Tutuwai Hut – Tararua Forest Park

This trip started off bright and early with the group meeting at the train station at 7am on Saturday morning. The trip leaders had been keeping an eye on the heavy rain forecast all week and it wasn’t meant to start pouring until late afternoon – so we wanted to do as much walking as … Read more

Ōrongorongo Valley hut-bagging

The trip schedule proposed an Ōrongorongo hut-bagging trip, with a particular focus on visiting Baine-Iti and Goat Stream Huts. There are many private huts in the Ōrongorongo Valley, so the precise trip plan could be as relaxed or ambitious as the group desired. Eight people were keen for this spontaneous adventure. We carpooled to Catchpool … Read more

Totara Flats Hut via the Gentle Annie Track – Tararua Forest Park

Snow on Powell!Our journey began with a drive on the winding road to the Wairarapa, we eventually arrived at our first stop, the Clareville Bakery, for a last minute coffee and pastry. Once satiated with morning tea, we began our journey to the Tararuas, with a radiant sun shining, the snow was glittering off the … Read more

Sparrowhawk Biv – Ruahine Forest Park

We travelled up to the Ruahine Ranges with another (EM) group from the club who were going to Sunrise and Top Maropea Huts. The weather forecast for our ridge travel to Sparrowhawk Biv had been looking unkind for most of the week, but was improving, so we all left Wellington in good spirits. After stopping … Read more

Trains Hut – Waitōtara Conservation Area

We set off from Wellington Train Station a little later than usual, at 7pm. This allowed us to avoid peak traffic and we made good time to Bulls to grab a falafel and beverage. It was then on to Braemar House, in Whanganui (our accommodation for the night), arriving at 9.40pm. We’d booked one large … Read more

Mt Tongariro – Cinderella and the Dancing Dinosaur

Mt Tongariro – Cinderella and the Dancing Dinosaur A 2 day hiking loop trip through the spectacular mountain scenery of the Tongariro National Park in early winter Sarah, could I please have my shoes back? I looked down at my feet and realised I was having a Cinderella moment at Mangatepopo Hut on Saturday morning and … Read more

Red Rocks – Wellington: runners and trampers – but the seals steal the show.

Right on schedule, we were ready to start walking, just after 10.30am, from Te Kopahou, where the visitor centre is well worth dropping into. The area was busier than usual, with an aid station set up for the WUU2K Wellington Urban Ultra Marathon, along with supporters waiting for their friends to come through.The first part … Read more

Sunrise Hut & Top Maropea Hut – Ruahine Forest Park

Ten of us met at the usual spot next to platform 9 at Wellington Train Station at 4pm on Friday 19th July. One by one, smiling faces emerged from the station building with purposeful strides, happy to have left work for the week and be heading off tramping (apart from Daniel, whose work ethic knows … Read more

Tongariro Alpine Loop – Tongariro National Park

Don’t leave gear without surveillance at the train station! That’s the lesson we learnt almost the hard way on the Friday. As per usual with a WTMC trip, we were at Wellington Train Station faffing and loading the van, waiting for people to arrive and had some gear lying around – not really paying close … Read more

Totara Flats Hut via High Ridge – Tararua Forest Park

I saw this trip on the schedule and thought ‘that could be fun’. I know of several people who have done this trip before – both heading up High Ridge and going down High Ridge – and I was keen to give it a go too. The following report outlines Saturday’s adventure, as Sunday was … Read more