Kia ora,
This article provides general club updates including:
- From the Committee, including upcoming AGM and proposed Constitution
- Lodge updates, including Lodge working bee and 2024 winter season
- Coming up in April
If you have any questions, comments or ideas please get in touch.
Ngā mihi
Taranaki (MF) – Twelve of us climbed Taranaki Maunga via the Khyber Pass Route (it was too icy to go up the east ridge as planned) with a pre dawn start. The conditions were excellent and we were above the clouds in our own magical world for most of the trip!
We also enjoyed staying at Tahurangi Lodge and learning to play Sushi Go! (Emily)
From the Committee
NOTICE OF THE AGM – 10 April
The next AGM will be held on Wednesday 10 April, in person and online.
The meeting will be followed by drinks and nibbles around the corner, at the Boneface Tavern, 13 Pirie St.
In addition to the usual agenda items, we will also vote on whether to adopt the updated Constitution.
Agenda, supporting documents and meeting details are available here on the website.
Find the event on the website or on Facebook.
COMMITTEE NOMINATIONS FOR 2024/25
We are calling for nominations for the 2024/25 Committee. Several members on the current Committee have indicated their intention to continue in their role, however all roles remain open for nominations. In particular, we are looking for:
- President
- Vice President
- Treasurer
- Chief Guide
Get in touch if you are interested or have any questions. Nominations can be emailed to until the AGM takes place.
A REMINDER ABOUT PRIVACY and PERSONAL INFORMATION
In the course of our roles as volunteers for the Club, we often handle personal information for the purposes of booking facilities, coordinating trip logistics, and responding to an emergency, among other things. It is important that this information is handled with care and consistently with the purpose for which that information was collected, otherwise we risk harm to Club members and the public, and breaching the Privacy Act 2020.
This is a gentle reminder to consider and direct any request for information to the appropriate person (or contact address in the Club) to respond, to help ensure personal information is handled correctly and in accordance with our obligations. In particular, please do not share other volunteers’ personal contact details without their consent: ask them first.
If you are unsure about any matter or request or if you have any concerns, please contact our privacy officer at
REFUNDS and BOOKING FEES
We have made changes to the refund policy and booking fees for Paua Hut and the Lodge.
More information has been published here on the website.
Leo and Amy-Lou completing a Northern Crossing of the Tararuas (MF) (Credit: Leo) Read the trip report.
FMC NOMINATIONS
FMC nominations for the coming year are open. If you are interested to be nominated by WTMC, please get in touch.
More information is available on the FMC website.
VISIT of the NZ RESCUE COORDINATION CENTER
For the second time in 6 months, a group of 11 Club Members visited the NZRCC in late February. They had the opportunity to see the control centre and the staffed talked them through the process when a PLB is activated and then what they do from there. They were able to talk about the incident where a PLB was activated on a WTMC Club trip, in May 2022. They also demonstrated their programme for modelling drift patterns if someone goes missing in the sea to help predict where the person will be.
If you’re interested in organising another visit of the NZRCC for the Club, feel free to get in touch.
A wāhine trip to the most remote hut in the Tararuas: Carkeek! Highlights included an incredible sunset, decadent biscoff and choc chip cookies and making extensive use of our picnic blanket. Read the trip report and check out Lynsey’s Carkeek cookie recipe.
Lodge Updates
FUTURE OF THE LODGE
The Committee and Lodge volunteers met earlier this months to discuss the further of the Lodge in more detail. We’ve reviewed the lodge ‘performance’ over the last 10 years and talked through challenges and opportunities. We are also making progress on a more detailed assessment for a long term maintenance plan. Based on this conversation, the Committee is planning to move towards more proactive approaches to increase lodge occupancy year around, and we are continuing to explore options to cut down costs. We’ve also identified key decisions the new Committee will need to make in the next 12 months, to ensure we have a plan in place to support the long term viability of the lodge and the club.
Keeping the Lodge running is not the sole responsibility of the Committee and the Lodge Sub-Committee. If you are interested in supporting the Lodge or have suggestions, please reach out. More Club members’ actively supporting Lodge operations is (and will continue to be) essential for the viability of the Lodge and the Club.
A more detailed summary will be emailed to Members in the next couple of weeks.
2024 WINTER SEASON
As you might already be aware, the Government provided additional funding to Ruapehu Alpine Lifts, which means we have certainty that the ski field (and the Lodge!) will be operating this winter. Winter Bookings will open as follows:
- May 1st 2024 for Members;
- June 1st for Non-Member;
- Weekday Bookings will be on-request until a Lodge Leader has been found – then bookings will open up.
As noted above, we are also making changes to the Lodge refund policy and booking fees, more info here.
Make sure to follow the Ruapehu Lodge facebook page for any updates and key dates for bookings.
WORKING BEE AT THE LODGE
Lodge Work Party (Feb 2024) – Six club members and one non-member were recently at the Mt Ruapehu Lodge for summer maintenance. Another weekend is planned for 12 – 14 April to complete the work and needs enthusiastic helpers. If you want to help out maintaining our lodge – and have a friendly social weekend on the maunga – send an email to Roger at .
Work undertaken:
- Snow covers – removed and painted x6
- Windowsills – sanded and first coat of varnish
- Worn carpet replaced in hallway
- Dining room storage emptied and sorted
- Shadow board in storage room updated
- All 3 exterior doors sanded and painted
- Gib Board repairs
- Window catch replacement
- Remove Egmont window curtains for replacement of linings
- Cleaning
- Repair bunk sideboards.
Lodge working bee in February. (Credit: Roger)
Coming up next
Check the trip schedule for upcoming club trips
10 April – Annual General Meeting – Find the event on the website or on Facebook.
12-14 April – Working bee at the Lodge. Get in touch with Roger at if you are interested in helping out.
24 April – WTMC Talks: Off track and late night adventures in Mt Richmond Forest Park
Looking over Kaikoura from Mt Fyffe Hut as the sun sets. Read the trip report.
(EM trip; technically it should be Easy, because it took a bit less than 2 hours to get to the hut). (credit: Jane)