Trips currently away
Organiser:
Eder Lee
Kaimanawa Mountains: Thunderbolt Circuit
Date: Thursday 21st November to Sunday 24th November
Location: Kaimanawa Mountains
Difficulty: Easy-Medium. 6-7 hour days. Basic navigational and bushcraft skills are a plus, but suitable for first timers.
Conditions: A few short and steep climbs, but mostly on the ridge. Day 1 and 3 are poled routes with visible tracks. Day 2 is following a well used hunting trail and backcountry route, or alternatively following the Waipakihi river.
Max People: 8ish, but since we are camping basically as many as cars will allow. Speaking of, we need cars! If you can drive/bring a car, you'll get priority on the trip & I'll shout you dinner :) Also looking for co-leaders for the bushbashing/nav bit!
Note: The trip may be adjusted as weather conditions allow. The ridgeline is beautiful but exposed.
Costs: Waipakihi Hut is $10 + around $150ish in fuel split among your car + around $5-10 per night for group dinners.
Gear: We will be camping most nights. You must bring everything on the overnight tramp list, your own lunches and breakfasts, and plenty of snacks. Warm windproof and waterproof layers are a must. Bright clothing is recommended as there's lots of hunters.
Itinerary
Day 0 - Depart in the afternoon (No later than 3:30pm) from Wellington on Thursday to make the 5 hour drive to the Waikoko Valley Campsites. Get dinner along the way. Camp for the night.
Day 1 - Start reasonably early to begin the 7 hour walk across the Umakarikari Range to the Waipakihi Hut, the only hut on the western side of the Kaimanawas. It's a small-ish 12 person hut and popular with hunters, so we might have to camp. It's one of the few parks where hunting dogs are allowed, so if we're lucky we'll get a hut dog.
Day 2 - This is the weather dependent route. 5-7 hours. Either head up the Middle Range track and follow the hunter/backcountry trail across the ridgeline to the Thunderbolt access, or descend with the Waipahiki River. Some bushbashing may be required. We'll camp at the river's edge. If the weather is absolutely perfect, we can camp on the tops too.
Day 3 - Start off with a river crossing, then head up to the Urchin Track. Excellent views of the Central Plateau. Then descend back down towards the carpark, and be back in Welly by 7-8pm. OPTIONAL post-hike soak in the Tokaanu Hot Pools if people are ok with getting back very late (10pm-ish)
5 people attending this trip.
Car 1
Participants
Eder Lee
Elsie Wilson
Imogen Twose
Iliya Shulin
Leo McKinnon
Organiser:
Liam Baldwin Jankiewicz
Zealandia are looking for some keen beans who can help out wildlife spotting along the perimeter while they cut down the vegetation. So far, they haven't had much luck on the main volunteer outreach channels, so just wanted to help boost the request. Twice a year the infrastructure team undertakes the substantial task of mowing all the grass growing along the Zealandia fenceline both inside and outside the sanctuary. This helps THEM maintain a vegetation free zone 3 metres from the fence, keeps the perimeter track accessible, and allows the fence condition to be monitored. To ensure the safety of Zealandia's wildlife, they are looking for volunteer wildlife spotters working ahead of the mowers and scrub bars checking for any taonga species. You will be required to check vegetation thoroughly for wildlife as well as possible hazards and communicate any finds with the machine operators. They are looking for volunteers who are physically fit, careful, and thorough. Full training and personal protective equipment will be provided. They require spotters on weekdays from November 18 to November 29.
You have to sign up using this link https://app.betterimpact.com/Application?OrganizationGuid=319e9af3-5b6b-44ca-a3c4-48f8e112716d&ApplicationFormNumber=1 to assign yourself to a shift.
1. Login to better impact
2. Click on the opportunities tab
3. Fill in the opportunity calendar - filter the calendar to 'SCaP - Sanctuary Care' and view by month
1. The calendar for the month will show up with all the available shifts highlighted
1. Click on the shift you are available for and click 'sign up' - you will automatically be signed up for this shift.
That’s it, if you accidentally sign up for a shift you can longer do please email Tamara.Friedmann@visitzealandia.com.
1 people attending this trip.
Sign ups
Participants
Liam Baldwin Jankiewicz
Organiser:
Béatrice Desy
Let's join the Hutt Valley Canoe Club (HVCC) and other packrafter from the area to play around in the water, practise some techniques and discuss river safety.
Do you know how to packraft? If not come along! Do you think you know how to packraft... think again! Can you comfortably ferry glide across a swift rapid? Do you know how to get back into your boat after a swim? Ever tried of rolling a packraft (yes it can be done)? Do you know how to throw a rope? How to catch it? Do you know how to setup a primitive pulley system to haul something or someone out of the water? If you answered no to any of those questions but are still thinking of using or already using the club's packrafts, please come along.
Cars leaving from Hunter Carpark around 5pm, meeting at the HVCC to start at 6pm. Bring a wetsuit or dry suit, towel, togs, water, snacks, dry warm clothes, crips for the car.
Free, fuel sharing costs only.
7 people attending this trip.
Sign ups
Participants
Béatrice Desy
Tommy Thomson
Patrick Hayes
Colan Balkwill
Natalie Stewart
Chris Russell
Robbie Veldman
Upcoming trips
Organiser:
Justin Atkinson
FMC (federated mountain club) are running a "Love our Huts and Tracks" campaign:
We're looking for clubs and keen people to connect their backcountry plans this spring with visiting some of our 951 public huts. Together we hope to visit them all so we can give them a quick spring clean, and also conduct a simple audit of their current state and from looking at the hut book, see how they are making a difference in terms of keeping people safe, conservation projects and types of recreation.
https://fmc.org.nz/what-we-do/campaigns/love-our-huts-and-tracks/
This is an easy overnighter in the Aorangi Forest Park, a 2.5 hour drive from Wellington. It's an easy 1-3 hour walk. The track goes through regenerating forest and then reaches a river, about 3-4km down from there is the hut (about 10 river crossings involved!).
WE NEED CARS! The hut has 7 bunks, so I'm capping the trip at two car groups. Bring basic overnighter stuff, there's a list on the club website, but talk to me if you need any help. We could do a shared dinner as well.
There's also some bonus walking tracks up Mt Ross and the Pig Ridge tracks if anyone feels like a longer walk :)
7 people attending this trip.
Bramble's car
Participants
Lauren Britton
Chloe Fane
Bramble Holder
Melanie's car
Participants
Justin Atkinson
Melanie Kimble
Liam Baldwin Jankiewicz
jasmyn mccall
Organiser:
Liam Baldwin Jankiewicz
We are hosting our final Kumutoto forest restoration and clean up event this Saturday the 23 from 10:00-2:00pm. Here is the registration link: https://forms.gle/TyqaEqc8knCWizkF7Links to an external site..
DETAILS:
What: Clearing weeds in Kumutoto Forest
When: Saturday, 23rd November 2024, 10am - 2pm
Where: Kumutoto Forest near Kelburn Campus. Meet in the bubble at 10am, then we will head down to the forest together.
What to bring:
- warm/wet weather clothes
- sturdy footwear - gumboots suggested
- water
- snacks
- Gloves and tools will be provided but do bring some along if you have them
Plus, there will be pizza to celebrate our hard work throughout the year :D
VUW SCB & Tramping Club
1 people attending this trip.
Sign ups
Participants
Justin Atkinson
Recent trips
Organiser:
Zita Keller
FMC (Federated Mountain Clubs) are running a "Love our Huts and Tracks" campaign:
We're looking for clubs and keen people to connect their backcountry plans this spring with visiting some of our 951 public huts. Together we hope to visit them all so we can give them a quick spring clean, and also conduct a simple audit of their current state and from looking at the hut book, see how they are making a difference in terms of keeping people safe, conservation projects and types of recreation.
https://fmc.org.nz/what-we-do/campaigns/love-our-huts-and-tracks/
We'll of course take part in this too!
Where and when to meet: Hunter carpark at 9am on Saturday
What to bring:
- Basic + Overnight gear from this list: Quick gear list | VUWTC
- Please bring extra warm layers - Kime Hut is cold
- 1 breakfast, 2 lunches, snacks for 2 days
- We will do a shared dinner so you don't need to bring dinner, a billy, or a cooker
- 1 Standard Hut Ticket or a Backcountry Hut Pass
Route plan:
Otaki Forks to Kime Hut for the night. Do some hut cleaning, etc. the next morning. We may pop up to Mt Hector if we feel like it. Then return to our cars the same way we came up. Map here: Kime Hut: Tararua Forest Park, Kapiti region
I'm expecting it to take 6-7 hours to get from the road end to the hut. DOC time is 5-6 hours, but I'm unsure if this includes going over the slip at the beginning, which takes about an hour.
I expect us to be back in Wellington on Sunday evening around 8:30pm, but this an estimate only.
Fitness/difficulty:
It will be uphill the whole way, so be prepared for this! I grade this trip at Medium or slightly below: Fitness gradings | VUWTC
Trip cost:
I expect this to be around $20 per person. It covers group dinner and travel costs. We will sort out the exact cost after the trip.
Trip capacity:
Kime Hut has 20 bunks so I would be happy to take 12 people if three people can bring cars!
020 4178 8497
5 people attending this trip.
Sign ups
Participants
Zita Keller
Isabella Scott
Jos Williams
Patrick Hayes
Ella Flavell
Organiser:
Toby Burgess
Basic plan: This will be a beginner-friendly 4-day canoeing trip from Ohinepane to Pipiriki along the Whanganui River. We start on Oct 12th and end Oct 16th.
Time plan:
TBD probably around mid November
Trip Difficulty: The trip should be easy-medium difficulty. Distance will be about 123 km. Minor rapids at beginning, but not too challengin.
Cost: Gear will be rented through a canoe service. Including gas, the estimated cost per person should be around 370$
Gear: Bring along gear you'd normally bring tramping (E.G: rain coat, hiking boots). Bring a tent and a sleep mat.
More information will be sent via email
4 people attending this trip.
Sign ups
Participants
Marta Yeromina
Dennis Kogan
Gianluca Fuschi
Maceo Mercey
Organiser:
Utsav Trivedi
Updates
1. Postponed to 16th November Saturday. Might move to 17th November Sunday if weather is not great.
2. Increased to 8 slots now!
Introduction:
I see that day hikes aren't as common here so thought of starting a series! I'll be exploring Wellington trails for the first time and would love company
Click here to see how much innocent kids love this track! Nothing scary!
Agenda:
1. Meet at Hunter Car Park at 9:30 am for carpooling (first 4 people to join my group below) or directly at Pohill Reserve entrance
I can take 4 people with me in my car (No fuel fees will be charged from me!). Else public transport is there or if anyone can arrange a second car. Lot of buses go near there after which you can expect 5 to 20 mins of walking to location.
2. Get to Pohill Reserve Entrance at 10 am (arrive at 231 Aro Street, Aro Valley, Wellington 6021)
Quick icebreaker before we embark. I want to practice getting better at photography and will ask everyone beforehand if they are comfortable being clicked!
3. Walking time!
About 2 hours! Close to 3 if you break a lot which I doubt we will!
4. Post Walk Indulgence (Optional)
I love a good cup of coffee with a snack and shit chat after a walk. There is Aro Cafe, Aro Bake and Garage Project nearby.
. 
What to bring:
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Food for yourself
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Water
-
Warm and windproof layers
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IMPORTANT: Id recommend closed footwear. Ideally light trail shoes
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Sun smart gear, like sunscreen/hat/sunglasses
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Hand sanitiser
3 people attending this trip.
Group 1 (Join me in my car)
Participants
Utsav Trivedi
Brenna Burch
Katie Sullivan
Organiser:
Tommy Thomson
Nice spot for bouldering and maybe some top roping. Will have a bonfire, maybe camp for the night.
Transport is either by car and 30 minute walk, or 1 hour bike ride around the coast from the Days Bay ferry.
4 people attending this trip.
Sign ups
Participants
Tommy Thomson
Anton Huggard
Finlay Main
felicity wills
Organiser:
Liam Baldwin Jankiewicz
Come along to this working bee in Kelburn and help out Kelburn Conservation Network at Pukehinau Reserve.
The meeting spot is at the top of the steps leading into Pukehinau Reserve (117 Kelburn Parade). Everybody is welcome to come, you do not need any previous experience. Tools are not provided by Kelburn Conservation Network, so bring a digging tool and some gloves if you can. It will only be 2 hours and will end with some nice afternoon tea. Bring clothes you don't mind getting dirty and some sturdy footwear. Tom Goodman will be hosting the event, this is simply an advertisement to anyone interested in doing conservation work this Sunday.
Cancellation due to unideal weather will be advised by email during the morning on cleanup day.
Meeting spot on google maps
2 people attending this trip.
Sign ups
Participants
Liam Baldwin Jankiewicz
Eleanor Thorpe
Organiser:
Jack Huygens
Since we didn't manage to do our cleanup/maintainace of Maunagehuka hut on the prior trip, this is a spontanious 2nd attempt to head in and do it!
I'm essentially doing this as a solo trip, but anyone is welcome to make their own way to Manungahuka hut and meet me on Monday night for a hut maintainace shesh.
I won't be providing transport on the way in, but there's space in my car for returning home to wellington via Otaki Forks on Tuesday night.
You're welcome to walk in from any location/direction and meet at Manugahuka.
My own plan is to walk in to Field hut quite late on Sunday evening, then walk form Field to Maungahuka via the main range (and Tararua Peaks) on Monday.
Monday night will be at Maunagahuka hut and then I'm doing a big 10+hr walk out on Tuesday back to Otaki Forks.
2 people attending this trip.
Sign ups
Participants
Chris Russell
Jack Huygens