Traversing Travers, konquering Kehu

Taking an extra day off work for this adventure was bittersweet – 6 interested punters were whittled down to just 3 as we were the only ones who could get the time off before the closing date for the trip. However in the end we were glad we did it as we ended up with … Read more

Happy on Tappy!

The 5pm Interislander is packed with familiar faces. We have the company of the WTMC, TTC and NZAC all heading for their long weekend objectives. After an uneventful crossing, we’re off on our own private adventure – to bag the summit of Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku. Almost two hours after leaving Picton, we cross a suspension bridge … Read more

Snowcraft 2016

20 beginner alpinists, 5 instructors, 2 teams and 1 mountain to conquer. Two packed vans and one car left a windy Wellington behind, with sights set on Mt Ruapehu. The drive up offered long and tedious discussions about what the name of our team was going to be, and to Brendan’s delight we settled for … Read more

The Climb of Torayoc (1968 WTMC Andean Expedition)

From the 21st anniversary WTMC Journal, “Impressions of a Tramping Club”. It took two weeks of interminable wrangling, four customs agents and dozens of rubber stamps and signatures to clear the two tons of expedition gear and food through customs in Lima – a very depressing time. Ken and I had stayed in Lima for … Read more

Too Cloudy Peak

This trip appeared on the schedule and immediately got my interest, partly because as chief guide I didn’t put it there and partly because I hadn’t heard of the place. Mike explained that cloudy peak (well actually not all of this, consider it a narrative thing) is a rock climbers paradise in the middle of the … Read more

Tukino Alpine & Ice Climbing

With the tantalizing prospect of settled weather arriving after a good dump of snow, it seemed that much of Wellington headed North to play on the mountain. We enjoyed a mesmeric Kapiti sunset and the gastronomic highlights of Bulls before ploughing onto a blustery and very foggy desert road. A midnight briefing at Tukino Alpine Sports Club … Read more

Two Beautiful Weekends at Ruapehu Lodge

Raymond Morgan has run the first two transport/food/accommodation trips to our Ruapehu Lodge this season, and I was lucky enough to get onto both trips. While a lot of us got in some great skiing and boarding, Ray took us on some amazing adventures as well. I’m hooked! 18-20 July – Ruapehu Looking back at Ruapehu … Read more

Kehu Travers summer rock routes

To the South Island with racks and ropes and heavy packs.  We started out early on Thursday with a water taxi across Lake Rotoiti to Coldwater hut, weather calm and sunny, couldn’t ask for more for the 8-9 hour trudge up the Travers valley. Lunched at John Tait in fairly good time and continued up … Read more