Outdoor Training NZ Courses OTNZ Wellington is running training courses as follows: Navigation (6 and 11 November) In depth course to teach skills and knowledge to enable safe navigation both in the bush and above the bushline. River Safety (3 December) Course covers understanding river dynamics and hazards, how to evaluate sites for safe crossing, methods of crossing, preparing clothing and equipment for a crossing, managing a group crossing, pack floating and how to self-rescue if swept away. More information on these courses and how to book your place can be found at www.outdoortraining.nz/courses/courses.php. Details - Post Snow Craft Trip Self arrange transport to Whakapapa Ski field on Friday 29/10/2017. Be at the top of the Bruce Road no later than 9:00pm. An instructor will lead groups up to the Hut which is 60-90 mins walk and will require some alpine skill. Accomodation is at NZAC Ruapehu Hut on Friday and Saturday nights, if you have not stayed there before please have a look on the NZAC website so you know what to expect facilities wise,and have an idea of where you will be heading before you arrive. The weekend will be self catered so you will be in charge of feeding yourselves. You will also need to be responsible for any personal gear this includes safety equipment, sleeping, clothing ect. If you have any questions about gear please call or email me. Safety equipment is a mandatory requirement for this trip you will need to have Avalanche transceiver, shovel, probe, helmet, ice axe and crampons. These can be hired from the Section at a flat rate of $20, if you need to borrow gear let me know asap. What we do will depend heavily on the weather and make up of the group, we will have a number of instructors so we have the scope to break into two groups and mix things up. We will not be teaching rope skills on this trip but if you have the proven experience or have recently learned these skills on one of our courses and want to practice we may be able to rope up and do a few pitches. This will depend firstly on the conditions and also on you bringing the appropriate gear and protection. Again if you need to borrow gear let me know. There is no set route at this point but the aim is to get up onto the summit peaks and ridges in some form. There are a number of possibilities, all of which are very achievable form the Hut, so we will try to stay flexible. We will aim to walk out early Sunday afternoon. I will be holding logistics evenings on 25th, 26th and 27th in Wellington to meet you all, discuss the trip in a bit more detail, organise transport plans and distribute gear. It is important that you attend one of these! When Where 27 September September section night at the Third Eye: Presentation and Q&A on outdoor photography - Peter Laurenson 29 September - 1 October Post Snow Craft trip - led by Alex Waterworth. To secure a place complete the application form here. Cost $60. Details > 5 October MOUNTAIN - in cinemas October 5. Wellington - Roxy More details here. 6-8 October North Island Ski Touring Meet, Tukino Ski Field, Mt Ruapehu. More details here Labour Weekend, 19-23 October Mt Travers (Nelson Lakes) – led by Simon Williamson Labour Weekend, 21-23 October Paynes Ford rock climbing – led by Eric Duggan November Aspiring Take 2, details coming soon November Reel Rock, details coming soon > Chair’s Report > Section News > Notices > Photo Comp Winners > Coming Trips, Courses, Events > Trip Reports > Section Contacts > Our Club On A Page Crater country Words and photographs Peter Laurenson The moonless, crystal-clear sky offered the most vivid view of the Milky Way I’d ever seen. That’s saying something – I’ve enjoyed that spectacle many times from some other fabulous locations. I couldn’t seem to get my violent shivering under control though. Up there at just over 1,800 metres in a dip between Tongariro’s summit and the outer rim of North Crater it was well below freezing, so that wasn’t a surprise, but why was I hyperventilating? Sealed in my bivy bag, fully clothed except for my boots, with delicate pieces of my condensed and then frozen breath dropping on my face, I felt no fear. So my rapid breathing was a physical rather than emotionally driven response to my situation. But having endured it for three hours, the knowledge that I had another nine to go until dawn didn’t fill me with joy. Sunset, with Tongariro at right My two young Spanish companions, Juan and Raoul, lay shivering a few metres away in my slightly less frigid two man tent. Raoul had been a last minute addition to our party, so perhaps Juan felt a twinge of guilt that I was outside. He offered me his little travel pillow, which I gratefully accepted. In so doing I exposed my face and almost immediately my breathing settled down. Ah ha, maybe I’m susceptible to mild claustrophobia. That could explain my dislike of crowds and shopping malls. Eventually the first hint of dawn arrived and I extracted myself, somewhat stiffly, from my cocoon. From our camp we had the view point options of Tongariro’s summit (1,967m) or the slightly lower rim (1,909m) of North Crater. Having been up Tongariro several times I chose the latter. It was a relief to feel the warmth of uphill movement as I made a beeline for North Crater’s outer rim 100 metres above. My crampon spikes squeaked as they bit effortlessly into the firm snow. At last, for the first time this winter, I was blessed with perfect alpine conditions. Dawn in the mountains – this is what I had primarily come for and Mother Nature didn’t disappoint. Taking in a new perspective from the southern rim of North Crater, I took photo after photo as the drama unfolded, also enjoying the gradual warmth of the new day’s first light. The dawn view north from the south rim of North Crater Later, back down near camp in the midst of a number two nature call a mischievous breeze suddenly blew down from the north, snatching my toilet paper roll from my ha
