In May 1959 as a 14-year old teenage after an unsuccessful attempt to join the Tararua Tramping Club, I was invited by Norn Whiteside a fellow Wellington Technical College student to join him on what he described as “a Friday night stroll from Kaitoke to Walls Whare”. I asked him where Walls Whare was and … Read more
It was a rainy Saturday morning when a group of 6 porters and 6 punters met at Catchpool Valley for an overnight to Paua Hut. The plan was originally to have a few people tent outside, but given the forecast, we we decided to squeeze everyone in to the hut and leave the tents behind. … Read more
A full 24 of us piled into both vans to drive to the Lodge and scale Mt. Ruapehu, the highest peak on the North Island. We got there in time to catch the tail end of the “Tasman Tempest,” and thus were unable to ascend the peak. We did still, however, have a great weekend … Read more
By some small coincidence, keen kids and a small sunny weather window coincided with Waitangi weekend during one of the least sunniest Wellington summers for a trip that was planned some four months earlier. Thursday and Friday had been awash with rain and the Otaki Gorge road was closed again at the Blue Bluff due to … Read more
Two groups piled into the van at Wellington Station on Friday night and then headed off to the Wairarapa and then Tamaki West Road campsite (near Dannevirke). The plan was to drop Richard off for the night at his parent’s house near the road-end and for the rest of us to camp at the road-end. … Read more
The weather this summer hasn’t been great, and so it wasn’t a surprise to see a forecast of thunderstorms for the weekend where we planned to tramp the Otaki Forks – Penn Creek – Pakihore Ridge – Kime – Otaki Forks loop. And so the route evolved during the week and ended up as a … Read more
In the brief fortnight of summer this year the family group went out for a couple of day walks to explore the rather foreign concept of warm sunshine. Hemi Matenga Reserve Sunday 26th February 2017 The Hemi Matenga reserve in Waikanae on was first up, and up it was, a good 400m climb between carpark … Read more
Last year a few members from the WTMC smashed out a weekend trip to Cloudy peak. Their goal had been the Great Prow, a 9 pitch alpine climb with varying grades up to 14. They had one day and the weather wasn’t cooperative. After waiting for cloud and mist to clear, they started at 10am and … Read more
Another WTMC trip to Mt Taranaki and the East Ridge A fun day climbing the solid rock (an old lava flow) from Straford Road up the East Ridge to the Sharks Tooth then the summit of Mt Taranaki. Taranaki always seems a lonely mountain separated from all his mates on the Central Plateau. The Maori … Read more
Condensed version. The trip plan as submitted on the intentions sheet was: Friday evening – ferry and travel to Murchison. Saturday – drive to Mataki Lodge and walk up the valley to Mole Hut. Sunday – walk up to Mole Saddle and Mole Tops. If the weather is OK camp at Mole Saddle, otherwise Mole … Read more