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 having adventures in the rivers and hills of Fiordland from a young age, but didn't discover climbing until later in life with the Canterbury University Tramping Club. For 5 years, Steven lived in Edinburgh, Scotland, working as a Postdoc researcher in medical imaging. His new-found passion took him trad climbing in the hills, sea-cliffs and quarries of the UK, Scottish Winter Climbing, to the European Alps climbing alpine rock, valley ice, and big alpine north faces.

Steven has been on expeditions to Alaska, climbing the Moonflower on the North Buttress of Mt Hunter, the Cassin Ridge on Denali, Nepal, attempting 2 unclimbed faces in the Khumbu region, and 3 trips to Patagonia climbing numerous routes, and one to Peru as well as rockclimbing in Yosemite and the Bugaboos.

He has moved back to New Zealand, working as an imaging engineer in industrial automation.

He has climbed numerous new routes, from committing rock routes on the Kaipo Wall, ice and mixed routes in the Darrans in Winter, to mixed cragging test-pieces in the Remarkables and on Ruapehu. Although not a very strong rock climber, he's working hard at getting better and loves nothing better than applying the skills of hard technical climbing on big mountain routes.

Ben Dare is a structural engineer based in Queenstown. He 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 he has progressed rapidly since. In the process developing a passion for climbing in the local ranges, with a main focus on exploring the unknown and targeting new routes.

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He has since developed an impressive record of hard new routes in New Zealand and has also climbed and established first ascents in the European Alps, the Chilean Andes and the Khumbu Himalaya in Nepal. This has given him the opportunity to travel to unique corners of the globe and experience new and diverse cultures while climbing abroad. But it 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 door step 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.

With over 35 years of climbing experience predominantly focusing on technical and sport climbing I 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 I decided to get involved. I’m greatly looking forward to the challenges trying to keep and aging body fit enough to keep up with ‘the young ones’ and helping the mentee’s 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 expeditions to Pakistan, Peru, Europe, Patagonia and Alaska. Based in the Blue Mountains near Sydney Matt gets plenty of time out rock climbing at his local crags. Matt honed his ice climbing and big wall climbing skills in North America and has also made many trips to NZ for climbing in the Southern Alps.

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. Over the years, she has climbed extensively in New Zealand, Australia, the UK, the French Alps and the Canadian Rockies. Although Rose enjoys all forms of climbing her favourites are rock climbing and multi-day alpine ascents. Notable ascents include the a winter ascent of the North face of Aiguille Sans Nom in the French Alps, and first ascents of the West Ridge of Taulliraju in Peru, the West face of Mt Blane in the Canadian Rockies, the South face of Mt Hutton in NZ

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 was introduced to the hills tramping in the Tararuas, north of his childhood home in Wellington, but he didn't take to the mountains seriously until moving to Dunedin in 2008 and joining the Otago University Tramping Club. Long transalpine tramping trips in the Olivine Wilderness and Fiordland led to an interest in mountaineering. In the last few years Jaz has climbed his way around the Southern Alps.

Since joining the NZAT he has climbed in Peru, France, Canada, the USA, Patagonia and Australia. Jaz was selected for the New Zealand Alpine Team in 2013 and completed a period of mentoring from 2013 to 2016. Based in Christchurch, he now assists in mentoring and club administration.

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 is one of NZ's best trad climbers, having freed world famous routes like Free Rider on El Capitan, and also making a one day free ascent of the regular NWF on Half Dome. Merry has also helped establish NZ's hardest multipitch Weather Spell (30). A solid rock climber who relishes the alpine environment and enjoys transferring his skills to ice and mixed. Merry joins the team to help mentor & provide a valuable link to the up & coming youth potential in our upper north island.

After a lifestyle of travelling the globe climbing and pursuing adventure, he has recently committed to studying para-medicine in Auckland and looks forward to using the time based in one place to hone his alpine skills further with a regular training regime and shared motivation.

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 outdoor adventures from a young age. She moved to Dunedin for university and 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 Pk and Aspiring, as well as making many trips to the Darrans for alpine rock climbing.

Tanja is most motivated by big wall climbing and long multipitch rock climbs in the alpine environment. Overseas she has climbed numerous 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.
Over the last eight years of climbing Tanja has learnt that she is never going to tire of the mountains, so she has now fully embraced this and is shaping her life around it. She is about to start training as a GP part time. In joining the alpine team she is very motivated to go on overseas expeditions, broaden her network of climbing partners and hopes to contribute to the team particularly in the area of big wall and alpine rock climbing

James is a keen climber based in Christchurch who joined the team in the 2019 intake. Born and raised in Canterbury, he was introduced into the mountains at a young age tramping and hunting in Arthur’s Pass with his uncle and Grandmother from the family batch at the Bealey. Christchurch being a small place was easy to find friends to learn the skills he could take to places like Arapiles and Yosemite. Wanting to progress further into the mountains he was very keen to join the NZAT and is very excited for his climbing future. He reckons having a short attention span gives him the eagerness to not focus on one but all forms of climbing.

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. She is excited to take these skills and apply them to more remote climbing expeditions 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.

When he was 8 Henry started climbing as an indoor competition climber but soon went on my first outdoor trips and became hooked on furthering his abilities on real rock. After going to Tongariro national park as a kid, he found out about all the climbing and adventuring potential it has, and its the place where he has developed my skills most in all aspects.
His first taste of mountaineering was doing summit missions on Ruapehu, eventually trying out ice climbing on some WI2's. Recently he and Jacob Kuchler managed to summit Mt 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.