The instructions were to be at platform 9 by 5.15 for a 5.30 take-off. Arriving, I find snow chains being fitted. Don’t they know the snow has gone? Don’t worry, it is only that Kate wants to see sparks. OK. Then out came the map book as there was concern that the Manawatu Gorge was … Read more
Towering high above the alpine village of Porirua stands the magnificant peak of Colonial Knob. Okay, while it did look like a mountain during the August snow fall, it’s not THAT tall, and neither did the family group climb it in August. But at 450m, it is an honest climb, with magnificent views over Porirua, … Read more
The last time it snowed in downtown Wellington I was too young to dress or feed myself. In the intervening years this ability had only slightly improved, yet I had learnt the basic use of an ice axe and crampons. So off we went all tooled up for the slow drive to the Ruahine’s only … Read more
The butterfly creek walk was our first with the Wellington Tramping club. My partner Tim and I wanted to try out a day walk with the club that wasn’t too easy and wasn’t too hard, and was fairly easy to get to. So Butterfly creek was it. When we arrived at the bus stop, it … Read more
With an appalling weather forecast it was decided that a weekend trip to the lodge wasn’t a goer; chances are the Bruce Road would be closed and we wouldn’t even get there. Spencer was keen to lead a local day walk instead and I for one really needed to stretch my legs, so did Tracey, … Read more
After having come into contact with WTMC for the first time only 2 Wednesdays earlier, here I was at Wellington train station meeting a bunch of random people for a weekend in the Tararua ranges. First good sign was a newish, sturdy looking WTMC van in the car park with 2 or 3 people milling … Read more
When signing up in the balmy month of May, it wasn’t there yet. And even for many long weeks into June, there was hardly any snow on the ski fields at the big hill in the North, which we can often see on a clear day when tramping in our Tararua backyard. However, we still … Read more
The trip began at platform 9, Wellington Station. Our group of 7 plus another group of 6 going on the EM trip to Daphne Hut filled all spaces in the van. We all headed off to the eastern Ruahines to Kasmir Road end arrived sometime after 10pm. We brought tents as the weather forecast predicted … Read more
Kashmir Road on the eastern side of the Ruahine range is probably the worst road that I have ever encountered. It is unsealed, very steep, very narrow and quite scary in places. Nevertheless, we got to the road end without incident. Thanks Hans, for your superb driving! There were five punters on this trip: Jo, … Read more
On Friday night Ally Clarke’s grand total number of punters was none at all but come a fine Sunday morning there were 8 children ready for a tramping adventure in the hills above Eastbourne. Dom, Hamish, Iona, Charlie, Charlie, Ellen, Carly and Taylor, and assorted parents started up the track towards Butterfly Creek. For 2 … Read more