Check out the latest news and trips reports below or view the archives using the menu on the left. If you want to know more about the newsletter including submitting stories, see Newsletter>Publication Details. To learn more about the club, check the top menu. Some links will take you to the old website, but content will eventually move to this site.
The weather forecast promised one day of good weather over the long weekend, and when combined with the fact that only the very upper parts of the mountain had skiable snow, the families group opted to do the day walk to Tama Lakes. Only one of the adults had made the trip before, and that … Read more
When I mentioned to my friends that the plan for weekend was to go to Waterfall hut, they all talked about the speargrass misery and challenging access, so I put my gaiters close to the top and my expectations close to bottom. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I felt my GCSB style background vetting … Read more
As we’re nearing the end of a challenging 2021, what stands out to me is the generosity of spirit, thoughtfulness and efforts of so many members and others. I’m continually amazed and impressed by the extent of to which people across the club contribute. A massive shout out and thanks to each of our volunteers … Read more
Not the greatest start to the trip… Graeme from the AA was just as baffled as I was that neither the remote nor physical key would unlock the van. The van wouldn’t unlock because of a flat battery, but we would have to get into the van to open the bonnet to get to the battery to … Read more
The trip started with the ferry crew handing out free boxes of chips to everyone on board – their way of compensation for the 2-hour delay to our departure. I bought some fish to go with my chips and the crew gave me even more free chips. Feeling fully carb-loaded, we set off for Lake Rotoroa and … Read more
So the ski season has ended for RAL on Labour Day. Given that there was still plenty of upper mountain snow under normal conditions the lifts would have continued to operate for a bit longer but nothing is normal this year or indeed last. The summer program for the Gondola and Cafeteria will commence on … Read more
Tēnā koutou Now that we’re back at level 2, I’ve enjoyed hearing about many of the trips running again – with many more on the schedule for those who missed out this month or wanting more. A taster from the trips last weekend: Tereza’s changed her Balls Pass trip to the sunny Seaward Kaikoura range … Read more
A few weeks back I enjoyed a special opportunity to firm up some alpine skills with the support of a WTMC scholarship on a Hillary Outdoors alpine instruction course. The two days up at Ruapehu were a nice crash course in travelling in a mixed alpine environment practising the tools of the trade. Our first … Read more
There are over 60 private/club/DOC huts in the Orongorongo valley. Our mission was to see how many we could find from out base at Paua hut.I had worried about the weather for the weekend as the forecast had predicted some rain. However, the Friday was warm and sunny and we had a pleasant tramp over … Read more
Unlike last year lady luck was with us following the announcement that the essential part of New Zealand was to move back to level 2. That meant that we completed ski week 1 and opened again for ski week 2 and hopefully the coming school holidays. Ski week 2 was very successful with the only … Read more