-page spread in Issue 92 was an early milestone in the photography work that has continued to develop alongside the guiding. Seeing work in print — particularly in a publication as respected within the NZ mountain community as The Climber — validates the effort that goes into making images in demanding conditions.