Having spent April either moving house or travelling for work, tramping has not occupied its usual place in my thoughts. The last time I ventured out was for Bushcraft, which seems like approximately an eternity ago. And I miss it. All of us in this club share a mania for the outdoors, and for New Zealand’s wilderness in particular.
As we start a new club year, those of us serving on the committee reflect on what we want to achieve. Whether we’re old hands or fresh blood, we all have a vision of tramping that encompasses being part of a community. In the same way that I’ve learned from those who are more experienced, I’m keen to enthuse and equip the next cohort of trampers. Part of this is making sure that we as a club are flexible and innovative enough to avoid institutionalisation. We need to listen to new ideas and to take reasonable risks. I’d like to hear from you about what you want the committee of 2014/15 to achieve – please drop me an email.
After our Bushcraft course, the next opportunity for instruction is Snowcraft. If you (or anyone you know) would benefit from getting more confident in a snowy environment, don’t hesitate to sign up for this course. It’s a great chance to make new friends, as well as gain alpine confidence. Participants need to be members of the club, and course dates are: evenings of Wed 18 and 25 June at the clubrooms, then 27-29 June and 4-6 July at Ruapehu. Sign up at the clubrooms or email the WTMC alpine crew. More details can be found on our website.