A Wanaka freeskier is leading a team to the tops of the nation’s four skiable volcanoes for an expedition which would make them the first all-female group to do so.
Next week New Zealand Winter Olympian Janina Kuzma will take on the volcanoes with her trio comprising Australian Winter Olympian Anna Segal and Swedish Freeride World Tour skier Evelina Nilsson.
The expedition will take place over a week where the athletes will film their adventures for a new film The North Face, 4 Volcanoes.
The film chronicling the trio’s mission to ascend and ski the volcanoes will be screened at outdoors and mountain film festivals around the globe.
Kuzma, who previously starred in the internationally-acclaimed, feature-length Shades of Winter film series, came up with the concept for 4 Volcanoes after she developed the desire for a new challenge.
"I wanted to do a story on how different the North Island is to the South Island," she said.
She wanted to show off the North Island’s skiable active volcanoes and local ski clubs that represented the typical “kiwi ski experience”, she said.
"What's also important to me is to tell a story that's empowering for other women to challenge themselves, and to inspire the female adventurer," Kuzma said.
The group will be helped by mountain guides and have liaised with local iwi and the Department of Conservation about the expedition.
"All going to plan, we would be the first all-female ski group to climb and ski all four volcanoes in NZ, and to capture a story about it," Kuzma said.
"We can't wait to get going, it's going to be an epic trip."
The women and two videographers will depart Auckland on September 23 for Mt Taranaki and expected to finish on October 6.
The volcanoes:
- Mt Taranaki (2518m)
- Mt Ruapehu (2797m)
- Mt Ngauruhoe (2287m)
- Mt Tongariro (1967m).
