Nick Jennings’ tramping CV is impressive. The list of roles he’s performed for WTMC, Federated Mountain Clubs, Mountain Safety Council, DOC and its predecessors, and LandSAR, is extensive. Mike Gilbert spent an afternoon talking with Nick about the times and places behind the statistics. How long ago did you start tramping? I started in the … Read more
I mentioned to Pete one weekend at Ruapehu Lodge that I was doing some Life Member interviews and he promptly said ‘Right we’d better bloody get on with it then’. So he regaled me with decades of club adventures over coffee surrounded by kids playing and with stunning views of Taranaki out the window. When … Read more
When I met up with Ron at a local pub, he belied his 80+ years with a twinkle in his eye, a clear voice and a sharp memory. We spent the afternoon over a pint, as club life in the 1960s came to life in Ron’s reminiscing. How did you first get introduced to the … Read more
This is the first in a series of interviews with some of the WTMC life members. Sue Walsh is one of the life members that is well known to a lot of us who go to club regularly. She’s been the friendly welcoming face you saw up front on Wednesday nights for several years up until … 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
The next WTMC New Trampers Night is 11 Feb – at the usual time (from 7:30pm) and the usual place (Tararua Hall, Moncrieff St, Mt Vic). We need you to come along – it doesn’t matter if you are new to the club, if you have only been with us a short while, or if you are … Read more
Feeling lonely? Resolved to get out more this year? Looking to meet some new people to go tramping with? ……You need the ‘lodge social weekend’! We’ll be heading up to the club lodge at Whakapapa on the 6th-8th March. There will be a number of Saturday and Sunday activities running over the weekend and you will be able to sign … Read more
Summer’s in full swing and the snowboard, skis and crampons are buried somewhere in the back of the loft. But the Lodge remains the place to go to enjoy everything Tongariro National Park has to offer. We had a great Open Lodge this year – the lodge was open for casual drop-ins from 26 December … Read more
Come to Open Lodge this Christmas/New Years! We’ve been talking here and there about Open Lodge so now’s the time to give you all the details. What’s Open Lodge you ask? It means that you can drop in and stay at WTMC’s Ruapehu Lodge, no commitment or hassle, anytime from Christmas to early January. WTMC’s … Read more
What an epic season! After an inauspicious start we got the right snow at the right time and now Turoa has been able to extend their spring season through to “Snovember”. The lodge was pretty full most weekends, a great result thanks in no small part to Ray and Gareth, who between them brought over 60 … Read more