Tim is a very friendly and easy guy to get along with, yet he is always still very professional. He has an uncanny knack for seemingly being able to pull a rabbit out of the hat despite the odds stacked against such a feat. Even with the very average weather we encountered, we still got quite a lot done.
With [our Guide's] patience and perseverance, I summitted my first mountain, Mt Aspiring, followed by many other summits after that. I thoroughly recommend Wanaka Mountain Guides for their services and professionalism for beginners through to advanced climbers.
During this trip in particular, I was so impressed with Tim’s technical knowledge and skills that it reminded me of just how little I know and how poor my ability is in comparison. Very happy to continue this way and would recommend others to going guided. Felt totally safe and confident in his abilities at all times. He has a very relaxed and easy manner, and I felt we got on really well. I’m not normally the most sociable of people (maybe that’s why I normally climb on my own!), but I felt very comfortable and relaxed with him the whole time. A really nice guy, and would love to climb with him again.
He was extremely professional at all times. He had a quiet confidence that was admirable yet he wasn’t arrogant. He was quick to correctly judge my abilities and let me be challenged just beyond my comfort zone enough to feel accomplishment. I quickly felt that I could trust him. He was obviously very capable and I could see that he was never really struggling to do any moves or in fitness so this encouraged me also. He let me take the lead when he knew I was capable which was great as I was able to feel greater risk and yet know that he was on the ball with belaying. I couldn’t have asked more from a guide – I know that I was perhaps more energetic than some of his clients but he rose to the challenge of keeping me entertained and kept me busy! He also was a really good cook on the Mountain – his meals were nutritious and filling… just what I needed!
Tim thinks holistically about our experience and learning – all the pieces fitted together beautifully and culminated in a great final day/morning. He has a great talent for appearing to effortlessly develop contingency plans that still keep us on track even when the weather is totally unpredictable. Tim beautifully navigates the line between humour, warmth, playfulness and complete professionalism and retaining true authority. This is an art and he’s mastered it. He’s a delightfully genuine guy. He also has the patience of a saint. This I think is an essential requirement for all guides!!
Tim is absolutely brilliant. I feel safe at all times with him, yet he doesn’t stifle me and gives me the freedom to go on my own when I feel comfortable doing so. He makes me feel relaxed and at ease both on and off the mountain. His local knowledge is incredible and seems to be able to pluck a great adventure out of the hat somewhere no matter what the weather is doing at the time. He’s the best guide I’ve had by far!
Tim showed a high level of experience, knowledge, and professionalism in all areas of the course and were also able to convey their knowledge in a logical way that made it easy to progressively learn and practice all the skills. The skills were also taught at a rate that meant I was continually challenged to think about what I was learning and what to do next, but also in a way that made sense and gave us time to absorb all the information so everything came together at the end when we consolidated our learning on the final day on the mountain.
Thank you for your patience and good humour. Pretty much everything I did last week was new and challenging and generally way outside my comfort zone. But despite having by far the least experience of the group you managed it in such a way that I never felt I was too much of a drag. I could not honestly say I enjoyed everything as I was doing it but I am really pleased I did do it and I am looking back with great fondness on the week. I am going to try and continue rock climbing (and to do it without whimpering) and I am determined to master prusiking. I will be ready for crossing any glaciers around Sydney.
Tim did an outstanding job of creating building blocks of learning – e.g. around crevasse rescue – so each of us was able to assimilate the learning involved at a rate that was appropriate for each of us. He also very skilfully managed and created situations where we could test ourselves at a level at which we were comfortable, without specifically calling this out. Tim is exceptional as a guide. Tim brings a number of qualities to guiding which are very difficult to teach and which make him stand out to me.
