Southern Hemisphere Alpine Conference

10-11 June 2026 | Wānaka, New Zealand

The two-day conference is the only one of its kind in the southern hemisphere and provides a unique opportunity for the alpine community to engage in a series of workshops and presentations that seek to extend their skills, knowledge and experience, and contribute to a safer alpine community.

About SHAC

Occurring every second year, SHAC attracts approximately 200 industry professionals and avid recreationalists, including ski industry snow safety practitioners, commercial alpine organisations, heli-skiing, mountaineering and guiding companies, search and rescue personnel, safety auditors, managers, and key industry influencers.

SHAC has three broad objectives:

To provide a platform for people working and playing in alpine snow environments to share ideas, network and enhance their knowledge and practical skills
To build strong partnerships that connect our alpine community together, and
To generate opportunities to develop future strategies and collaborations that help more people stay safe in the outdoors.

The 2026 programme is available here.

This programme is subject to changes and may not reflect the final version.

Join us from 6.30pm at the Lake Wānaka Centre for three awesome films and a fun social evening. This event is free with your existing SHAC ticket, or bring a friend for $15pp. Food and drink available for purchase.

Films & Evening Schedule

The Last Light Falls Gently (Arc’teryx AU/NZ) - 27mins

Celebrating the life of Te Moeka O Tuawe, the Fox Glacier, on New Zealand’s southwest coast. Explorations of its fragility and reflections on its profound influence, on the lives of a community. A collective meditation on change, endurance,connection and acceptance. We remember humanity's inherent ties to the land and to each other, as we take in the fleeting light and enduring afterglow.

Fickle Business (The North Face) - 20mins

With its ever-changing snow and weather conditions, winter in New Zealand is often described as a roller coaster. Forecasts call for a snow dump that then turns to rain, ski fields are accessed by treacherous 4WD tracks, and plans change by the minute. Skiing in New Zealand is a real “Fickle Business”.

The film follows Ben Richards and Ben Barclay as they set out to make the most of their homeland’s snow season. The good old kiwi spirit thrives in challenging times and not taking it too seriously. 'Fickle Business' captures the hunt for a classic kiwi winter and the trials and tribulations of making a career in free-skiing at the bottom of the world.

Painting the Mountains (Picture Organic Clothing) - 1hr 3 mins

'Painting the Mountains' explores beauty through the eyes of Matthew, a photographer/journalist passionate about El Chaltén, located at the foot of Fitz Roy in Patagonia.
This isolated village is home to a community of skiers dedicated to extreme conditions. Matthew spends every autumn there to document steep-skiing. This season, French skiers Aurélien Lardy, Vivian Bruchez, and Jules Socié aim to open new ski lines on the granite walls.
The film combines photography, journalism, and skiing, celebrating daring descents and the unique culture of this iconic village.

Guest Speakers

Drew Hardesty

Drew Hardesty is no longer able to attend due to unforeseeable family reasons.

Instead; we will host a panel discussions with leaders across multiple sectors to unpack the same topic; “On the nature of forecasting and why we get it wrong”.

Panel members:

Penny Goddard (moderator)

Anna Keeling

Hugh Barnard

Ryan Leong

Grant Statham

Grant Statham is an avalanche forecaster, mountain guide and rescuer working in Canada’s Banff National Park. He's been involved in the avalanche and guiding industry for 38 years as a ski patroller, alpine climber, ski and climbing guide, avalanche and guides course instructor, researcher, mountain rescuer and risk management consultant. Grant is an adjunct professor with the Simon Fraser University avalanche risk management program and has been part of the Arc’teryx pro team for 28 years. This is his fourth trip to New Zealand, having previously guided Mts. Aspiring and Tasman in 2005 and undertaken program reviews for DOC and MSC in 2019.