Team Members

A passionate alpine climber who travels extensively making multiple expeditions to North & South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Daniel has helped establish some of NZ’s hardest winter climbs with multiple water ice and mixed routes of high grades in areas such as Mt Cook, Fiordland and his local alpine area the Remarkables. He also enjoys all forms of rock climbing making multiple trips to the alpine rock and big wall destinations of the world like Patagonia, Bugaboos, Yosemite and Chamonix. Back at home Daniel has helped establish long & challenging rock routes in the Darran Mountains of Fiordland most notably on the Kaipo Wall and South Face of Marian. Some overseas ascents include, a free ascent of Free Rider on El Capitan, Cerro Torre via the Ragni Route, North Pillar of Mt Fitz Roy, North Face of Cholatse, North Face of the Grandes Jorasses in winter via the Walker Spur (18 hours) ,Colton McIntyre & Croz Spur, a winter ascent of the North Face of the Eiger, Onsite one day ascents in winter of the North Couloir Direct and Lesueur on the North Face of Les Drus.

Steven grew up in Fiordland and loved the outdoors from a young age, but didn't discover climbing until later in life at University. He loved transalpine trips and exploring the more remote mountains of New Zealand. He lived in Edinburgh, Scotland for 5 years and built a passion for Scottish Winter Climbing, but also for the hills, sea-cliffs and quarries of the UK, as well as the European Alps climbing alpine rock, valley ice, and big alpine north faces. Coming back to New Zealand, that passion lead to the development of many new routes especially in the Darrans and Remarkables, as well as more remote spots like the Kaipo Wall. Steven has been on 2 expeditions to Alaska, climbing the Moonflower on the North Buttress of Mt Hunter, the Cassin Ridge on Denali, 2 expeditions to Nepal, trying new routes and climbing the North Face of Cholatse and a new route on Lobuje East. He has been on 3 trips to Patagonia climbing numerous routes, and one to Peru climbing multiple routes as well as multiple trips to Yosemite and the Rockies for rock and ice climbing. He is currently living in Switzerland, working as an engineer in 3D imaging.

Ben is a strong climber on rock, ice and mixed terrain, and enjoys the challenge of taking on technical routes – especially in demanding winter conditions. After starting out alpine climbing on the North Island volcanoes of Ruapehu and Taranaki he moved to Queenstown in 2008. This gave the opportunity to further develop a passion for alpine climbing in the local ranges of the lower South Island, with a focus on exploring the unknown and targeting new routes. In turn, this led to a desire to look abroad. Using climbing as an avenue to travel to unique corners of the globe and experience new countries and cultures throughout Europe, Asia, and North and South America. Here the desire to seek out unclimbed lines continued, and he has backed up his record of new routes in New Zealand by establishing first ascents in the European Alps, the Chilean and Peruvian Andes and the Khumbu Himalaya in Nepal. The heart is where the home is though, and the experience gained overseas has also allowed him to appreciate the wealth of terrain and the opportunities still available to local climbers within New Zealand. Highlighting the fact that we do not need to look far beyond our own back doorstep to seek out top international level climbing objectives.

Allan Uren has had more fun climbing in the last 37 years than he would have believed possible. He’s climbed a myriad of new routes in the mountains and at the crag, is a member of the Wanaka Alpine Cliff Rescue team. He lives in Wanaka and makes a living as a painter.

Kim grew up in Tasmania, where he began tramping and rock climbing. At the age of twenty he spent six months in the European Alps and became hooked on alpine climbing. He has made first ascents in Canada, Alaska, Patagonia and Nepal. He is currently trying to learn if high altitude
climbing can be fun.

After over 35 years of climbing experience predominantly focusing on technical and sport climbing Lionel became involved with NZAT after spending three weeks with them on their 2017 Canadian ice climbing trip. Inspired by the individual mentee’s rapid development and the supportive environment that existed in the team he decided to get involved. He enjoys the challenges trying to keep an aging body fit enough to keep up with the 'young ones’ (no trouble so far). He's invested in helping the mentees and their generation of climbers mature into stronger, more proficient and safer climbers.

Matt is our Australian based mentor for the NZAT. Due to the lack of real mountains in his home country he was forced overseas at an early age making his first mountaineering trip to New Zealand at age 17. He went on to expeditions to Pakistan, Peru, Europe, Patagonia and Alaska. Based in the Blue Mountains near Sydney, Matt works as an arborist and gets plenty of time out rock climbing and running. Matt honed his ice climbing and big wall climbing skills in North America and enjoys all aspects of climbing. Some career highlights include Changabang's west ridge, Cholatse's north face, Kangchungtse ,Mustaghata and Makalu without O2.

Llewellyn grew up in Charleston on the South Island’s West Coast. He started rock climbing at a young age on the sea cliffs close to home. At age 17 he started to broaden his skill set by learning to climb mountains in the southern alps. Over the years he has climbed extensively in New Zealand, completing first ascents of alpine routes in Aoraki/ mt cook NP and multipitch rock climbs in Fiordland. Llewellyn has climbed extensively around the world and has been a member on successful expeditions to Alaska, Patagonia, Indian Himalayas and South Georgia. Professionally he works as the snow safety officer at Treble Cone Ski Area and has a passion for snow science.

Rose was selected as part of the 2013-2016 round of mentoring. During this time she moved to Europe where she got a kick out of British trad climbing, the French alps and Scottish winter climbing. In 2017 she returned to New Zealand where she enjoys climbing in the NZ Alps, especially less frequently visited areas. Although Rose enjoys all forms of climbing her favourites are rock climbing and multi-day alpine ascents. Notable first ascents include the West Ridge of Taulliraju in Peru, the West face of Mt Blane in the Canadian Rockies, winter ascents on Aoraki Mt Cook and summer ascents in Fiordland.

Reg is a NIWA scientist and motivated alpine climber based in Christchurch. Originally from the UK he has a strong background in trad, Scottish mixed and European alpine climbing. The appeal of more adventurous sparsely populated mountains drew Reg to New Zealand in 2010. He enjoys hard technical climbing but his biggest satisfaction comes from moving really fast on sustained slightly less technical ground. Reg has made first ascents in Kyrgyzstan, Peru, UK and New Zealand.

Tim Macartney-Snape has been dabbling in all forms of climbing since University in Canberra during the mid to late 70’s. After becoming the first Australian to climb a peak above 7000m, he went on to make many ascents in the greater ranges, the most notable being new routes on Gasherbrum IV, Annapurna II and Everest, all in a lightweight style.He lives in the southern highlands on the south-west rim of the Sydney basin.

Jaz first got a taste for the hills tramping in the Tararuas, just north of where he grew up in Wellington. But it wasn’t until he moved to Dunedin in 2008 and joined the Otago University Tramping Club that he really got hooked. Long transalpine missions through the Olivine Wilderness and Fiordland sparked an interest in mountaineering, and weekend trips to Long Beach helped with learning the ropes of rock climbing

Since then, he’s spent plenty of time climbing all over the Southern Alps, with favourite spots including the Darrans and West Matukituki. Being part of the New Zealand Alpine Team since the beginning opened the door to climbing trips around the world—Peru, France, Canada, the US, Patagonia, and Australia among them. 

After going through the team’s mentoring program from 2013 to 2016, Jaz is now based in Christchurch, where he helps mentor newer climbers and pitches in with team and club admin. 

Jono Clarke is one of NZ's leading ice and mixed climbers. He has been instrumental in pushing the grades of traditionally protected ice and mixed climbs in both the North and South Islands. Jono has made numerous first ascents many focused in and around the Mt Cook Region.
 

Merry grew up in the rural North Island but left at an early age to venture south and around the world on many climbing adventures. He enjoy’s all climbing disciplines, particularly establishing new routes, and has established some of NZ’s hardest multi-pitch climbs. He’s passionate about climbing and relishes passing on his knowledge and expertise to others. Ever entrenched in a naive effort to save the world he took a step back from climbing and rope access in his early 30’s to pursue a career in paramedicine. During this study and time with St. John ambulance in Auckland he burnt out. No good to himself (or anyone else) in that state, he’s spent years in slow recovery. Realising the value of climbing and tired of being the figurative and literal ambulance at the bottom of the cliff he bought a crag (Waipari) and started farming to try and save the world again, 1 cow and 1 climber at a time.

Pete grew up on a steady dose of tramping adventures around the Canterbury foothills and Arthur’s Pass. Eventually, this strong foundation of tramping morphed into long trans-alpine trips, and ultimately climbing, around the South Island. During study at Canterbury University in 2010, climbing ensured that he retained his sanity, with every ‘Study Break’ or holiday being put to good use somewhere deep inside a National Park. Ironically, Pete discovered the joys of rock climbing shortly after most of the nearby crags in Canterbury took a turn for the worse, post-earthquakes.  In time, with a bit more skill and prowess on rock, ice and mixed terrain, Pete has turned his sights to the challenges of more ambitious new routes and exploratory climbing; both in New Zealand, and further afield.

Pete completed a period of mentoring from 2013 to 2016. During his period as a mentored climber Pete made several notable ascents including the first ascent of the West Ridge of Mt Percy Smith in NZ and ascents of Denali, Alaska, and Alpamayo, Peru. He's now based in Melbourne, a bit further from the Southern Alps than ideal, but much closer to Mt Arapiles.

Tanja grew up tramping and caving in the North Island with her mum and developed a love of the outdoors from a young age. While in Dunedin she threw herself enthusiastically into the Otago University Tramping Club, where she was introduced to mountaineering and rock climbing and went on trips almost every weekend. Throughout her years in medical school she climbed many peaks in New Zealand including Aoraki, Hicks, Dampier, Malte Brun, Douglas and Dilemma.

Tanja is most motivated by big wall climbing and multipitch alpine rock. Overseas she has climbed alpine rock routes in Chamonix, sea stacks in Tasmania, water ice in Canada and spent months climbing in the USA. On her first trip to Yosemite she climbed four routes on El Capitan including an ascent of The Nose in a day. In the summer of 2024-2025 she was involved in three big wall first ascents in the NZ Darrans - new routes on the Charismatic wall, the Donne Face and the first ascent of the West Face of Mt Grave. 

In joining the alpine team she is excited to broaden her network of climbing partners, go on overseas climbing expeditions and hopes in future to contribute to the team particularly in the area of big wall and alpine rock.

Based in Te Anau, James is a versatile climber who’s into it all rock, ice, mixed, and alpine. He’s put in solid time across the Southern Alps and has climbed overseas in Yosemite, Chamonix, the Canadian Rockies, and the Indian Himalaya. Known for chasing big terrain with a practical, no-fuss style, James has flown his paraglider off the summits of Aoraki / Mt Cook and Mt Aspiring. He’s all about improving across the board, moving well in the mountains, and packing it all in around the weekend warrior work-life balance. Always keen to team up for proper missions with motivated partners.

Liam grew up in Christchurch where he went on his first tramping trip in the St James Range during his later years in High School. It wasn’t until his first year at Otago University that he really found his passion for the hills. Liam enjoys researching new areas for his trips and taking the ‘let's just go and try' approach to mountaineering. This managed to get him up peaks such as Mt Aspiring, Mt Rolleston and the Footstool, as well as many others over the years while at uni. Liam is looking forward to developing himself as a climber as part of the new NZAT intake and he can’t wait to see where it takes him.

Mason has been passionate about Mountaineering for going on 10 years. Since getting the climbing bug from his father as a kid, he has gone on to climb multiple technical mountains across the Southern Alps. Notably the Sheila Face and the South Face of Mt Aspiring in recent years. After visiting a new ice crag in North Canterbury two years ago, Mason managed to nab the second accent of a 120m long WI3-4 ice route. He has been super psyched on steep ice ever since. With the help of the NZAT mentoring program, he is excited to grow his confidence and experience on technical ice & mixed terrain and aspires to climb 6000m peaks in the Greater Ranges. Mason is keen to take climbing around the world and have a heap of fun along the way.

Maddy Whittaker was a late starter in outdoors, going on her first tramp in 2018. Since then, she has thrown herself all in,  including a two month traverse of the Southern Alps from Arthur’s Pass to Haast Pass. Maddy’s first taste of technical climbing was on the South Face of Mt Joffre in Aspiring National Park alongside Ruari Macfarlane and NZAT team member Jaz Morris in 2020. Maddy was sold on the creative problem solving challenge of attempting new routes, and has spent a lot of her time since developing herself in order to be able to do more of this. She is stoked to learn more through mentoring with the NZAT,  through which she has had the opportunity to climb  waterfall ice in the Canadian Rockies and big walls in Yosemite including El Capitan. Maddy is particularly drawn to remote objectives, and is excited to apply the skills she has learnt on hard to access mountains in New Zealand and around the globe. 

Sophie spent her university years exploring the Southern Alps on transalpine tramping trips. While trying to improve her mountaineering skills, she discovered a love of rock climbing.  Sophie particularly enjoys seeking out challenging alpine routes in remote locations, and the Darrans are her favourite spot. She is incredibly excited to develop her mountain skills with NZAT's mentorship.

Henry started climbing as an indoor competition climber at age eight, but soon after his first outdoor trip he became hooked on furthering his abilities on real rock. After going to Tongariro National Park as a kid, he found out about the climbing and adventuring potential there. It was herre that he has developed a lot of his skills. Henry's first taste of mountaineering was doing summit missions on Ruapehu, eventually trying out ice climbing. His climbs include a grand traverse of Aoraki / Mt Cook and Aspiring. Henry is excited for the opportunity to be a part of the team and to become a more efficient and well rounded climber, and to test his limits overseas.