RIMFest 2026

Words by Isaac Muller-Wild, mentee.

As is Alpine Team tradition, we all got together in Queenstown for the week before RIMFest to climb together, get us newbies up to speed, and yarn until the cows come home. This is a really important event for us, as it’s a rare chance to have everyone in the same place with time specifically set aside for going climbing and meeting each other. Obviously, we take full advantage of the opportunity - with a lot of learning and usually a few first ascents going down during the week.

Us mentees cracked into a Wye Creek overnighter right away, waking up early on Sunday to get stuck in. On the walk in, what stuck out to me as a certified New Guy was the conversations about snow safety, skills, and attitudes around staying safe in the hills from our mentors. The ability to be able to draw on this depth of experience as a young climber is absolute gold.

At the ice, the pace of progression was absolutely rapid thanks to Lionel, Mason, and Jaz’s tips and demonstrations. We spent the full first day sessioning top ropes, climbing without a tool, and practicing other skills like placing ice screws and V threads. This set us up really well for day two, where we all started to get on lead and apply our new skills with some real stakes. Without exception, we all felt ready and well prepared when we each decided we felt like leading. I think this was a really good way to get introduced to ice, and led to some great outcomes.

Training laps in Wye.

On the way out, the snow situation was changing with strong winds and we practiced small-scale terrain evaluation all the way out of the valley to avoid little loaded pockets of wind slab. From the top of the bluffs it was a cruisy skin all the way back to the saddle, and a leg crushing ski down to the base building.

Tim stoked on a gorgeous sunset on the West Face.

For the rest of the week, the focus shifted to day trips to the West Face, Lake Alta, and the South Face of Single Cone. The winds had kept up though, and reactive windslab was still to be found all across the mountain. This played a part in our decision making practically until the festival started, as it reduced access on Queens Drive, and made other objectives a bit spicy. I can’t possibly list all the routes that succumbed to the raging river of psych, but it included:

• The Fastest Indian M5

• Pull Me a Pilsner M6

• Cider Man M5

• Can I sit on It M7

• No Pressure M7

• Sgian Dub M4

• State of the Nation M4

• Coddiwomple M6

• Grey Nomads M9

• South Face Classic/Cookies and Cream on Single Cone

There are more, but you get the idea! It was utterly brilliant to have so many capable climbers in one place with energy to burn.

Owyn digging deep to beat ze pump.

Particular highlights included Maddy and Tanjas new route Not Too Scary for a Fairy M6+, climbed in impeccable style, with fairy wings! Also, Llewellyn and Owyn climbed a new link up Wake Up Pumped, including pitches from various routes and which culminated in Llew onsighting M9 Grey Nomads right at the end. Owyn was on form as well, flashing Under Pressure Direct, after accidentally making it through the roof at the start. Brilliant!

Tanja fluttering up a pitch of techy mixed slabs.

Onto the festival itself, all the adults were busy instructing clinics during the day. The events centre stepped into its own as a true hive of froth and villainy with phenomenal talks from the Greenland big walling team, James Warren, and teams applying for expedition grants. To finish off on Saturday night the NZATs very own Tanja de Wilde and Jacob Kuchler were awarded the Macpac Alpinists of the Year award! They have been on an absolute rampage over the last 18 months and it was epic to see this recognized officially.

Well done Tanja and Jacob!

Until next year…