Kia ora,
We are now into the second half of the year, with the lodge’s winter bookings and new trip schedule in full swing. I hope you have found some time to get out into the hills recently, and if not, let the club help you! This month read on to find out about:
- the quiz with TTC, NZAC and Vic Uni at the end of July
- a recap of recent club activities, and much more!
As always, I welcome your comments and feedback. Please feel free to email me at president@wtmc.org.nz.
Ngā mihi
Daniel Madley
President
Sign up for the quiz
On Tuesday 29 July, WTMC will go into battle with teams from Tararua Tramping Club, Vic Uni Tramping Club and NZAC’s Wellington section for the glory of being crowned quiz champions. The quiz we hosted last year with NZAC was such a success we’ve expanded it – more teams, more prizes, more glory and more donations to worthy causes – this year funds will be split between Greater Wellington Backcountry Trust and Aotearoa Climbing Access Trust.
Tickets are strictly limited so act fast and buy your team’s ticket here. You can buy your ticket before all six members of your team are confirmed.
Nye Williams-Renouf has again done a sterling job of working his rolodex to get thousands of dollars in prizes from fantastic partners, including Coffee Outdoors, Bivouac, On Mountain, Cactus, Glowing Sky, and Faultline and Hangdog Climbing Gyms. There will be a raffle (please bring cash!), lots of spot prizes and lots of food and drink options. We look forward to seeing your team at the Hunter Lounge at Vic Uni on 29 July!
Recent club trips and mid-winter ball
We’ve had a great range of club trips out in the hills these last few weeks. Demonstrating how effectively the club can help out with trip logistics, we’ve had groups arranging key swaps on the Matemateaonga Track in Whanganui National Park, and on the Queen Charlotte Track in the Marlborough Sounds. Both trips proved incredibly popular, and I am sure they will feature on the trip schedule again soon. In particular, jet boating down the Whanganui River proved to be a highlight for the Matemateaonga groups, and Regan’s group saw dolphins in the Marlborough Sounds.
We’d like to give a big shout-out to Sally Homer, who recently led her first club trip to Roaring Stag Hut. Making the move to trip leadership is a meaningful milestone, and we’re thrilled to see new leaders stepping up. We know leading a trip can feel like a big leap, which is why we’re working on initiatives to make it easier and more supported, especially for first-time leaders. EM trips continue to attract huge interest, and we simply can’t meet that interest without members willing to contribute their time, energy, and experience. It was also great to hear that Sally’s group supported her on the trip by checking things like maps and elevation, which underscores that collective effort and responsibility makes for a great trip!
Meanwhile, Punter of the Year Josh Mann had the weather gods on his side with a MF trip completing the Dundas Loop in the Northern Tararuas. They got great views of Taranaki, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe and enjoyed a 13-hour day making their way to Cattle Ridge Hut.
That same weekend, Mathew Denys led as group to find the Kaiparoro Plane Wreck, where a RNZAF Oxford NZ2124 crashed in 1952.
I recently led a day trip to find the elusive Turere Stream waterfall in the Orongorongos; the weather gods were not on our side and the overnight stay at Paua Hut (not to mention private hut bagging) has been deferred again.
Also rolling with the punches was Sam Harrison, who led a group of 24.5 people (including a toddler) to the lodge for the mid-winter ball. While the weather did not cooperate, the group made the most of it getting out for some shorter walks and enjoying all that the lodge has to offer in their fancy dress.
Activity at the lodge
On the subject of the lodge, much credit must go to Miles Davison, Roger Bolam, Sam Kempthorne, Rene Van Lierop and the wider Lodge team for their hard work getting the lodge ready for the influx of winter guests. Last month I promised a more fulsome update, so am now pleased to report that over three working bees in May and June they have, among many other things, improved the custodian room, restocked the food, hung a 100-year old map of Ruapehu National Park, installed wall heaters, improved the showers, bought new vacuum cleaners, replaced mattress covers and, last but not least, have got a new 4-slice toaster.
We’re truly fortunate to have an amazing lodge facility that is well maintained and so accessible to so many – it is a taonga that connects the club across generations. A reminder that you can make lodge bookings for winter here, and if you are interested in helping Rene with lodge food over winter please email lodgefood.officer@wtmc.org.nz.
The Lodge has filled up for some weekends, but there is still space available on other weekends. Remember that our club has a reciprocal arrangement with other clubs on Ruapehu, so if our lodge is full, contact Sam Kempthorne (lodgebookings@wtmc.org.nz) to see if your group can be accommodated.
Finally, I want to acknowledge the many hours that Miles Davison and Roger Bolam in particular have recently dedicated to updating the lodge training manual and creating a video to handily show how to open and close the lodge during both the winter and summer months. This information is critical to ensuring the lodge operates safely and that everyone has an enjoyable experience. If you have previously been trained as a lodge operator you will be emailed a link to the new video and revised manual, and lodge operators allocated for this season will receive these as part of normal lodge procedures. If you just can’t wait, ask Miles for an advance copy (lodgeconvenor@wtmc.org.nz).
Other happenings
- Thank you to Emily Shrosbree and Mathew Denys for an informative club talk on how to get into mountaineering. With a massively over-subscribed club snowcraft course about to get underway, the talk was very timely, and developing the club’s capability to run alpine trips and have experienced alpine leaders is a focus for the Committee.
- I would like to acknowledge Rosemary Fox, a club member who tragically passed away suddenly in early-June. Along with her late husband Gordon, Rosemary joined the club in the 1960s, and led a variety of club trips tramping, caving, climbing and skiing. Many club members have fond memories of the times and adventures they shared with Rosemary, and our thoughts are with Rosemary’s family.
- Speaking of adventures, trip reports are a fantastic record of our club’s activities. I love poring over them to get information and inspiration to plan my trips, and to see all of the great times had by trip members. It would be greatly appreciated if a trip member puts their hand up to write the trip report – taking this task off the trip leader is another way we can acknowledge the time and effort they put in to make the trip happen.
- A reminder that FMC discount cards and Backcountry magazines can be collected from the club gear room in Mt Vic on Wednesdays from 6.30-7pm. We are also interested in seeing if club members get this from FMC directly – if you have an FMC D2U arrangement in place can you please let Megan (secretary@wtmc.org.nz) know. The June 2025 Backcountry edition can be read online here.
- The Committee has recently decided it will make an annual $1,000 donation to Life Flight to support its rescue helicopter efforts in the Wellington region. We have also decided to donate $750 to each of the rescue helicopter organisations involved in our most recent two PLB activation incidents.
- Finally, Summit Adventures, a New Zealand-based family business, is running a Premium Tour to Everest Base Camp in April 2026. If you are interested, more information can be found here.