BULLETIN
VOL88, No 1 March 2013
Quarterly publication of the Mt Egmont Alpine Club (Inc.) PO Box 62 Hawera 4640
PROGRAMME
***** Please note - club evening time is now 7.30 p.m.*******
Please contact the trip leader by Tuesday of the weekend of the trip(or the date specified) if you are interested in going, so leaders can organise transport and adapt the route accordingly to experience and fitness
Cost Sharing
Some people like to drive, others like to be driven. We need to be mindful of the costs of travel and contribute to the driver’s costs. Alongside each trip is the suggested passenger contribution.
Winter trip schedule 2013
Wednesday 6th of March: Club night 7.30pm
Jeff Rawson will take us through wintering over at Scott Base last year, plus his adventures on the ice this summer. Tonight will also serve as a chance for us to farewell Jeff as a club prior to his departure to the States.
Monday 11th of March: Day tramp/Easy
Leaves from the club rooms at 8am. Cost: $20. Enjoy a scenic drive up the WaitotaraRiver road then an easy, flat, family-friendly walk alongside the WaitotaraRiver up to the old Kapara homestead for lunch. Four hours walking return.
Leader: Marilyn Finer 06 2728138
Wednesday 20th of March: Club night 7.30pm
Maryrose Fowlie experienced climbing in the remote Wakhan area of Afganistan last year in a small expedition lead by renowned climber Pat Deavoll. She is back briefly in Taranaki to tell us about it. This promises to be a fascinating night! See Pat’s website:
for more detail.
Thursday 21rd of March: Committee Meeting
Saturday 23rd of March: Daywalk/Moderate, Leaves from the clubrooms at 7.30am, Cost: $10. An adventure with David on the mountain – either to CurtisFalls and up through the Maunganui Gorge and/or a trip up and around the base of Warwick’s Castle, depending on the weather forecast.
Leader: David Sattler 06 7648996
Sunday 24rd of March: Working bee. Meet at Rotokare Sanctuary at 9am
Help build some the steps for the new walk around the perimeter of Rotokare. Bring your hammer and spade and enjoy a BBQ and cold drink for lunch. This a special opportunity for our club to build on our relationship with this Taranaki gem! Leader: Jenny Kerrisk 027 3107791
Easter 29th of March to the 1st of April
Free for private trips
Wednesday the 3rd of April: Club night 5.30pm. Beach clean-up and family BBQ at Kaupokanui beach. The tides might be against us walking too far tonight but we can enjoy the last week of daylight saving together and do the environment some good at the same time.
Leader: Donna Cram 06 2745778
6th and 7th of April: Overnight tramp and camp/Hard
A bush-bash to uncover the mystery of the stock tunnel in the middle of the Matemateonga.Leaves from the clubrooms at 7am, Cost: $20. Head in via Puniwhakau and Letterboxes, find the stock tunnel then head up to Mt Humphries. Leader: Werner Gut 06 7554129
13th of April: Clay shooting/Easy
Meet at Alan’s place at 1pm or midday for those who want to have lunch first
Cost: $20 (Alan will very generously provide the clays and shotshells and charge $20/person. For folk bringing their own gear, it will be free.)
Alan has two clay launchers (trap machines), and if he can rattle up more club members we can have more than his one gun to use/try out. We will use 12 gauge guns with target ( non-punishing) loads.
Leader: Alan Kerrisk 06 2722893
Wednesday the 17th of April: Annual General Meeting 7.30pm
Our all important AGM. All club members are requested to attend and consider taking a role on our committee. Help make your club better! Inquires, apologies and nominations to David Sattler on 06 764 8996.There will be a brief meeting of the new Committee directly after.
Saturday the 20th of April: Daytrip/Easy
A family-friendly trip for lunch at LakeMangawhio, inland from Ngetuwera.Leaves from the clubrooms at 9am, Cost: $10.
Leader: Maria Cunningham 2788799
Sunday the 28th of April: Daytrip/Easy
Leaves from the clubrooms at 9am, Cost: $10. York Track - Take a kid tramping! A family-friendly trip to exploring the sites of York Road circuit – an old quarry and bush railroad at the foot of EgmontNational Park inland from Midhirst. An easy 2- 3 hour walk with tunnels and bridges.
Leader: Jan Fleming 06 2784460
Wednesday the 1st of May: Club night 7.30pm
MacPac show their latest gear.
Sunday the 5th of May: High level Alpine Tramp/Moderate-Hard
Leaves from the Stratford Plateau at 8.30am, Cost: $10 (if sharing travel from the clubrooms). Due to popular demand, David leads this iconic rock scramble around the area on the mountain known as the Priest’s Fingers. We will leave the Stratford Plateau and walk the high R.M. Track to Tahurangi Lodge, from there we will visit the site of the original lodge then make our way back via the high route above the R.M. Track which will take us to Warwick's Castle, then passing below the policeman. We then cross the Manganui ski area and climb up to Priest’s Fingers, returning down Curtis ridge back to the Plateau. This is agreat trip taking inthe upper alpine country ofthe mountain. It will be weather and conditions dependent, due to its height and time of year etc.
Leader: David Sattler 06 7648996
Thursday the 16th of May: Committee meeting at 7.30pm
18th and 19th of May: Overnight tramp/ Moderate, Tararuas. Leaves from the clubrooms Friday night. A circuit following the MangahaoRiver in the TararuaRanges, a range we too rarely visit as a club. Although this trip falls outside the Roar, this is a great area for hunting. Richard knows this area of the Tararuas well and this will be an excellent trip for the adventurous.
Mangahao will be a good challenge. If a car shuttle can be arranged, we can come out at the Levin end (OhauRiver), otherwise it is an in and out trip by the same route.There is a mere 400m saddle to wander over, measured from the Mangahao Dam at the start. It is not a really hard trip. It takes about an hour to get to the Number One Dam from Shannon so Friday Night offers a potentially easier Saturday. We would camp at the dam but could leave the tents in the vehicle(s). Hunters can have a real early start!
Leader: Richard Milne 06 273 4109 Email:
31st of May: Last date for trip reports to be submitted to Bulletin Editor at
Queen’s Birthday Weekend, 1st,2nd, 3rd of June: Overnight tramp and camp/Hard-Moderate, Moeroa and Beyond. Leaves from the clubrooms 7am
Cost: $20, Head from Moeroa out the back of Eltham, up the gut-buster onto the Koane ridge and camp along the ridge to listen for kiwi. On Saturday, travel down to Trains hut and up to Tahupo hut to check out the beech decline and watch for bats. On Monday, walk out to Kapara and link up with some kind person for a lift home!
Leader: Maria Cunningham 06 2788799
Wednesday the 5th of June: Club night 7.30pm
A visual feast of views from camping trip of the National Parks of America with Yolanda and Werner Gut.
Sunday the 9th of June: Daywalk/Moderate – Western side of mountain.
Leaves from the clubrooms 7am. Cost: $15. Head up the Puniho stream and across to Kahui Hut with lots of options. A five to six hour walk.
Leader: Lois Sundy 06 2785363
Thursday the 20th of June: Committee meeting
29th and 30th of June: Snowcraft 1 at Ruapehu. Weekend/Moderate
Leaves from the clubrooms Friday night at 5pm, Cost: $35 plus accommodation
Depending on weather conditions and snow, this trip will provide an opportunity to give those new to alpine travel a chance to learn about cramponing, walking with an ice-axe and self-arresting. Both days will centre on the higher slopes of the Whakapapa side of the mountain if the snow arrives. If not, we could look at mountain biking the 42nd traverse or any of the other activities available in this area. Please ring the leader by the 14th of June so accommodation can be booked for you and your gear arranged.
Leader: Maria Cunningham 06 2788799
Wednesday the 3rd of July: Club night 7.30pm
Jenny Rawson takes us through her meditative journey through China.
13th and 14th of July: Family Weekend at the Lodge
Meet at Dawson’s Falls at 10am. Cost: Members $10/$5 children under 12 years, Non-members $25/$15 children under 12 years. A family-friendly weekend up at the lodge playing in the (hopefully!) snow. What a great way to celebrate the first weekend of the school holidays!
Leader: Donna Cram 06 2745778
Thursday the 18th of July: Committee meeting.
27th and 28th of July: Snowcraft 2 , Leave from the clubrooms at midday.Cost: $10 plus hut tickets. A night in the fridge! Experience just how cold Syme Hut can get in winter! There may be an opportunity to build snow caves or continue on to the summit if conditions and climbers’ experience permit.
Leader: Jeremy Johnston 06 2729155
Wednesday the 7th of August: Club night 7.30pm
Chris Watt spent two tours of duty with the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan. Come and hear about his reflections on this war-torn country.
10th and 11th of August: Pouakai Curcuit/Moderate
Leaves from the clubrooms at 7.30
Cost: $20 plus hut tickets
After leaving from the North Egmont side, we follow the Kaiauai track up to Henry and Maude’s Peaks to experience a short stroll across the tops in winter and overnight in Pouakai Hut. A pleasant circuit crossing the Ahukawakawa swamp (where kiwi prints were sighted on our last trip) and the RTM track, before descending via th Kokowai track on the Sunday.
Leader required
Thursday the 15th of August:
Committee meeting at 7.30 followed byTRIPS MEETING at 8pm at the clubrooms.
24th of August: Winter Summit/Hard – prior alpine experience necessary
Leaves from the clubrooms at 6.30am
Cost: $10 . Either South or North side, dependent on conditions and climber’s experience. Another chance for snow craft participants to get their crampons on!
Leader required
Friday the 30th of August: Last date for trip reports to be submitted to Bulletin Editor at
Presidents Report
Hello Everyone
Hope you are enjoying this long balmy summer and have been getting out and about. I hope though for some much needed rain very soon as these conditions are putting stress on farmers of which we have quite a few as club members.
Instead of an open climb this year it was decided to hold a club climb for members and friends, like the club used to do. This went ahead on the 6th of February with perfect weather conditions for the day. 42 people took part and the standard northern route was used. The Coopers kindly took a smaller group up East Ridge to give a bit more edge to the climb and descended down the north, thank you John and Helen. We were all up on the summit around 12.35pm, which was a great result. I think the youngest person to reach the top was just 8 years old. On talking to Jim Finer a few days later we both agreed that the objective of the day was toencourage older, not seen for a while, and newer and younger clubmembers to come and join in and have a go, having some fun along the way. This definitely was achieved, thank you to all who took part.
Thank you to John Cooper and Richard Milne for sorting out the lighting at Kapuni Lodge.
A big thank you to Jeremy Johnston and Kevin Lockley who hosted a very successful Bear Grylls bush craft weekend held at the Patea Dam on the 23rd and 24th of February. 19 kids and7 adults took part and learnt some new skills like, skinning and cooking a goat, making shelters and eeling etc. Thank you guys for running this weekend and giving younger peoplea taste of the outdoors and adventure.
Club nights have been quite well attended, with some interesting speakers, thanks to Kathleen Curtain for travelling down from Hamilton to share her latest adventure to Bosnia and Croatia and Geoff Rawson with his latest adventure (work) down in Antarctica.
Talking about Geoff, on behalf of the club, I would like to extend our best wishes to Geoff and Susanne on their wedding and your newlife together It would be cool if you some day settle in Taranaki?
Don,t forget our A.G.M at the club rooms at 7.30pm on the 17th April, this is an important event that needs your input. You may like to consider taking up a position, Iam sure we can find a place, so see you all at the A.G.M.
Regards - David Sattler
Club Trips
Kapuni Gorge - Priest's Fingers Trip 9th December 2012.
Six club members took part onthe Kapuni Gorge trip, Lois Sundy, ,John and Helen Cooper, Richard Milne, Bob Burdoff and David Sattler met at the Stratford Plateau taking the track leading to Wilkies Pools. From there they followed the Kapuni stream and reached the head of the Kapuni Gorge, where the Kapuni stream is originally feed from.
Climbing up and into the gorge proved to be a little tricky in some places but everyone made itto the small cave under the bluff and took a short break. From the cave a short but careful climb was made out of the gorge and thena steep climb up some scoria and then alpine tussocks brought them to the Giant's Arm Chair, which is an area which gives fantastic views of the mountain. From there it was another steep climb to gain CurtisRidge and a visit to the Priest's Fingers a narrow rock ridge at 5,200 feet. John Cooper did an impressive traverse along the narrow rocky ridge showing sound rock climbing skills. By this time we were in cloud cooling things down, after some lunch at the head of the Fingers it was awalk back down the ridge back to the starting pointat the Plateau with a stop off at the Mountain House to mark Bobs coming of age, although no age was fourth coming from Bob!
The group near the Giants Armchair.
John Cooper starts his traverse of the Priests Fingers in cool mountain mist.
Club Climb - February 2nd
The weather gods were kind to us for this climb which enabled a group of 42 club members and friends to reach the summit in ideal conditions. A fit group of nine guided by John and Helen Cooper and Jeremy Johnston, took an alternative route via East Ridge while the remainder ( in two groups) plodded on up via the standard northern route. There were no complaints, and better still - nobody turned back! Mid-way up the lizard, the last group met up with the East Ridge climbers heading down. All were on top before midday and enjoyed a long and leisurely spell there. The scoria run back to Drinking Rock was eagerly anticipated and didn't disappoint! There was a compulsory rest and refreshments stop for the oldies in the last group when they eventually reached the skifield. However, the adventure hadn't slowed the Weetbix kids at all . . . they were still capable of running when challenged, and had shown us all up! An enjoyable day was had by all and a particularly memorable one for Donna Cram who had the whole generation of her family aged from 13 to 9 with her.
Thanks from Joint-leaders David Sattler and Jim Finer to all club members and friends who supported this event.
LakeDive Circuit
Rain and more rain. Richard and Jenny decided to tramp the Lake Dive Circuit despite the weather, the only concession being that they did the bottom track to LakeDive first, so if they had to turn around because of unsafe stream crossings it would be a lot easier than the long haul back up and down. As it turned out the streams were not up at all and we reached the hut at LakeDive about 10.30am, there was a quick bite to eat and then it was on up the ridge. Doc have recently done some maintenance on this track and the going was really good. Another quick break at the junction, and then on around in the more exposed tussock country there was still a couple of remnants of snow close to the track, the wind was not to bad. We stopped at Kapuni Lodge to have a hot brew and change a light fitting in the main bunk room. It was then back into wet clothes and down to DawsonFalls by about 2.30pm, and the rain seem to finish when we left the Park!
Richard Milne