Change in start of Wednesday social times starting 7 October

WTMC Wednesday Social nights will be starting a half hour earlier effective 7 October 2015. Starting the first week of October, gear pickup will be at 7pm and the talks will start at 7:30pm. Please spread the word about the upcoming time change. We hope this will encourage more people to stick around for the … Read more

Six days with Lydia Bradey

The club recently ran a six day Alpine Instruction Course instructed by Lydia Bradey: Mountaineer Extraordinaire. I was so inspired and enthused by this experience  that I’ve been telling as many people as possible how fantastic Lydia is and how great it was to have a straight run of six days in the mountains (with … Read more

Over a Cuppa – August 2015

A lot of exciting social events are coming up on Wednesday nights. 2 Sept 2015 – David Jewell will take us on a journey ascending Footstool (2765m) via the Eugenie Glacier and the main divide in Mt Cook National Park. 9 Sept 2015 – New WTMC members, Jordan and Jenna from Stoked for Saturday will … Read more

Terrible Taranaki

INTRODUCTION The weather reports leading up to this trip were very inconsistent, and as such we thought we would proceed rather than cancel. However, the leader made it clear to all that reaching the summit (which was the trip’s goal) was going to be a bonus at best! The back-up plan was to tramp around … Read more

Track Talk

Whoops!  I haven’t been too good at keeping you up to date with Chief Guide things. By now you should have seen the new Spring schedule which takes us to January. Click here for a copy.   There are loads of alpine and rock trips and a couple of volunteer trips – not to mention the … Read more

Pouakai Circuit

We tramped the Pouakai circuit and we were happy because it was plan A. Dan planned everything so that we could have an amazing week-end. But one question remained: Did Dan carry food in his backpack? Friday night was a long drive, approximately 5 hours to arrive at the North Egmont camphouse. We didn’t forget … Read more

Post-snowcraft trip to Tahurangi

Conscious that we had only had one weekend away instead of the usual two I made the offer to the group that if they came up with an idea for a post Snowcraft trip and organised it I would come with them on it. Dan and Amie were up for the challenge and in no … Read more

Tales from Snowcraft 2015

First the winds of change blew through WTMC! Initiation rites that used to be undertaken to achieve membership were abandoned. Initiation rites like having to survive two overnight trips with the club, being seen in a holey ice breaker jumper, proving you can pronounce “Tararua” and know what scroggin is, bribing a trip leader or … Read more

Aorangi Crossing

This tramp started from Putangirua Pinnacles, walking down to Mangatoetoe (Cape Palliser) via a number of huts. We had left Platform 9 at 5:15 pm on Friday for a couple hours drive to the Pinnacles campsite. Apparently the water at the campsite was not safe to drink, so we had filled our bottles at a … Read more

Kiwi Footprints: Family tramp to Papatahi hut via Whakanui track

Gripping tightly to the pack straps of the people next to me in the line, we took our first steps into the Orongorongo River with the roaring water buffeting us around. “Brrrrrr its freezing” I thought as the liquid snow soaked through my shoes. “Brrrrrr its freezing” I thought as I stepped out of the … Read more