Mt Tongariro – Cinderella and the Dancing Dinosaur

Mt Tongariro – Cinderella and the Dancing Dinosaur A 2 day hiking loop trip through the spectacular mountain scenery of the Tongariro National Park in early winter Sarah, could I please have my shoes back? I looked down at my feet and realised I was having a Cinderella moment at Mangatepopo Hut on Saturday morning and … Read more

WTMC Ruapehu Lodge – what goes on when you’re not watching 😆

WTMC Ruapehu Lodge Working Party June 2023

WTMC Ruapehu Lodge – what goes on when you’re not watching 😆 A report on the WTMC Lodge at Mt Ruapehu working party June 2024 that attended to the outstanding maintenance issues before opening for the 2024 ski season.

WTMC Ruapehu Lodge and the solitary wilding pine 🌲

Aerial view of the location of thee wilding pine

WTMC Ruapehu Lodge – and the solitary wilding pine  🌲  The wilding pine on the Whakapapa slopes of Mount Ruapehu needed to be removed – so Sarah and her teddy bear set out to do the job Some time ago while passing across the western slopes of Mt Ruapehu around towards the WTMC Lodge Sarah Saurus … Read more

A WTMC ski trip to Mt Ruapehu Labour Weekend 1948

The fantastical flying bed bus

A WTMC ski trip to Mt Ruapehu Labour Weekend 1948 An entertaining account of a 1948 ski trip to Mt Ruapehu in a broken-down bus, stormy weather, and very little skiing

Round the Mountain Track – Tongariro National Park

Nine people signed up for the club’s New Year Round The Mountain – Ruapehu trip. The group featured a few people new to multi-day walks, a few new to the club, as well as some very experienced club members and trampers. The distance and demanding terrain mean that an excellent baseline fitness is a prerequisite, … Read more

Paratetaitonga…. nearly! Mt Ruapehu – Tongariro National Park

*Editor’s note: Paratetaitonga (2535m) is a mountain peak located on the edge of Mt Ruapehu’s Crater Lake. It’s always nice when you are lucky enough to have a Friday off work for early travel to your weekend’s destination! It’s even better when you know there’ll be no soggy camping at the road end on a … Read more

Alpine training courses with NZAC

Thanks to WTMC scholarships that helped to cover some of the cost, Mathew and Anne signed up for a backcountry avalanche course and an intermediate snowcraft course with the New Zealand Alpine Club (NZAC). Jon had already utilised a WTMC scholarship to attend a summer rock course earlier in the year, but signed up anyway … Read more

Ruapehu Crater Lake

Tahurangi

We had a great drive up to the WTMC lodge on Friday night, discussing our favourite tramping trips, travel destinations, and Bluey episodes (definitely Dance Mode). On arrival we met lodge leader Murray, who entertained us throughout the weekend with his stories of how tramping used to be in the good old days. In short: … Read more