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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

Angelus Hut – a multi-day hike in Nelson Lakes National Park ❄

Nelson Lakes winter tramping featured image

Angelus Hut – a multi-day hike in Nelson Lakes National Park An 8 day hiking loop trip in amazing fine weather through the spectacular mountain scenery in Nelson Lakes National Park visiting Cupola Hut, and Angelus Hut via the Cascade Route up Hukere Stream. Once upon a time two WTMC trampers, Sarah and Batt, set … Read more

Mt McKerrow – Remutaka Forest Park

This was an easy day tramp to Mt McKerrow. The weather was chilly when we left the Catchpool carpark, but after a few minutes we had warmed up enough for most people to remove some layers. The first 20 minutes or so along the Five Mile Loop track is pretty flat, but the track up … Read more

Unicorns, rainbows and halos: A cruisy Howletts – Daphne dash

After a recent trip into Kahurangi National Park, when we all donned party hats during a successful summit of Kakapo Peak, a theme of tramping unicorns seemed to emerge! https://wtmc.org.nz/trip-report/kakapo-peak-with-no-unicorns-or-doughnuts-left-behind/. This time we decided we would go all out and find proper unicorn themed apparel to wear during our weekend trip into the Ruahines. This … Read more

Cascade Hut via Hinemaiaia Track – Kaimanawa Forest Park

Snow on Ruapehu!Our journey began with a scenic drive on Desert Road – with a radiant full moon and snow was glittering on the peaks of Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Ruapehu. Being the shortest day of the year (June 21), not many people were out tramping. After a skilled late-night drive through winding roads and … Read more

Mackintosh Hut – Kaweka Forest Park

A club trip to Lewis Pass in Canterbury was initially scheduled for Matariki Weekend. That changed on 21 June, when the ferry, Aratere, ran aground – so our sailing to Picton was cancelled and we were unable to secure another booking at a suitable time. We scouted around for other trip ideas for the weekend … Read more

Mt Holdsworth day walk – a hiker’s point of view

Mt Holdsworth day walk Tararua Range

Mt Holdsworth day walk – a hiker’s point of view A video of a day walk to the summit of Mt Holdsworth in the Tararua Range from a hiker’s point of view. Includes walking time for sections of the track. There is even some snow to add to the spectacular view from the peak. The … Read more

Powell Hut, Tararua Range – the 2019 rebuild from start to finish

Powell Hut - July 1968

Powell Hut Tararua Range – the 2019 rebuild from start to finish. From January 2019 to June 2019 Powell Hut in the Tararua Range was rebuilt. This story with photos tracks the progress from the first foundations to a completed hut that will provide comfortable mountain accommodation to an estimated 3,000 visitors per year. If … Read more

NZ’s sacred summits. Please don’t stand on my head – a guide for climbers

Climbers stopped just short of the summit of Taranaki

NZ’s sacred summits. Please don’t stand on my head – a guide for climbers. The summits of many NZ mountains are sacred to Māori. The Māori proverb, ‘If I should bow my head let it be to a high mountain’, sums this up. This story outlines why climbers should stop short of a summit = … Read more