Wellington Tramping and Mountaineering Club
Enjoying the great outdoors since 1947
This month I had time to either write this column or a trip report. I figured the latter might be more interesting. You can read my trip report of the Haukura ridge navigation in this newsletter. Meanwhile, please imagine the following crafted into nice prose and spun out to 300 words. The end of 2014/15 committee … Read more
End of the track! After a couple of years which have just flown by both Debbie (Assistant Chief Guide) and myself are stepping down from our committee positions. Debbie has done a great job both in keeping me on the right path and also in making sure the trip sheets are in order and to the right … Read more
Easter is just around the corner and I know some of you will be embarking on adventures. It would be wonderful if you could share them with us one Wednesday night (hint hint!) as there are some gaps in May just waiting for you to take them! In the meantime we have: April 1st – this will be … Read more
We recently had a sub committee meeting to discuss the lodge accommodation and food rates. The good news is that we decided to keep the rates the same as last season as we have been experiencing a low inflation and CPI rate. Setting the rates is always difficult but we lately have based it on the cost … Read more
On a Friday night in May 2006, a band of hardy WTMC M trampers ventured into Northern Tararuas. Three days later they emerged – scratched and broken by leatherwood, attempts at compass navigation in the dark and arguments about oversized watches. Their Haukura Ridge trip was to gain enduring life as a case study in our … Read more
Friday night, waiting for the Ferry to load, there was a palpable sense of excitement for the upcoming adventure in the Kahurangi National Park. Would we see the reclusive South Island Kokako? Could Mike survive the trip with only six cans of V? And what exactly was going on in the back of the van … Read more
With rumours of Cyclone Pam encircling us, our determined band of ten trampers headed in to Otaki Forks, hopeful of some time on the tops. On arrival, our erstwhile leader Anna had to make a decision and with some reluctance, relinquished hopes of glory and great views in the face of uncertain weather and the … Read more
This trip appeared on the schedule and immediately got my interest, partly because as chief guide I didn’t put it there and partly because I hadn’t heard of the place. Mike explained that cloudy peak (well actually not all of this, consider it a narrative thing) is a rock climbers paradise in the middle of the … Read more
For more photos and the entirety of Sharron’s nearly 4000 word expression of love for Tussock can be found on her blog. Years of tramping, camping and running have given me a deep appreciation for tussocks. Given this minor tussock obsession coupled with my fondness for hills it’s perhaps not surprising that one of my … Read more
This walk is in the Akatarawa Forest, and starts and finishes at Maungakotukutuku Road near Paekakariki. It’s no problem finding the turn-off for Maungakotukutuku Road, just look for the two metre long road sign requiring two posts. The Road took us well up the hill, cutting down the amount of climbing we had to do … Read more