An overnighter to Kapakapanui hut, featuring some stunning goblin forest bush!

Doc track information

Kapakapanui hut is a $15 ticket (no booking required) and sleeps 6 people. Trip is currently limited to one car (5 people) but if people are super keen and willing to sleep under flys i will consider opening it up to more people. 

This route requires multiple small river crossings at the very beginning, so you will be getting wet boots (unless you bring a dedicated second pair to wear for the beginning). Heavy rain has the potential to make the river crossings an issue, so we will be careful and decide whether this trip should go ahead based on the weather. If the river is too high on the return trip, we will wait at the hut (bring extra food) until the water goes down.

This is a short, relatively easy trip, but it requires a steep climb, so you will need some level of fitness for a steep muddy climb. We will take it super easy and have lots of breaks.

 It is about a 1-hour drive to the road-end; we will leave on Saturday morning and aim to return to campus by mid afternoon on sunday.

Please bring lunch, dinner, breakfast and snacks!!

Here is a link to the gear list - please bring plenty of warm clothing!! - if you need to borrow gear let me know.

Gear list

Walking times are:
Road end -> Kapakapanui hut (3-4hrs)
Kapakapanui summit return trip (optional) (2 hrs); we will aim to do this on Saturday afternoon.

Sunday, 6th September from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Organiser: Hazel Murray (email)

An ongoing 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. 

Hope to see you there!

Cost: Free

Trip Emergency Contact:

Max Honiss 022 506 3500

This a class on navigation theory taught by two expert navigators

Kia ora koutou!

Ever wanted to escape Faultline and breathe some fresh air while climbing? Ever wanted to learn a few tips and tricks on how to climb rocks? Nau mai haere mai ki ētahi haerenga. 

This trip will be the first (of many) bouldering missions out to the Wairarapa Coast. Here, you will learn how to spot someone while climbing, use bouldering mats, and progress your climbing skills. If you have gone to a few climb nights, but haven't climbed outdoors yet, this trip is for you. Heoi ano, if you have experience outdoor climbing, please sign up as well as it would be great to have some people with experience.

What do you need to know?

Where will we be going? Half the group will go to Turakirae Head, the other half will go to Baring Head. Both famous Welly bouldering spots, about a 50 minute drive from Vic Uni.

When and where should we meet? We will meet at 8:45am on Sunday the 30th of August at the Hunter Carpark. We will drive back at 4pm and return by 5pm to the Hunter Carpark. 

What should I bring? Please bring climbing shoes, chalk, walking shoes, warm layers, kai for snacks and lunch (we are out from 9-5), a big water bottle and a head torch (just in case). Oh, and dress like you would regularly climbing. 

How will we get there? We will be taking cars, so sign ups will be based on how many people can drive. Expect around $8 each for fuel costs. It's roughly an hour's drive there, then a 45-60 min walk to the climbimg spot.

How skilled should I be to go? Baring Head has easier climbs than Turakirae, but in general this trip will have more variety of climbs for people that can climb 3-4+ at Faultline. Even if you're a bit below that feel free to come along and give it a go. The coastline is beautiful as well if you want to sit and watch the sea + take lots of breaks. 

Here is a link to the climbs at Turakirae! https://climbnz.org.nz/nz/ni/wellington/turakirae-head 

and climbs at Baring Head! https://climbnz.org.nz/nz/ni/wellington/baring-head

Overview:

This trip is meant to give members an introduction to the knots and rope skills needed for glacier travel and other alpine ventures. The focus will be on

1. Learning knots useful in an alpine environment
2. Learning haul systems for crevasse rescue

Kathleen and I will give demonstrations and overviews of both of the above. Then, we'll split into groups and practice the skills. There are two identical sessions posted in August.

Who is this trip for:

This trip is open to anyone interested in learning the skills mentioned above. However, if you are planning to go on the later glacier skills course you must attend one of the two ropes practices. You are welcome, and encouraged to attend both for more practice and to help others learn. Please note that attending doesn't guarantee you a spot on the glacier skills course.

Where and when:

We'll be practicing at the Pyrie Street Playground (https://maps.app.goo.gl/pitU6ymgd23nbh6c8). It is a 30 min walk from campus, or a short bus ride. We'll be starting at 5 pm and going until 8 pm or so (depending on stoke). It's ok to show up late, just keep in mind you may not learn much if you show up 15 minutes before we wrap up.

What you need to bring:

• Headlamp
• Warm layers
• Snack
• Climbing harness (if you own)
• Locking carabiners and non-locking carabiners (if you own)
• Cordalette, slings (if you own)
• Rope to practice with (if you own)
• ATC, pulleys, progress capture devices (if you own)

We were meant to go to Kime Hut, but unfortunately the weather thought differently. So instead we will be going to good old Field Hut. It’s about an hour drive from Kelburn to Otaki Forks, and then only a 3-hour walk up. We will aim to leave Hunter Carpark at 10 am on Friday and be back midday on Saturday. 

While the track to Field Hut is usually considered beginner-friendly, under the current conditions it will be very cold and wet and therefore more difficult.
The good news is that Field Hut does have heating, if we can get dry wood to start a fire (unlikely), but again it is a sub-alpine hut so please bring many thermals.

If you want an opportunity to touch grass before the trimester kicks up again, this is your chance!

What to bring: Please make sure to have the appropriate gear for the cold and rain, along with a sleeping bag, sleeping mat, head torch, gas cooker and food for both days. (Look at the website for full overnight gear list.)

We need drivers!! I can extend the number of people coming if more drivers sign up!

Earlier this year I proclaimed the good news, that no longer should we rely on cars to go tramping, but we could instead use bikes and the train. Unfortunatly the train let us down, and just days before we set off it was changed to a bus-replacement. Perhaps we should of just driven cars.

Despite this setback, I still know deep down that two wheels are better than four. This time we will not rely on the clearly unreliable Masterton Line, and will instead travel on my favourite, and very trustworthy, Kāpiti Line. From there we will ride to the Kapakapanui road-end, and tramp to Renata hut. 

The plan:

• Early morning train from Wellington Station (there's lots of options and I haven't picked but it will be around 7am)
• Ride from Waikanae station to the Kapakapanui Track. (I will see about leaving our bikes at the neighbouring Ngātiawa River Monastery... or else we can lock them to a tree somewhere deeper in the bush)
• Tramp via Kapakapanui (the peak) and down via Maymorn Juction to arrive at Renata Hut (about a 12km walk with a bigish climb at the start)
• Eat and be merry
• Sleep
• Wake up
• Tramp out a different way - turning left at the Maymorn Juction, following that trail down for a while, and then turning off down a gentle spur for a bit of bush-bashing back to the road-end. (See map below)
• Ride back to Waikanae (maybe get dinner out in waikane if people are keen)
• Take the train home

For kai, you will need to bring your own breakfast (1), lunches (2) and snacks (lots). Dinner will be divided between packs on the train. 

A full gear list will be sent out to those going closer to the time. 

This trip is a MF (medium-fit) trip, as it will likely be a long day, and we will need to keep moving at a moderate pace to avoid too much dark tramping given the shorter winter days. Those who sign up should be up for a trip which will include:

• Multiple river crossings (the Ngātiawa river can get quite full quite fast so weather is important in this case)
• Off-track navigation
• Two long days
• Biking (we will just wear our packs as it is only ~10km, so no special equipment is needed other than a bike and helmet)