The mountain is continuing to provide good weather and the gondola is now operating again after a short maintenance break. Ruapehu Alpine Lifts are completing work on the lifts so here is hoping all is up and running for winter this season. At our last meeting we decided that we would not increase our accommodation ... Read more
Nearly a year ago when elected President I couldn’t have come close to imagining all the year would bring for the club. It’s easy to focus on the COVID-19 challenges but there’s more to celebrate. What a year! It’s been wonderful to see so many trip reports over the last month or so on our ... Read more
Ahead of our next AGM, available on the website here are the WTMC Annual Report 2021 (under Annual Reports ) and the WTMC Financial Statement 2010-2021 (under Financial Reports). At the AGM we will be electing a new WTMC Committee for the April 2021 to March 2022 year. We will also vote on changes to ... Read more
The General Committee has started thinking about a Mission Statement and Values for our club. We’d appreciate your feedback on having a Mission Statement and values, as well as what we’ve come up with so far. Email president@wtmc.org.nz by 6 April 2021 DRAFT MISSION STATEMENT “Wellington Tramping and Mountaineering Club is an outdoor activities club ... Read more
We’ve regrouped at the top of a 300m long stretch of steep scoria on the way down the north ridge of Mount Taranaki. The sun blazes from a cloudless sky, there’s no wind and it’s hot – a heat haze shimmers off the dusty slope. Having climbed over 1500m today our legs are tired and ... Read more
At 7.45 am seven bright-eyed and eager trampers stepped out of the WTMC Ruapehu Lodge and set off up Mt Ruapehu. It was a great day for a climb—blue skies with barely a breath of wind. It didn’t take long before we left the road and stepped our way across shingle and large rocks, tinged with ... Read more
Blue Range Hut is the perfect spot for newbie trampers to test their fitness and learn some navigation skills. Who knew that tramping-fit is totally different to walking-fit? Or that ending up slightly off track from your planned route, does not mean you are lost? Or that lightly salted mango and biscuits are considered gourmet? ... Read more
On the Saturday morning at 7.30 am six still half-asleep but excited punters met at the train station and set off in the van making our way slowly to the Poads Road end to start our walk. The beauty about leaving at an early time on a Saturday morning is that there is no traffic ... Read more
I have been determinedly Tararua hut-bagging for a couple of years now, having realised I’d haphazardly visited about three quarters of them. Carkeek Hut is one of the most difficult to get to being right in the middle of the range with no DoC-maintained tracks to it. I was waiting for a good weather weekend ... Read more
This was essentially a day trip cleverly disguised as a weekend trip, leaving Friday night and returning later than expected Sunday arvo, yet only tramping during the day on Saturday. As such we had nearly as many adventures off the trail as on! Most of us were belatedly “getting back into it” post lockdown. I ... Read more
What better way to spend a fine weather Sunday than an easy WTMC day walk into Mitre Flats and then back to the roadend via the Waingawa River. Four of us enjoyed the perfect conditions for an approximately 8 hour round trip. Here is a 3 minute video of some of our fun-filled day.
The Mahu Whenua covenants were established by Robert Lange of Soho Property Limited in partnership with Queen Elizabeth II National Trust in September 2015 to ensure the protection of around 53,000 hectares of iconic New Zealand high country between Queenstown and Wanaka (1). Approximately 70% of the 60km Mahu Whenua Turk Traverse is on Coronet ... Read more
Recently, the lodge sub-committee held a special meeting to discuss the future of the lodge and to reaffirm the purpose and usefulness of this club facility. More details of our thinking will follow in a month or two. Now more than ever the importance of the lodge to the club is becoming evident with RAL ... Read more
A big welcome to all our new members and a huge welcome back to our many continuing members! Covid-19 continues to present challenges but in the bigger picture we remain very fortunate and as a club we’re more prepared. If we return to level 2, it’s likely we’ll continue to run most trips and the ... Read more
It had been two years since my first experience of the Richmond Ranges, my first overnight WTMC trip, a medium grade where I bit off more than I could chew. So, when I joined the Wellington Anniversary weekend trip to the Red Hills I was a bit nervous but knew I had the chance to ... Read more
“You will never get there – it’s a really long way.” Hmmm. This warning was delivered by a man pushing a bike along the Pelorus Track. I wasn’t sure how seriously I should take it given he was pushing a bike along a tramping track but decided to thank him for his advice and continue ... Read more
As many WTMC holiday weekend trips do, this trip started with the Interislander ferry to Picton and a drive to a DoC campsite. This time Kawatiri just beyond St Arnaud and handily situated right next to the both SH6 and SH63 (handy for access that is, less handy for sound sleeping). Queueing for the loo ... Read more
What do WTMC trampers do after they have declared they are ‘all tramped-out’ after many trips over the previous six weeks of fine summer weather and they are then presented with a forecast for a further one-day window of perfect weather at a cool little mountain where fine days are rare? Well – they just ... Read more
I had never stayed in Paua Hut (the club hut in the Orongorongo Valley) and also had not been up Mt Matthews for over four years. When I saw that this tramp required a leader I volunteered. After leaving Wellington Station as per normal on the Friday evening we drove to the Catchpool carpark at ... Read more
The weather on the mountain seems to have settled a bit giving favourable conditions for those who will be staying at our lodge. The volcanic hazard level has returned to level 1 which means that all can visit the top of the mountain. This is a fantastic option at this time of the year when ... Read more
Welcome to 2021! We’ve had a great start to the year with a very enjoyable and satisfying trip planning night. For any ideas or if you want to lead or co-lead a trip (we’re more than happy to help find a co-leader and/or mentor for anyone) email Chiefguide@wtmc.org.nz. There’s also been some fun and challenging ... Read more
In August 2016 we completed our AIC (Alpine Instruction Course) at Temple Basin in Arthurs Pass. I remember one morning after emerging from our snow cave high up above the ski field, we got the best views of the rising sun lighting up the mountains across the pass. The most prominent of the lot was ... Read more
Atene Skyline Track For those yet to experience the Whanganui National Park but would like a taste of what the terrain offers, there is the easily accessible Atene Skyline Track. It is just 30 minutes drive from Whanganui on the Whanganui River Road. Being a near loop, it will suit many – walkers and trail ... Read more
Alpha Hut was our plan B, as we could not make the Southern Crossing happen due to the closing of the Otaki Forks road. We met on Saturday bright and early at 6:30am at the train station, before driving to Kaitoke carpark (Kiwi Road end). We left around 7:45am and started walking in the beautiful ... Read more
DOC promote this Great Walk as a 3-4 day tramp with two or three overnight stays (Mangatepopo, Oturere, Waihohonu Huts) for good reason. The scenery is exceptional. Alternatively, it can be walked in two days with each day at least 8 hours. However, the Northern Circuit in a day is possible. Trail runners run it ... Read more
A massive thank you to all our members – for your support and understanding throughout a difficult year for everyone and for the club. While 2020 has been challenging in many ways, there’s also been many fantastic trips and other highlights in the year, including in the last month or so. I was fortunate enough ... Read more
The weather seems to have settled a bit on the mountain after weeks of wet weather since Labour weekend. But now just to spoil things, the maunga is now at volcanic alert level 2, which means that a visit to the top is no longer an option until a drop to level 1. I had ... Read more
We were all ready for a weekend away and the best excuse is the opportunity to get back into nature. We arrived Friday night with a relaxing 30 minute walk to Alice Nash Memorial Heritage Hut. The advantage with reaching summer time is the long day light hours and arriving to the hut before dark. ... Read more
In this podcast, On the Run chats with runner and triathlete Sierra Ryland. Sierra discusses her relationship with running and her new career as a personal trainer; she tells us what makes for a good personal trainer, what her clients are looking for, and what she has learned about all-round fitness and motivation.
SK · Sierra Ryland
