In early December 2019, WTMC life member Nick Jennings and former WTMC member Fraser Walls passed away. Nick died on 5 December 2019 in Palmerston North from colon cancer, aged 89. Fraser died on 6 December 2019 from a heart attack, aged 78. FRASER WALLS 20 FEBRUARY 1941 – 6 DECEMBER 2019 One of Fraser’s … Read more
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
Nick Jennings’ tramping CV is impressive. The list of roles he’s performed for WTMC, Federated Mountain Clubs, Mountain Safety Council, DOC and its predecessors, and LandSAR, is extensive. Mike Gilbert spent an afternoon talking with Nick about the times and places behind the statistics. How long ago did you start tramping? I started in the … Read more
I mentioned to Pete one weekend at Ruapehu Lodge that I was doing some Life Member interviews and he promptly said ‘Right we’d better bloody get on with it then’. So he regaled me with decades of club adventures over coffee surrounded by kids playing and with stunning views of Taranaki out the window. When … Read more
When I met up with Ron at a local pub, he belied his 80+ years with a twinkle in his eye, a clear voice and a sharp memory. We spent the afternoon over a pint, as club life in the 1960s came to life in Ron’s reminiscing. How did you first get introduced to the … Read more
This is the first in a series of interviews with some of the WTMC life members. Sue Walsh is one of the life members that is well known to a lot of us who go to club regularly. She’s been the friendly welcoming face you saw up front on Wednesday nights for several years up until … Read more
What an epic season! After an inauspicious start we got the right snow at the right time and now Turoa has been able to extend their spring season through to “Snovember”. The lodge was pretty full most weekends, a great result thanks in no small part to Ray and Gareth, who between them brought over 60 … Read more
Nick Jennings, a club member from way back, five times Club President and Life Member for his many contributions over the years, came to share his wisdom at a Wednesday Night club meeting recently. Here is his advice, gleaned from decades in the bush over the 1940’s, 50’s, 60’s and later. Don’t start reading Science … Read more
Congratulations to Sue Walsh for being awarded Life Membership to the WTMC at the recent AGM. Sue’s commitment to the club began at a young age, with some of her earliest memories going up to Ruapheu Lodge, which her father, Trevor Walsh one of the early Life Members in the Club, played a critical role … Read more
Wayne Stevens spoke at the April 2011 AGM, supporting Sue’s nomination as a Life Member. I’ve known Sue since joining the Club in 1992. Sue has been on the Committee for the entire time that I’ve been in the club occupying a range of positions from President to Secretary, Vice President and other roles. She … Read more