Sitting snug into the mountainside of the McKerrow Range, near Wanaka, you’ll find New Zealand’s newest alpine experience, the First Tracks Wanaka Geo Dome Heli Camp. Established as a base for guided ski touring activities over winter and climbing and trekking activities over the summer months, the camp has a variety of sublime ski touring terrain, spectacular views and in the summer, endless trekking opportunities on its doorstep.

Already this spring, the guides at First Tracks Wanaka are catering to groups of ski touring enthusiasts who want to enjoy great terrain in the company of their friends with the security of a guide. Owned by veteran mountain guide Guy Cotter, First Tracks have been hosting groups who are looking to explore the excellent ski touring opportunities in the area, as well as others who are more focussed on upskilling their backcountry touring capabilities. The options are endless, and guides are flexible to cater to each group’s individual preferences, timeframes and skill levels.

Cotter explains ‘We’re really excited to have started operating our First Tracks Wanaka adventures from our geodesic dome situated at 1,600 metres in the McKerrow Range between Lakes Wanaka and Hawea. We’ve already been enjoying some great ski touring and basic mountaineering from there’.

The Geo Dome consists of a steel-framed dome that is covered in a durable PVC with an insulated liner to retain warmth and a wooden floor. The dome is heated by a small wood fire, and creature comforts abound, with dining tables, bunk beds and bean bags, allowing guests to relax in comfort at the end of a long day in the mountains.

‘We’ve set this up so groups can enjoy being in an amazing space in the mountain environment’ says Cotter. ‘We fly to and from the high-mountain location by a short helicopter ride from the shores of Lake Wanaka and from up there we have fantastic views of the peaks and lakes of the region with Mt Aspiring being a prominent feature.’

A second dome is set to be established a few weeks from now that will enable several small guided groups to enjoy the facilities at one time.

First Tracks Wanaka is a subsidiary of Adventure Consultants Ltd which is an international mountain guiding company based in Wanaka, operating trekking trips and expeditions across the globe as well as mountaineering ascents and courses here in New Zealand.