Chief Guide Update – trip fees going down!

Kia ora,

This month is a short update from the Chief Guide on the new trip fee structure that the club will be trialling from 1 December 2024 onwards, a look at some of the club’s efforts to support the FMC’s ‘Love our Huts’ campaign, and a few notices.

Ngā mihi,

Sara H |

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Chief Guide Update – November 24

• How does this compare? On average, trips will be considerably cheaper! Here are some different scenarios comparing current fees with the revised fee structure that we will be trialling. Please contact if you have any questions, feedback or ideas you would like us to consider. Alternatively, please provide your feedback in the upcoming club survey (if you prefer to remain anonymous).

• FMC ‘Love our Huts’ Campaign. The club was out in force in the Aorangi Ranges over the weekend of 22-24 Nov with 16 trampers in three groups giving some love to one hut each; Kawakawa Hut, Pararaki Hut, and Washpool huts respectively. The mouldy mattresses at Pararaki Hut were a sight to behold! We gave each hut a bit of a spruce up and took out several bags of rubbish and empty spirit bottles. Despite the extra weight on the uphills, it felt good to be doing our bit. After all, we are so lucky to have such an amazing network of backcountry huts in our country. There were also a number of club members on private trips who helped spring clean various huts around the country over the month of November. Thanks to all who were involved – your efforts were appreciated!

• Summer trip schedule. Trips on the summer trip schedule will soon be getting away. Some trips are already over-subscribed, so get in quick to avoid being disappointed.
  • There is still one spot available on the M Travers-Sabine trip and one spot available on the EM Lake Rotoiti-Angelus loop trip.
  • We are still after a couple of leaders for the trips listed below. If think you might have what it takes to lead a trip, please email the .
    • 21-22 Dec: Wairongomai Hut – Remutaka FP (E*)
    • 28 Dec: Turere Stream (day trip / pack float) – Remutaka FP (M)
    • 17-20 Jan 25: Tongariro Northern Circuit, Tongariro NP (EM)
    • 6-9 Feb 25: Pukeohikarua Loop, Kaweka FP (MF)
    • 21-23 Feb 25: Upper Makaro Hut, Ruahine FP (M)
    • 8 Mar 25: Tauherenikau River (day trip / pack float) – Tararua FP (M)

• Emergency contacts. The weekend emergency contact plays an important role in the Club. They are our safety net to ensure that the right information gets passed onto the right people should an incident occur. The Club needs more volunteers to act as emergency contact for a weekend – no volunteers equals no trips!
  • What does it involve? In the week prior to your chosen weekend, the trip leaders will email their trip intentions sheet to you. Before the first trip departs, the emergency phone will be diverted to your number. In the very unlikely event that a PLB is activated during the weekend, emergency services will contact you. Your job is to pass on the information in the trip intentions sheet to them. You can read about the procedures here. But more often than not, you will get no calls over the weekend (apart from a call or text from the trip leaders to let you know they are out safely!) Simple!
  • How do I sign up? All you need to do is put your name, phone number and email down in the roster at the link below.
  • Any questions, just email our Emergency Contact Coordinator at .

Signup in the roster

• Driving our Club Van. Many of our trips utilise the club van, and for longer trips we need at least two drivers. Van drivers require a full car licence and also need to register by filling out a simple form and providing a photo of your driver licence. Generally registered drivers will get priority on trips if they are over-subscribed. We are aware that it can seem quite intimidating driving a big van, but it really is a breeze to drive. If you are keen to have practice run driving the van, we are happy to run an orientation session for you. We ran a few sessions recently for trip leaders and they were a great success! Email to express your interest.

• Intermediate Bushcraft Course. There has been strong interest in the club funded ‘Intermediate Bushcraft Course’ being run over the period 1-2 February 2025 (through Outdoor Training New Zealand). If you are currently leading trips, think you might be interested in leading trips in the future, or just want to solidify some foundational tramping skills (navigation, river crossings, travelling off track in bush terrain, emergency shelters and lighting a fire) check out the sign-up form for more information.