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.

Alpha Hut via Quoin Ridge

Quion Ridge

I had never been to Hutt Forks in the Tararua Forest Park so I was interested when I saw that this trip to Alpha Hut would go there on the way.  I didn’t know much about Quoin Ridge but it didn’t look too bad on the map. Tash had to pull out of leading so … Read more

Paua Hut

Paua Hut

Paua Hut has over the last few years looked a bit tired and forlorn – the outside appeared shabby and the inside was getting a bit grubby. Clearly some TLC was needed. A club maintenance trip was included in the schedule for January but only attracted a small number of helpers. Nonetheless the trip went … Read more

From the President…in January

Happy New Year! I hope you have all had good weather to facilitate your summer holiday tramping adventures. Things are gradually getting back into routine at WTMC, although club nights often feel a bit quieter than usual in January. Paua Hut is now a brighter shade of green This past weekend a group of six … Read more

Rangitikei River packrafting

Rangitikei River packraft

The middle section of the Rangitikei River offers some scenic paddling with a few rapids up to Grade 2. These rapids are mostly straightforward fun in a packraft and the views on the way down river are quite spectacular especially where the river flows between high cliffs. Three of us paddled the 35 km from … Read more

Not the Aorangi Crossing but a sweet as Kiwi Kawakawa Experience

After three dead cows along the river, lots of river walking and a gust or two we made it to Mangatoetoe hut, about an hour in from the van. The night before, we’d driven to the campsite with the Easy group (in the other van), all stopping at Lake Ferry Hotel Restaurant for dinner. We … Read more

Kaweka Kaimanawa Traverse

Are we on the right track? Our journey began with a traffic jam at Kaimanawa Road end. Being Labour Weekend, every man and his dog (literally – we were joined by a gorgeous kelpie) was out tramping. After a skillful 100 point turn, our shuttle driver deposited us at the beginning of the Umukarikari track. … Read more

Two Thumb Range – Boundary Stream, Opuha River

View of Lake Tekapo from Boundary Stream - Two Thumb Range featured image

Two Thumb Range – Boundary Stream, South Opuha River A 3 day hiking loop trip through The Two Thumb Range above Lake Tekapo passing through Boundary Stream and the Opuha River areas. As is a common occurrence, this trip started life as three days of perfect weather camping in the basin below the Dasler Pinnacles … Read more

New members night – 26 February 2020

Summer is here! And that means more time to explore the great New Zealand outdoors! Want to find out how? The Wellington Tramping and Mountaineering Club (WTMC) is hosting a new members night on the evening of Wednesday 26 February 2020 at the Tararua Tramping Club hall on 4 Moncrieff Street, and all are welcome. … Read more

Hollyford Pyke

Packrafting Lake McKerrow early morning

Hollyford Pyke – a packraft circuit in Fiordland National Park Packrafting the Hollyford River and Lake McKerrow to the West Coast and back via the Pyke River. The Hollyford Pyke circuit seems to defy gravity. You start at the Hollyford Road end and paddle down the Hollyford River, across Lake McKerrow, and down the estuary … Read more

What happens when a club PLB is set off?

WTMC Intentions sheets and PLB

In October, we ran an incident simulation exercise to test out how the club’s incident management processes work in practice. Every time you go on a trip, the trip leader asks for your emergency contact details, and in return sends you the details of the club’s weekend emergency contact person. Most of the time (thankfully) … Read more