Kia ora,
I hope you have been able to make the most of tramping these last couple of months. With the days getting shorter, the club’s focus is now gearing up for a fantastic winter season at the Lodge, preparing the winter / spring trip schedule and running some exciting social events.
I intend to get back into the habit of sending out a monthly President’s post, to let you know what is happening in the club and in the wider outdoor community. This month, read on for information about:
- club activities in April, including your new Committee and Annual Award recipients
- recent trips, new club gear, the upcoming trip schedule and opportunities to develop your skills
- the Lodge winter season and opportunities to get involved
- upcoming social events and a volunteer opportunity with Te Araroa Wellington Trust.
As always, I welcome any feedback and please feel free to email me at president@wtmc.org.nz.
Ngā mihi
Daniel Madley
President
Club activities in April
The Club’s AGM was held in early April. Successes of the evening included: finalising the text of the Club’s new Constitution (look out for it on the website once it has been formally accepted by the Companies’ Office) and electing a full Club Committee of 7 people – with no vacant spots on the Committee this year.
Your Committee members elected for 2025/26 are:
President – Daniel Madley
Vice President – Andrew Brown
Treasurer – Ellis Pike
Secretary – Megan Madley
Chief Guide – Sara Harrison
Lodge Convenor – Miles Davison
Liaison Officer – Sam Harrison
I want to thank Committee members for their enthusiasm and significant contributions to the Club. It was great to see the entire previous Committee stand for re-election. More information on Committee members and their specific roles and responsibilities will be posted on the website and social media soon, and in future monthly posts.
We also ran an Awards Night after the AGM, to recognise the tireless efforts the Club’s many volunteers make. Without their efforts it simply would not be possible to run the Club. Award recipients were:
Tramper / Mountaineer of the Year: James Wood
Most Improved Tramper: Gina Chamberlain
Trip Member of the Year: Josh Mann
Trip Leaders of the Year: Monique Bon and Daniel Madley
Volunteer of the Year: Roger Bolam (lodge maintenance and Veteran Members coordinator)
Lodge Legend Award: Jan and Brian Goodwin
Best Misadventure Award: Regan McGillicuddy
Best Trip of 2024: Humboldt Mountains
Best Contributions from a Veteran Member: Harry Smith
Most Huts Bagged in 2024: Monique Bon (81 huts)
Best Cook: James Wood
Worst Cook: Callum Swears
Most Nights at the Lodge in 2024: Robyn Koorey (26 nights)
Most Nights at Paua Hut in 2024: Kaleb Smith, Don O’Brian and Paul Duigan (four nights each).
Congratulations to all the winners, and thank you to those who submitted nominations. The Committee is already thinking about how to make next year’s awards even better!
Trip highlights, gear update and upcoming development opportunities
We ran some great trips over the late Summer and Autumn period, including: a Belmont Regional Park day walk, Lockett Range and Sailsbury Lodge in Kahurangi National Park, Pukeamoamo/Mitre Peak, Jumbo, Mid-Waiohine, Jacs Biv, Tauherenikau River, Cow Creek and McGregor Biv, Waiopehu Hut, a ‘modified’ Southern Crossing in the Tararuas, Pouākai Circuit and modified Taranaki Loop in Egmont National Park, Upper Makaroro, Kiritaki Hut, Te Atuaoparapara in the Ruahines, and St James Walkway in the St James Conservation Area.
Thanks to all the trip leaders who volunteer their time and effort on these trips!
We also ran a workshop for prospective trip leaders. Many thanks to Assistant Chief Guide Monique Bon for leading this session.
In particular, thanks to Sara Harrison, Josh Mann and Julia Norton for representing WTMC at a dawn ANZAC Day service with other clubs, on the summit of Mt Hector. The Memorial Cross on the summit of Mount Hector is a tribute to trampers and mountaineers from Wellington and the Hutt Valley who lost their lives during the Second World War. It was a special occasion for all involved, even though it required a 3.30 am start to tramp in from Elder Hut! More information can be found on the Club’s Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EJKTTia7q/.
I also want to note that a Personal Locator Beacon was activated on a recent club trip as a result of a medical emergency. Fortunately, a helicopter was able to evacuate the tramper to the nearest medical centre and provide them with the care they needed. I want to thank Sara Harrison, Andrew Chisholm and Eoin Lynch for their efforts behind the scenes to respond to this event. Safety on club trips is of paramount importance and we are conducting an exercise to see what lessons can be learned.
Gear – a reminder that the gear room is now open from 6.30 -7pm on Wednesday evenings to pick up gear for club trips or personal use. We have some new lightweight emergency flys and two-person tents available for road-end camping. There will no longer be a charge to hire gear for private trips, including alpine trips. More information about available gear can be found on the Club’s website.
Winter / Spring trip ideas – we are developing our Winter/Spring trip schedule for August to November. Please send any ideas for tramping or alpine trips that you would like to go on or lead to assistantchiefguide@wtmc.org.nz.
Basic Snowcraft (Alpine Level 1) Course – we have had strong interest to run a basic snowcraft course this year and are in the process of confirming dates and logistical details, but at this stage the course is likely to run in late July / early August. We will contact those who have expressed interest ASAP. Please contact assistantchiefguide@wtmc.org.nz if you are keen but have not yet expressed your interest.
Intro to Backcountry Ski Touring Course – we are also exploring the possibility of contracting Hillary Outdoors to run either a one- or two-day introductory backcountry ski touring course, based from the Club’s lodge at Whakapapa. If you are an intermediate / advanced skier capable of skiing off-piste on black runs and are interested in this course, please contact chiefguide@wtmc.org.nz. We would need a minimum of 4 keen people to make the course viable.
Trip Leader development – we are seeking expressions of interest from trip leaders who would like to attend the following club funded courses:
a. An online OTNZ Weather Course which starts on 3 June 2025. The cost of the course is $199 and would be funded on the basis that you present a club talk after completing the course.
b. An NZAC Basic Alpine Instructor Course on 2 – 3 July 2025, funded on the basis that you will instruct on a WTMC Snowcraft Course in 2025.
Please contact chiefguide@wtmc.org.nz if you are interested in either of these courses.
Lodge winter season
Bookings have now opened for the 2025 Club Lodge winter season! Prices have not increased from last year.
Right now, members can make bookings for weekends. From mid-May, non-members will be able to make bookings. So get in quick. Mid-week booking options will also be available soon.
More information can be found here: https://wtmc.org.nz/lodge/how-to-book-the-lodge/.
For the Club Lodge to open, there must be a lodge operator on site. Lodge Convenor Miles and his team always welcome people getting in contact and they can train you on how to be a lodge operator.
Please contact Miles by email at lodgeconvenor@wtmc.org.nz if you are interested.
Upcoming social events and Te Araroa volunteer opportunity
We are fortunate that on Wednesday 7 May 2025, Les Molloy will give a Club talk on the long struggle from the early 1960s to 1989 to get the Olivine Wilderness Area protected as part of Mount Aspiring National Park. We look forward to seeing you at the talk at the TTC club rooms from 6.30 pm.
It has also been great to meet new people at the Club’s monthly Fork and Brewer pub night. See you at the next one on Tuesday 20 May from 6pm. See the following link for location details: https://forkandbrewer.co.nz/.
Looking further ahead, please keep an eye out for the following Club talks which will soon be added to the schedule:
- Wednesday 4 June – The Schormanns to Kaitoke Main Range traverse. Hear from club members Megan Sety and Stuart Meiklejohn, who have completed this ~80 km traverse in less than 48 hours. We look forward to a number of groups completing this challenge in December 2025 or January 2026. Find out more here.
- Wednesday 2 July – High Alpine Course and Garden of Eden. Club members Mat Denys and Emily Shrosbee were granted a scholarship in 2024 to complete a high alpine course. Hear about their spectacular trip to the Garden of Eden ice plateau.
Sam Harrison and his team are also hard at work organising a mid-winter ball at the Lodge in late-June 2025, and (back by popular demand!) a quiz which will be held in July 2025. The quiz will be even bigger than last year and will bring WTMC, NZAC Wellington, Vic Uni Tramping Club and TTC together to fund raise for good causes. No word yet on whether ‘sink or float’ will be one of the rounds again this year. Keep an eye out for more information about these events in the coming weeks.
Finally, Te Araroa Wellington Trust is currently seeking expressions of interest for two vacancies on the volunteer Trustee team. The Trust is tasked with the generation of community ownership, support for the trail, regional sponsorship, and overseeing trail development and maintenance. This is a great opportunity to give back to the community and be involved in the regional governance of the Wellington section of Te Araroa. Applications close on 31 May 2025.
If you are interested, please contact me by email at president@wtmc.org.nz and I can send you the information pack.
Regards,
Daniel Madley
President – Wellington Tramping and Mountaineering Club
president@wtmc.org.nz