Club nights are at Turnbull House, on the first clear Monday of every month. New and prospective members are welcome. Meet for dinner at the Backbencher at 6.30 and on to Turnbull House at 7.30 pm for a catch up. Meetings, run with an iron fist jam by El Presidente Alan Lowrie, start with precision at 8.00 pm with club business. Talks kick-off on the button at 8.01 pm.

Our website

A short, sharp reminder about our web site www.nzalpine.wellington.net.nz. Please visit it.

Section Night 8pm Monday 10 June it's the second Monday of the month this month

The Annual Section Photo Competition, judged this year by Rob Suisted. Great prizes from Mainly Tramping, Bivouac and Mountain Designs stores. If you are a budding outdoor photographer this is your chance to have your slides and prints judged professionally in a relaxed informal environment. You can help make the evening a success by entering the competition. The more people that enter the better as that will mean everyone gets to see lots of great photos.

Slides and prints for the competition are now being accepted at Manly Tramping outdoor store in Mercer St. Please add a black spot to the front bottom left of all your slides so that we can put them in the projector the correct way the first time. There will be some fantastic prizes this year. Entries Close Friday 31 May. Come along and see some great slides at the section night on Monday 10 June. The entry form and more details are available on our web site or contact Alan, email chairperson@nzalpine.wellington.net.nz or phone 970 0529

Climbing wall deals

Reminder that Fergs are still have $5 members cheap nights this year. Also Hangdog are continuing their anytime $8 deal. The Wellington High School wall is going to be open again from 7pm to 9pm every Tuesday night for $5.

Learn how to be cold and miserable on the 2002 Alpine Instruction Course

Here's some news - our very popular AIC will run again this year. The course includes theory and practical sessions on avalanche awareness. The course fee covers instruction (2:1 student/instructor ratio), accommodation, food, and transport for three weekends away on Ruapehu and Taranaki, and includes three super evening sessions in Wellington..

If you want more information and/or a place on the course contact Pete de Joux, email pdj@nzalpine.wellington.net.nz or phone 478-1017 Home or 0274-421-779 Mobile as soon as possible. There are only one or two places left so you will need to contact Pete soon.

Pete is also keen to hear from anyone that would like to instruct on the course who has either instructed before or been an assistant instructor and who is available for these dates.

Mountain safety council instructor programme

The Mountain Safety Council (MSC) is keen to encourage Alpine Club members to join their instructor training scheme. Both the Section and MSC want to encourage members to use MSC's framework of training and assessment, to ensure all instructors are eventually of a high and consistent standard. The Section and MSC will help fund instructors involved in the scheme who have an on going commitment to instructing on Alpine Club courses. Instructors can log instruction time on Alpine Club courses and are not expected to be available for MSC courses.

Also through MSC, instructors can enrol at Whiterea Polytech for a Diploma in Outdoor Recreation Management (Mountain Safety Strand) which involves being assessed by MSC in the normal manner plus doing two written assignments at home in their own time.

For more information and details on how to join the MSC scheme contact Pete de Joux (pdj@nzalpine.wellington.net.nz). Pete will also be arranging a meeting between interested instructors and MSC (possibly on 10 June).

John Pascoe Biography

The well-known Wellington historian, Chris Maclean, whose books on the Tararuas and Kapiti Island have delighted many Alpine Club members, is writing a biography of John Pascoe.

Pascoe captured public attention in New Zealand from the 1930s through to the 1960s with his climbing exploits and his books about climbing.

A few months ago, the committee of the Wellington section of the NZAC gave Chris Maclean a grant to help him complete his book about John Pascoe. As a result, Chris recently wrote to the committee to thank the club for its assistance. He was delighted with it, and he asked that his thanks be passed onto club members as well.

Trips

Call for Response.

Proposed levy for non-members on club trips.

The Wellington Section committee is keen to emphasise the benefits of being a club member and for this reason we are proposing a levy for non-members on our trips.

This proposal would mean that no preferential place be given to members wanting to participate, but that a $20 trip levy be paid by any non-member who wishes to participate. This levy would go to Wellington Section funds as a contribution towards the resources supplied by the club-not least of which is the voluntary time donated by members and committee members.

The committee is interested in canvassing the opinion of club members on this proposal. Please voice any support or concerns to myself, trips co-ordinator (ps@nzalpine.wellington.net.nz, or phone 04 380 0855 (hm.), at the Section meeting, or other.

Not sure yet 2002

Pete's Top Secret Heli-assault.

Maybe June 2002. You'd be crazy not to keep an eye on this space and/or the discussion group (discussion@nzalpine.wellington.net.nz) to find out what Pete is planning to achieve with a little judicious use of a helicopter. Contact: details to be advised.

1-3 June 2002.
Queen's Birthday Bash, Mt. Franklin, Nelson Lakes.

With remarkable foresight Caroline Duggan revealed the Place To Be for the first w/e of June 2002. Contact: cd@nzalpine.wellington.net.nz, or phone 04 475 5542 (hm).

21-24 June 2002.
Mt. Travers, Nelson Lakes.

Alternative to QBW trip - Winter on Mt Travers. For those who cannot make the public holiday but want a longer trip, I am planning an extended weekend trip from 21-24 June. Interest for this is already strong, so if you are interested get your name in soon to Steve Hart, by email to sdhart@paradise.net.nz, or phone 9738079.

17—18 August 2002
Mid–winter Ascent, Mt. Taranaki.
Kara Lipski is keen to organise an ascent of Mt Taranaki to coincide with the final weekend of the 2002 Alpine Instruction Course. She would love to hear from anyone keen to go and especially from someone with enough experience to lead it. Easy peasy. Contact: kalipski@ihug.co.nz, or phone 04 387 4420 (hm).

October 2002 - Labour Weekend in the Arrowsmiths, Canterbury.

Some time in October? Maybe Labour weekend? Fancy a chance to venture further south into the fabulous Arrowsmiths? Contact: Phil Suisted ps@nzalpine.wellington.net.nz, or phone 04 380 0855 (hm).

January 2003
Informal “climbing camp”. Wanaka. ?27 Dec 2002—20 Jan 2003.
“It has only begun in my head at the moment.” (Steve Hart). The idea would be a "climbing camp" based at a Wanaka campsite. This allows for a meeting place for individuals as well as family groups to meet and pair up with others. Walkers, mountaineers, novices, rockclimbers, as well those who may just join in for the sun, company and barbeques. If you are at all interested in such a plan, Steve Hart would love to hear from you, Contact: sdhart@paradise.net.nz, or phone 04 9738079 (hm).


Not sure yet 2003
National Climbing Camp. South Canterbury. New Year 2003.

Hot off the press. Canterbury/Westland Section are organising the next national climbing camp. Most likely centred in the Godley area. Will confirm details as they arrive. Fantastic opportunity to quit work and climb all summer-with Steve in Wanaka and then the Godley.

Thanks from Phil to everyone making an effort to generate club trips. Remember, contact trips co-ordinator if you have any ideas for trips-nothing will be set in stone! Phil Suisted-ps@nzalpine.wellington.net.nz, or ph: 380 0855.

New Mt Cook Café. Not in Wellington!

Charlie Hobbs is going to be opening a climbers' Cafe in Mt Cook and would like ideas as listed below. If you want to have your say on how the Cafe is run or what it is called then please feel free to contact him directly at charles@outside.co.nz

"Can you please put the feelers out for me? Looks like things are moving along really well with the Cafe at Cook. Would like to get a message out to all our members.

1. Any old equipment they would like on display in the cafe would be greatly appreciated. It's an historical mountain theme cafe. We have some amazing old photos already.

2. Would like to survey club members on what type of food they would like to see at Cook.

3. What do they think it should be called?"

Someone's been busy

April 25-27 I travelled down south with Graham Busell, Peter Rowe and Gerad McArthur to Erewhon Station. Got an hour's sleep under a shed then headed up a flooded Lawrance River to camp out on the side of Arrowsmith on the 25th. The 26th was excellent weather as we climbed up great piles of choss towards the easy snow slopes up onto the summit. Being late in the season they were cut off by a rock couloir. I headed up this and got caught in a 5 minute rock avalanche, including taking a glancing blow to the helmet. In the ensuing melee I cut the palm of my right hand rather badly so we retreated off the mountain. Access back to the valley was down a 800m scree slide. Will save the next attempt for when there is a bit more snow I think.

May 11-12 - Headed up to Mangetepopo with Jeremy Haines (NZAC Wgtn). Had a great time on the classics of this area-Death Wall (13), Ta-lo (15), Complan (16), White Sabbath (17), Parc Lane (18) and Bomb Arete (16) which was very enjoyable. We met a friend of our's up the top of Bomb Arete and so I went back up it again with him.

May 18-19 - Headed away again with Jeremy H to Whanganui Bay. No worries getting down the road and Saturday (18th) was like summer with blue sky and sun shine. Again we hit some of the classics-Sayonara (17), Bizarrete (22), Pulse Converter (21) and Stirling Direct (17).

Eric Duggan

Wanted to Sell

Some really flash ski boots: Target Expert Alpine Skiers (touring boot); Size: 30.5. Contact Craig, (03) 343-2112, or craigcbyers@hotmail.com.

For sale (to good homes only): Kates Telemark boots and ski's (hardly ever used!); Boots, Asolo Sport Extreme, WM 5, (leather) $50. Ski's: Asnes 190 with Riva 2 bindings $90; Kates plastic mountaineering boots: Koflachs size 5.5 $60, again excellent condition. Contact Martin 0274 495 408. Can view either here in Wellington or at Pukerua bay.