Trip intentions

Somehow I decided to say yes to this... carrying a big, semi-heavy, obnoxiously orange bucket up to Arete biv/hut (it's a biv istg the things tiny). 
Good thing is I love Arete, and it's a f##king stunning area of the Tararuas! My plan is to head up for an overnighter from Poads Road to drop the bucket off. This trip is capped at 4 people, which is all my car can fit! And Arete is only 2 bunks, so we'll be tenting. Arete has some wicked spots to camp out, so I'm pretty excited!

I'm planning on running this trip on ANZAC weekend, but I may run it sooner if I find a date that suits. For now, plan on the trip being the 25-26th of April!

This is a Medium-Hard trip, so I will limit it to those who are semi-experienced and fit. 

Any questions flick me an email or come have a chat if you see me out and about. I may be open to having my arm twisted to doing a longer trip to some other huts (Carkeek?!)...

Mountain Pass  - By Garry Mutton

Slumped to rest

I am foetal, wrapped

in moss and tussock

Whistling scrubs,

blue moths flitting...

These presences

burgeon

and dissolve back

to origins.

The planets rock

heaved in rotations

daily,

stone, slab on slab

builders of lake

and river....

Theirs is

an ancient persistence.

After nemesis, under

thoughts dartings

its ephemera

and accomplisments,

I watch

the mind's older

half crack it's shell

to glimpse

direction in glacial 

melt-zones.

Garry Mutton is a really good NZ poet, highly recommend his work. 

It's more obvious than ever that our reliance on cars is a fragile thing. As trampers, we're often seeking a break from the racing world we inhabit. 'Going bush' can be a chance to get away from the busyness of the city, from the pressures of study and work, and from the ever-pressing realities of global strife. 

Enter the motorcar. A vessel of freedom for the outdoorsperson, allowing rapid travel to farther places than ever before. Comfortable, easy and awfully practical. 

I've been thinking for a while, why not make life harder? Perhaps this simple, efficient solution for reaching the trailhead is robbing us of a greater adventure, one that starts the moment we leave the door. Is there not also a level of selfishness in driving our big, polluting vehicles to faraway places, simply to enjoy time in the remnants of the natural world we have left behind?

Enter the bicycle - and the train. Vessels of slightly limited freedom for the outdoorsperson, allowing fairly slow travel, to a few nearby places. Uncomfortable, logistically complicated, physically hard work and arguably not the most practical. 

A genius solution, to a problem few had considered. I propose a trip to Cone Hut in the Tararua ranges. Riding bicycles from our houses, convening at the Wellington train station, greatly enjoying our time on the Wairarapa Line all the way to Matarawa Station. From here we will ride to the Waiohine Campsite, before tramping to Cone Hut. All day is an adventure. Will they let six bikes on a train that may or may not have two carriages? How will we carry our gear on our bikes? Will we get to Cone Hut before sunset? I do have some answers, but all the best adventures have got to have some level of uncertainty. 

And wait, I have more. That plan is still too simple, too easy, too conventional. As trampers we can be tempted to chase convenience, to pursue lightweight solutions. Pre-packaged dehydrated meals, nutbars, boxes of crackers, Verkers salami (or Peters if you like it soft and slimy). We fill our packs with lightweight, plastic-wrapped convenience. We rob ourselves the opportunity to hurt our quads that little bit more – lugging fresh alternatives and home-made meals up and down the ridges and valleys of the Tararua ranges.

We can change that, with a mixture of unnecessarily heavy fresh food, and pre-planning to make the most of the tramping clubs’ dehydrator. We can, and will, eliminate the plastic packaging the typically fills the interior of our packs.

And so, the adventure grows. It now starts days before we even leave, as we ask the question of what food can I take!?

If this level of inconvenience speaks to you, then please join me in reinventing the wheel – leaving behind the four and embracing the two.

RECAP:

• Train on Saturday morning from Wellington station to Matarawa station.
• Bike ~12km to Waiohine campsite.
• Walk to Cone hut (DOC says 2.5 hours).
• Do in reverse on Sunday.
• Endeavour to avoid food bought in plastic packaging for the duration of the trip.

NOTES:

• Whilst the trip is limited to six for both space on the train and in the hut, I would be in strong support of anyone who wanted to ride the whole way from Wellington and would gladly carry a tent for you (or give up my space in the hut for your more deserving legs).
• There will be no fuel cost, and I will trust people to bring their own snapper cards for the train journeys.
• I would like to meet perhaps a week before we go and discuss food options and bike solutions – I do have lots of ideas and resources, and we will make it work!
• Sign ups will open closer to the time, but please email me if you’re keen and would like to discuss any logistics further!

As an extra bonus, Cone Hut is one of the few free huts in the Tararuas, meaning that with no fuel costs and no hut costs this will be a very cheap trip!

This is an overnight trip to Waiopehu Hut on Anzac weekend.

This will be an easy-intermediate tramp for anyone who wants to get into the bush for a social tramp over the long weekend!

When: Saturday 25th to Sunday 26th of April

Where: Walk from Poads Road end to Waiopehu Hut and back out the same way (~9km, 4-5hrs each day)

Cost: TBC depending on people and cars (cost will cover petrol and shared dinner)

Numbers will depend on car availability!

To celebrate conservation week we thought we'd head out into the bush for a week night walkie in Otari - Wiltons bush with the Society of Conservation Biology! Hoping to see some nighttime critters including eels and glowworms! 

Meet at the parking area off wilton road at 7pm, from there we will walk

I will be making hot chocolate in the carpark after, so bring a reusable cup if you want some :) 

OUr Second collaboration with Karori Kaitiaki at Birdwood Reserve. We will be helping to restore a steep Gully of native bush in the reserve, and clearing Kaiwharawhara stream of Tradescandia. This is an important site for Karori Kaitiaki, as it's the home of the future Birdwood Reserve track. It's a super fun way to do some practical work outside that creates meaningful and visible change within the native ecology of our city. Come along and be part of the action!

Please bring gardening gloves, a water bottle and jacket, snacks and if possible a spade, shovel or rake. 

If you sign up please also say that you're going through the Karori Kaitiaki Facebook event, linked below. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/1CT1tc6Hm7/

Hope to see you there!

My friend and I will be in South Island over the April break. We are planning to do this tramp and if anyone is able to join us, please let me know ASAP! I am able to take 3 people in my car, so ATM that is the trip capacity. This might change if anyone else can also bring a car.

The Greenstone and Caples Track is an intermediate-level tramp in the Otago region of South Island, with the start of the track located near Glenorchy. See the DOC page here. 

The plan is as follows:

13th April: Pick people up from Queenstown in the morning. We will be at the road end by midday (1.5 hour drive from Queenstown). Greenstone road end to Mid Caples Hut (9km).

14th April: Mid Caples Hut to McKellar Hut (22km) 

15th April: McKellar Hut to Greenstone Hut (18km)

16th April: Greenstone Hut to road end (12km), an early start to make sure we can get back to Queenstown in good time for any flights/buses/long drives home.

At the moment there is good availability at each of the huts and campsites, but this will likely change as the break approaches so I would like to get this locked in fairly soon. 

We will be passing through Queenstown before and after the tramp. If you aren't yet planning to be down south or cannot drive yourself to join us, we are able to pick you up from Queenstown airport or the bus interchange. Ideally, this would happen early on the morning of the 13th. We can then drop everyone back to Queenstown on the 16th. It is up to you to book transport to/from Queenstown. Flights are looking quite expensive, so if you do need to fly you might want to look at this ASAP. Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about these logistics.

Cost Breakdown

• Huts are $25 per person per night 
• Campsites by the huts are $10 per person per night
• Share of fuel - who can say what this will be nowadays, hopefully <$20 per person...
• Food - it would be nice to do a group meal
• Transport to/from Queenstown

Gear

You will need standard gear for a 4-day tramp for this trip (pack, sleeping bag, layers, waterproofs, etc. We can share out things like cooking equipment). I will send out a specific gearlist to those who sign up well in advance.

Please email me or find me at a Tuesday meeting if you are keen to join or have any questions! :)

This is a tramp for all girls and gender minorities, NO BOYS ALLOWED!!!

When: We are leaving on the 14/04 and returning on the 16/04.

Where: We are walking into Waitewaewae Hut from the Ōtaki gorge road on day one (10km). On day two, we will go for a day walk, a swim, play some cards and hang out! On day three we will walk back out to Ōtaki gorge road. This will be an easy/medium trip. 

Cost: Will cover shared dinner and transport. $22

What you need to bring:

- All your basic and overnight gear: https://www.vuwtc.org.nz/resources/gear-list 

- Togs! (And maybe a small towel)

- 2 Breakfasts,  3 lunches, and plenty of snacks

- Hut passes. We will need two standard hut passes for two nights at the hut. We will stop and get these on the way. 

The hut sleeps 16 people, and we will also bring a couple of tents in case there's other groups there.

We currently have 2 drivers on this trip, so we can take 9 people! If you are on the waitlist and want to come, find someone who has a car! If any drivers do have to pull out, please email grace asap.