DATE: February 2021 Vol. 74 No. 01 Very esteemed life members on the Tree Trunk Gorge track, 20 December 2020 Photo: Graham Lyon Please submit your March 2021 H&V articles to the editor by 29th February 2021 HVTC Postal Address: PO Box 30-883, Lower Hutt: Clubrooms: Birch Street Reserve, Birch Street, Waterloo Internet: http://www.hvtc.org.nz E-mail: [email protected] President: Dennis Page 970 6901 Secretary: Murray Presland 562 8194 Trip Coordinator: Chris McMillan 569 9019 Treasurer: Jim Cousins 586 2135 Editor H&V: Bruce Miller 563 5966 [email protected] 1 BJFM/H&V/Vol74/No01 CLUB NIGHT PROGRAMME Starts 8.00 pm promptly 3 February : Jo Greenman – A Day in Life of a Ranger For a number of years Jo was the go-to Ranger on Matiu/Somes Island who co-ordinated the club work parties. Now she is a Ranger with Greater Wellington Regional Council and has regular contact with those club members who help with local conservation efforts. 10 February : Graeme Lythgoe – South Island Tramp in March (cut short by Covid-19) Graeme’s annual southern tramp took the form of visiting huts that he had not been to before, largely because they have not fitted in with earlier extended tramps. The group enjoyed just over a week before Covid “lockdown” was announced forcing a premature return home. Come and see which huts they managed to visit. 17 February : Nina Sawicki – Eastern Nepal Sales Table run by Graeme Lythgoe. Bring your cash and your saleable items. 24 February : Steve Tallon (NZTOPO50 App Creator) – Phone/GPS Navigation Steve will be giving a brief overview of how the GPS system works and how it is being applied to backcountry use on modern devices. Based on experience writing a mobile phone app using the LINZ Topo50 map series he’ll cover topics including off-line use, battery life, data privacy, some key tips and tricks, and a few of the more interesting applications he has come across. There will probably be a few stories about getting lost as well. 3 March 2021 : Andrew Robinson – Christmas Tramp 2020/2021 Andrew Robinson decided to take his merry band of wanderers on a picturesque section of Te Araroa while it hopefully wasn't overrun with Te Araroans. The chosen route was from Maling Pass, up the Waiau River and over Waiau Pass to Blue Lake, then out to Lake Rotoiti via the Sabine River West Branch and Travers Saddle. The questions the group had were, how many Te Araroans would be on the route, how bad would the sandflies be, is Blue Lake as blue as it looks in pictures and would the weather be good for the two passes to be crossed? FORTHCOMING TRIPS TRIP CATEGORIES Tramping D Day walk or evening stroll T Overnight or longer tramp Dog Friendly Grade 1 Relaxed pace with plenty of rest stops. All terrain types may be encountered, occasionally off-track. Duration depends on the terrain and conditions, but is usually for no more than 6 hours per day. Grade 2 Steady walking pace with regular snack and drink breaks. Terrain may vary from flat river valleys to ridges above the bush line. Off-track travel may be involved. Up to 8 hours walking time per day, depending on conditions. Grade 3 Brisk pace with few drink and snack breaks. Terrain encountered is as for grade 2 trips but the distance travelled is usually much further. More than 8 hours walking time per day. Family Family trip. Very relaxed pace with plenty of rest stops. Suitable for small children. WP Working Party. Overnight or for a day. Voluntary work on HVTC Ruapehu Lodge or a conservation project. 2 BJFM/H&V/Vol74/No01 Cycling (helmet essential) Very Easy. Smooth surface, broad track, basically flat. Any bike will do. Easy. Quiet roads and/or smooth gravel tracks; occasional hills. Medium to wide- tyred bike recommended. Intermediate: Usually includes off-road sections that may be rough and/or narrow; good-sized hills. Mountain bike recommended. Advanced: Off-road on loose surfaces, steep climbs, lots of obstacles. Mountain bike necessary. NOTES Where there is no leader given for a trip, please contact the Trip Coordinator to volunteer to lead a trip, either as shown or an alternative. FEBRUARY 6 – 8 WAITANGI WEEKEND 4 – 8 T2 Kahurangi John Evans 027 464 1824 5-9 T2 Putara-Kaitoke, S-K Andrew Robinson 586 2438 Sun 7 D1- Korokoro Stream Leader needed Harcourt Park -Mangaroa Jackie West 027 473 9199 Tue 9 Harcourt Park -Cannon Point D1 Walk Julie Lewis 021 293 2118 Baring Head Overnighter Work 11 – 12 / Graeme Lythgoe 479 6630 WP Party 13 – 14 RUAPEHU 12 – 14 WP Ruapehu Lodge Work Party Kate Brownsword 562 0177 Sun 14 D1- Korokoro Dam Loop Leader needed Patrick Sun 14 D1 Clothes Optional 567 0157 Fotheringham Redwood Station to Bothemley Michele Lythgoe 02 7359 1377 Tue 16 Park Polhill/Hawkins Hill Andrew Fisher 027 449 3661 20 – 21 TARARUA – RUAMAHANGA / THE PINES 19 – 21 T1 Ruamahanga Campout Jim Cousins 586 2135 Mitre – Park Forks T2 Murray Presland 562 8194 (Waiohine headwaters) Sun 21 D1 Mangaone walkway Dennis Page 970 6901 Tu 23 Belmont School - Hill Road Leena Stowell 027 672 1604 Belmont Trig -Belmont Tops Andrew Fisher 027 449 3661 27 – 28 RUAPEHU 26 – 28 WP Pinus Contorta – Pine pulling John Simes 027 464 1824 Sun 28 D1 Trip needed Waiwhetu Stream - Cemetery Tu 02 Wrights Hill Paul Labett 027 344 2906 MARCH 6 – 7 TARARUA FOREST PARK - WAIOHINE T1 Totara Flats Campout Jim Cousins 586 2135 T2 Neill Forks – Hector Forks Murray Presland 562 8194 Sun 7 D1 Hemi Matenga Circuit Tony & Jo 021 228 4430 3 BJFM/H&V/Vol74/No01 Catchpool to Baring Head Tue 09 Lighthouse Makara MTB Park Mark Mills 027 405 1188 Appreciation for our Trip Leaders A huge thanks to Sam Visvalingham, Graeme Lythgoe (6), Jim Cousins (3), Murray Presland, Marina Skinner (2), Paul Wolstenholme, Andrew Fisher (3), Margaret Aitken, Sharman Robinson, Andrew Robinson (3), Michele Lythgoe (2), Mark Mills, Ann & Neil, Emma Dobbie, Julie Lewis, Tony Birtwhistle, Tony & Jo, John Smeith, Leena Stowell, John Evans, Paul Labett, Chris & Jackie, Chris McMillan, Murray McMillan, Michele & Graeme, and Russell Clayton for organising and leading trips during November, December and January. Occasionally unforeseen events lead to the cancellation of a trip. Appreciation to Jackie West, Paul Haines, Phaedra Upton (3), Chris McMillan, Graeme Lythgoe, and Pamela Campbell for organising a trip even though it didn’t go ahead. Ten trips were cancelled or postponed during October because of rain. Instruction Be sure to put aside Wed 24 March, the usual club meeting at 8pm, and Sat 27 March for Map and Compass Instruction with Patrick Fotheringham. Thanks to Dennis Page for running the Bushcraft Instruction weekend 12-13 December attended by 12 members and to Murray Presland for the River Crossing Instruction day Sun 20 December attended by 11 members. Lots of fun and learning was had by all and new skills have already been practised on trips. Trip Schedule Leaders are urgently needed for day trips – please refer to my email sent 27 January requesting trip leaders during February and March primarily for day trips. Looking ahead: Ideas are being discussed for Easter trips. Please contact me if you might be interested in a South Island multi-day Grade 1 tramp over the Easter period. Please let me know your ideas and offers for trips for the winter trip schedule. Chris McMillan [email protected] UPCOMING EVENTS RUAPEHU LODGE WORK PARTY 12 – 14 February 2021 The first Ruapehu Lodge work party of 2021 is scheduled for the weekend of 12-14 February. Here is your chance to help with the maintenance that keeps the lodge running for you. The "après work" facilities are outstanding. So come and join in the fun. We are looking for 10-12 able bodied persons to undertake thorough spring cleaning of the lodge, food stock take, changing mattress covers etc. Extensive maintenance skills are not a requirement. We won’t have the benefit of using the chair lift for access this year so all tools and materials will have to be carried, although we don’t expect to have too much of this. 4 BJFM/H&V/Vol74/No01 If you are interested please contact Ian McIlraith on ph. 4758458 ([email protected]). As the lodge will be open that weekend, if you wish to come up and enjoy the mountain but not participate in the work party, the usual very cheap summer rate of $27.50 per night applies and there are plenty of yummy roasts in the freezer to be eaten! Book with the Booking Officer in the usual way at [email protected]. ======================================================= SALES TABLE 17 February Please bring along items that you wish to donate to this effort. Home baking and preserves are especially welcome. Garden produce is also popular so bring along all the excess from you vegetable garden. Everyone else bring some cash to purchase some goodies with. ======================================================= ADVENTURE WEEDING WEEKEND: MOUNT RUAPEHU 26 – 28 FEBRUARY For over 40 years the club has been active on the southern slopes of Mt. Ruapehu eradicating wilding pines. DOC host us and pay for the transport. We stay in their Lodge at Ohakune on Friday and at their bush camp (beech forest) within the park on Saturday. They provide fresh meat (usually venison) and bbq facilities and a toilet. DOC provide tools and high visibility jerkins which we must wear for Health and Safety reasons.