Mitre Flats Navigation (AKA not getting to Mitre Flats but not getting lost)

I signed up for this tramp in order to brush-up on my navigational skills and also to travel over Pinnacle Ridge between the Atiwhakatu valley and Barton track. However, soon after signing-up I found myself organising and leading this trip with the expectation that I would be instructing on navigation! On the Friday evening we … Read more

Shingle Slip Knob Plane Wreck

When I saw that a tramp to the plane wreck at Shingle Slip Knob was planned I was keen and quickly signed up. On my first climb of Mt Holdsworth when I was 12 years old we spotted the wreck in the far distance. Something about the wreck captured my imagination and it had been … Read more

Flora and Fauna Fiesta

llona lead a group of us up to Cone Hut in the Tararuas in search of some cool flora and fauna. I was a new member to the club so was excited to see what the Tararuas had in store. We made out way down the Waiohine river gorge (via a small detour) and started … Read more

Southern Crossing

(Featured image: Sumudu) This one had been on the to-do list for a while, and after chatting with my workmate and fellow WTMC member Sumudu, we decided to co-lead a trip together over the Tararua Southern Crossing. After chatting to the chief guide, the trip was added to the Sep 17 – Feb 18 Trip … Read more

Tararua’s No. 1 Canyon – putting new skills to the test

A few of us did a canyon instruction course over Easter this year with the NZ Canyoning School. Winter shortly settled in and there was no more canyoning for the season. Once daylight savings had switched over, we got ready with a refresher of anchors, abseiling, rope management, ascending and more at Titahi Bay. Then … Read more

A Gourmet Gallivant to Roaring Stag Hut

Our group left Wellington first thing on Saturday morning and encountered a great snow scene driving over the Rimutakas. Luckily the weather was feeling friendly and we soon left the snow behind – a beautiful weekend was ahead. A stop at the Clareville Bakery, just north of Carterton, was a given for pre-tramp calories and … Read more

Waiopehu Sludge

Our tramp got underway at around 10:15am from Poads Road, with a 15 minute slog through a muddy field, then a steep uphill for about three quarters of an hour. After that, we followed a rolling ridge along a fairly good track, with some tricky patches of the famous Tararua sludge/mud (which Clinton simply plowed … Read more

Broken Axe Pinnacles – a day walk

Nearing Jumbo with the sun setting on Mt Holdsworth after we had traversed the Broken Axe Pinnacles.

Broken Axe Pinnacles – a day walk in Tararua Forest Park A day walk along the Broken Axe Pinnacles in Tararua Forest Park via Pinnacle Ridge, Baldy, Jumbo, and Mt Holdsworth. We arrived at the Holdsworth carpark at 8 am just in time to see the full moon setting below the western hills. Twelve hours later … Read more

Jumbo Holdsworth Tramp – Powell Hut (EM)

We all met at Platform 9 at 8.00am on Saturday, a delayed start from Friday night due to a running race being held on the Holdsworth Track. We also changed our route plan, missing Jumbo Hut, so as to avoid the ridge on Sunday. The weather looked good as we headed to the Wairarapa onto … Read more

Waiopehu Hut

We departed on Saturday morning from the Railway Station at 8am with a glorious day ahead of us. This was despite the small accident my water bladder had on the front passenger seat of the van. We stopped for water filling/coffee in Levin, and we also went on a tiki tour of farm land around … Read more