See-the-Saw Soaring into the Sky

Looking down on the full length of the Sawtooth from Tiraha

Let’s start by listing the things this trip did not have: injuries, complaints, Turkish food. That’s about it. Ok, let’s look at what it did have; everything else! Our carefully laid plans to get over the hill and enjoy a kebab in Carterton were scuppered after we found the long time WTMC favourite dinner-stop closed … Read more

Aoraki Mount Cook

Two and a half years ago Elisabet and I signed up to a High Alpine Skills course in Temple Basin, Arthur’s Pass. On day one our American instructor Pete sat us down and asked each of us what our motivations were for the training. Why did we want to take on the risks the mountain … Read more

Tongariro Alpine Crossing by moonlight

We had this trip on the schedule back in July, only for it to be scuppered at the last minute by rubbish weather. There were only two months this year where the full moon fell on a weekend during the snowy season, and they had now passed. We’d kept this weekend free just in case … Read more

Cathedral Rocks Climbing

We had a slower than usual trip out of Wellington Friday, but it was made all the more interesting by a well contested game of ‘I spy’, initiated by a fellow travel buddy Oliver (who was travelling up with his Dad Simon for a weekend of the “going downhill fast in a good way” variety. … Read more

Manakau ~ Uwerau Traverse (well, some of it anyway)

This time last year, almost to the day, I stood on the summit of Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku, and one of the few prominent sights staring back was the peak of one of its tallest partners Mt Manakau, the highest point in the Seaward Kaikouras. I resolved that next year I’d try to tackle it on the … Read more

Ruapehu Summits from the Lodge

INTRODUCTION The purpose of running the trip as an Alp1 “PLUS” was to give experienced Alp1-level members a chance to try something with a bit more exposure, and maybe needing the occasional rope to make crossing certain features safer. This proved to be a very popular proposal, and despite this being a Fit trip I … Read more

Bernie’s trip in the Tararuas

For some of the pictures Tony took on the tramp click here. Four friends left Welly Railway Station Friday after work and headed off to the Tararuas. They were to meet Neill, Winchcombe and Hector on the following day—for they had made their own way and were already there. The four bivied on the summit … Read more