Mt Ngāuruhoe – a day loop to the summit

Mt Ngauruhoe summit and Tama Lakes

Mt Ngāuruhoe – a day loop to the summit A hiking loop trip to the summit of Mt Ngāuruhoe from the Wellington Tramping and Mountaineering Club (WTMC) Lodge on Mt Ruapehu. Something to think about next time you are at the lodge. Mt Ngāuruhoe is the second highest mountain in the Tongariro National Park at … Read more

Poulter Valley – an Arthur’s Pass adventure

Poulter River tramp

Poulter ValleyMinchin PassBinser Saddle A 4 day hiking trip through spectacular mountain scenery in Arthur’s Pass National Park I pulled my running poles out of my bag in surprise. I had forgotten to take them out before I packed at home. I wondered what else I had forgotten to take out and would be carrying … Read more

The allure of Rakiura’s Tin Range – a solo FMC scholarship

Tin Range Rakiura featured image

The allure of Rakiura’s Tin Range A solo expedition to rugged southern Rakiura including an ascent of the granite peak Gog, partly funded by a Simon Bell scholarship with the FMC New Zealand. Rakiura anchors more than Maui’s canoe. It anchors in its rocks, rivers and rugged shores, and in its garnishment of plants and animals, … Read more

Kaukau summit – a well worthwhile Wellington walk

Kaukau summit

Kaukau summit A well worthwhile Wellington walk Kaukau is the highest point close to Wellington and the 360 degree views from the summit are well worth the effort getting there. There are tracks starting from Johnsonville, Broadmeadows, Khandallah and Ngaio. Arguably the easiest is from the carpark at Johnsonville Park at the end of Truscott … Read more

Angelus Hut – a multi-day hike in Nelson Lakes National Park ❄

Nelson Lakes winter tramping featured image

Angelus Hut – a multi-day hike in Nelson Lakes National Park An 8 day hiking loop trip in amazing fine weather through the spectacular mountain scenery in Nelson Lakes National Park visiting Cupola Hut, and Angelus Hut via the Cascade Route up Hukere Stream. Once upon a time two WTMC trampers, Sarah and Batt, set … Read more

Mt Holdsworth day walk – a hiker’s point of view

Mt Holdsworth day walk Tararua Range

Mt Holdsworth day walk – a hiker’s point of view A video of a day walk to the summit of Mt Holdsworth in the Tararua Range from a hiker’s point of view. Includes walking time for sections of the track. There is even some snow to add to the spectacular view from the peak. The … Read more

WTMC Ruapehu Lodge – what goes on when you’re not watching 😆

WTMC Ruapehu Lodge Working Party June 2023

WTMC Ruapehu Lodge – what goes on when you’re not watching 😆 A report on the WTMC Lodge at Mt Ruapehu working party June 2024 that attended to the outstanding maintenance issues before opening for the 2024 ski season.

WTMC Ruapehu Lodge and the solitary wilding pine 🌲

Aerial view of the location of thee wilding pine

WTMC Ruapehu Lodge – and the solitary wilding pine  🌲  The wilding pine on the Whakapapa slopes of Mount Ruapehu needed to be removed – so Sarah and her teddy bear set out to do the job Some time ago while passing across the western slopes of Mt Ruapehu around towards the WTMC Lodge Sarah Saurus … Read more

WTMC Ruapehu Lodge – the aurora and the honey mead 🧸

Teddy Bears picnic at the WTMC Ruapehu Lodge

WTMC Ruapehu Lodge – the aurora and the honey mead At the WTMC Ruapehu Lodge the Teddy Bears Tramping Club enjoyed viewing the aurora and then also the tasty honey mead Today was an exciting time for us teddy bears at the WTMC Ruapehu Lodge. First there was an activation of the lahar warning system … Read more