A second club trip to Girdlestone and this time I didn’t even make the mountain… Approximately 20 people made it to the lodge in Ohakune on Friday night and miraculously up for an early breakfast on Saturday. While some went for a gentle bush walk or two, Caroline, Eric, Merewyn and Josh headed off to Mangetepopo for some winter rock climbing joined by Catherine, Michele, Karen, Rachel, Jen, Chris, Matt, Mike, Dan and Ben. We were in the cloud most of the day but when it wasn’t raining it was quite a dry cloud. Eric, Merewyn, and Josh set up ropes on Death Wall (Up and At ‘Em and Death Wall) and much sharing of shoes was done. Karen, Caroline and Josh sat at the top and belayed in their winter woollies. Meanwhile Eric and Michele did Parc Lane (Eric leading the crux in the rain) and then Ta Lo (Michele, Eric and Karen). When it looked like the rain was settling in for the day we headed off to Tokaanu for a hot soak. Saturday night was pizza and beer in Ohakune – some people settling into the party mood. Not as many people were up early on Sunday morning. The mountain looked more promising and I think some even eventually made it onto the white stuff (Rachel, Jen and Justin (unconfirmed though) at least). Caroline, Eric, Merewyn and Josh headed off to Whanganui Bay for another days’ rock climbing (why we even bothered with skis and snow gear in the car). It started to rain as we got to the Main Cliff but Merewyn made it up Surrogate and Eric got a third of the way up Eternity Rd before the torrent running down the rock made him down climb. The rain was coming in off the lake so we stopped at Lobotomy Buttress on the way out in brilliant sunshine and all managed some climbing there. Eric took a big winger (note he could do with a new rope – Xmas present sis?! – the old one is waaay too stretchy). Merewyn, Josh and Eric got a few climbs done and Caroline even managed to follow up a 17 (a far cry from the 13 on Saturday). Then back to Wellington with some newfound enthusiasm for rock.