Cameron – Ashburton circuit. Hakatere Conservation Park.

Cameron Ashburton circuit featured image

Cameron – Ashburton circuitHakatere Conservation Park A 4 day hiking loop trip through spectacular mountain scenery including the Ashburton Glacier For another alpine tramping trip go to Ball Pass – a nice alpine day walk

A WTMC ski trip to Mt Ruapehu Labour Weekend 1948

The fantastical flying bed bus

A WTMC ski trip to Mt Ruapehu Labour Weekend 1948 An entertaining account of a 1948 ski trip to Mt Ruapehu in a broken-down bus, stormy weather, and very little skiing

WTMC – my first club tramp

My first tramp with the WTMC

My first club tramp My first club tram- – a weekend at the WTMC Mt Ruapehu Lodge by Toby Durnall As a city bloke through and through, who loves his cocktail bars and having a wealth of restaurants to dine at, I can’t quite put my finger on why I have a yearning to get … Read more

Putangirua Pinnacles track open or closed? – it was open in 1948

A view of the Putangirua Valley showing the pinnacles from above

Putangirua Pinnacles track open or closed? – it was open in 1948 The story of a WTMC trip to the Putangirua Pinnacles in 1948 with added photos taken in 2024. As at February 2024 the track from the campsite and carpark into the Putangirua Pinnacles is closed because of a dangerous slip. However, on a … Read more

Te Tatau-Pounamu – the other Tongariro wilderness

Mangahouhounui Stream

Te Tatau-Pounamu – the other Tongariro wilderness Te Tatau-Pounamu. A guide to the seldom visited wilderness area on the eastern side of Mt Tongariro in the World Heritage Tongariro National Park Tongariro National Park holds a prestigious position in the list of the world’s protected natural areas—the park is one of only 29 sites in … Read more

Mt Tongariro – and the lava lake

The Red Crater Mt Tongariro - Mt Ngāuruhoe behind

Mt Tongariro and the ancient molten lava lake at North Crater A 2 day hiking loop trip over Mt Tongariro and past the once molten lava lake that occupied the North Crater before cooling and solidifying.     When the warrior gods Tongariro and Taranaki fought over the lovely Pihanga flames lit up the sky, … Read more

Lake Monowai Circuit – Fiordland National Park

Paddling down Lake Monowai from Monowai Hut

Lake Monowai Circuit – Fiordland National Park A 4 day tramp/ packraft circuit including Green Lake and Lake Monowai in Fiordland National Park We declared this trip to be one of New Zealand’s ’11 Great Packrafts’ (like the Great Walks). The trip started with my dad dropping us off at the road end by Borland Bivy … Read more