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Newsletter of the New Zealand Alpine Club, Wellington Section

NO. 656 May 2003 PO BOX 1628, WELLINGTON

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.

Section night & AGM, Monday 6th May, 8 pm at Turnbull House:

Dr Jenny Visser - travel medicine and wilderness medicine doctor (as well as a GP at Ngaio Medical Centre) will talk about her high altitude treks (Sth America and Nepal) and aspects of travel medicine associated with these areas.

June 9th: Photo Competition.

A Chance to see some fantastic mountain and rock climbing photography. Don't forget to get your slides into the secretary before the meeting. They may be left at Mainly Tramping. Judge (& all bribes now to) Nigel Roberts

July 7th Nak/Bam

John Nankervis (Past President) and Dave Bamford (Current President) will be sharing some of the fantastic world of mountains they have been to over nearly 40 years of climbing. Not to be missed.

August 4th Dick Price

A man who knows more about mountain medicine than all of us will talk about aspects of his mountain days, including his ascent of Everest

September 1st Short Talks Night

Section Members tell us what they've been up to recently

October 6th Lydia Bradey: Hold your breath!

The first female to climb Mt Everest without supplementary oxygen will give us an incite into why people have found Mongolia such a beautiful destination

AGM news

Thanks everybody for standing, especially the new blood (watch out for vampires at committee meetings) and a huge thank you to Alan and Cath for such great work over the last few years. Also to Caroline as secretary and now thankfully staying on as the treasurer. I know Cath and Caroline will work together to get Caro into the swing of things. Also Caro will be helping Rachael get a hold of the secretary's role. Our illustrious chairman Nigel Roberts should be home next month (unless he has invaded a few countries while he was away).

There's much ahead for us this year with additional rock courses and an ice climbing course in addition to our rock and alpine instruction courses. And a lot of trips appear already to be in the pipeline. Let's hope for some sun on the rock and snow on the mountains!

Steve Hart

Cheap climbing at Fergs

As an Alpine Club member you can now climb at Fergs Rock and Kayak for only $5 EVERY Monday night, and at any other time for only $8 (usually $12). Make sure you carry your card and that your membership is up to date.

Our Alpine instruction course is taking bookings. Be in to climb now!

The Alpine Instruction Course is an ideal introduction to alpine climbing. No previous experience is necessary. The course is also an excellent refresher for more experienced people. And it's great fun !!!

The aim of the AIC is to introduce and familiarise people with the concepts and techniques of climbing in a natural alpine environment in a safe and enjoyable manner. Cost of $720 includes transport, accommodation, food and 2:1 student-instructor ratio.

Dates for 2003 :

22 July (evening) Theory Session 1 in Wellington
26-27 July Weekend 1 at Mt. Ruapehu
5 August (evening) Theory Session 2 in Wellington
9-10 August Weekend 2 at Mt. Ruapehu
19 August (evening) Theory Session 3 in Wellington
23-24 August Weekend 3 at Mt. Taranaki

For more information contact Pete de Joux on (04) 478 1017 (home), or (04) 568 1478 (work), or 0274 421 779 (mobile), or email at pdj@nzalpine.wellington.net.nz

Our website

Reminder about our web site www.nzalpine.wellington.net.nz. Over half of Wellington section members are now subscribed to our free email discussion group. If you would like to get or communicate information of interest then go to our web site www.nzalpine.wellington.net.nz for instructions on how to join.

NZAC National instruction programme

The Instruction courses will provide intermediate-advanced instruction to Club members at subsidised rates.

The number of places on the courses is limited. (8 for the weekend courses and 12 for the 5 day courses). The courses held in 2002 were very popular and interested members are advised to make bookings early to avoid disappointment.

This year the programme of eight weekend intermediate snow and rock instruction courses has been expanded to include two 5 day and ice instruction courses which will be held at Mt Cook in January 2004. Fully qualified alpine guides or rock instructors will be used to lead all courses and there will be an instructor - student ration of 1 to four ensuring an excellent learning environment.

Course dates are as follows:

Intermediate Alpine Instruction (Two Days) $130 12-13 July The Remarkables, Otago
16-17 July Fox Glacier, Westland
19-20 July Mt Ruapehu
2-3 August Mt Ruapehu

Intermediate Rock Instruction (Two Days) $99
23-24 October Otago
1-2 November, Canterbury
23-24 October Auckland
1-2 November , Wellington

Intermediate- Advanced Mountaineering (Five Days) $750
3-7 January 2004 , Unwin Hut Mt Cook
10-14 January 2004 Unwin Hut Mt Cook

Members wanting further information on dates, costs and course details, or wishing to make applications should contact :
Richard Wesley
National Administrator
phone 03 377 7595
email richard@alpineclub.org.nz

Distaghil Sar Fund Applications

This fund was set up as a memorial to Chris Hoare, Andy Boas and Steve Thornley, Wellington Section members who died on Distaghil Sar in the Karakoram in August 1996.

The fund is made up of donations from families and friends. Awards are made every year from the interest it earns. This year the total available for awards (including interest not spent last year) is in the region of $1000. The purpose of the fund is to assist members to become better qualified to instruct on our alpine courses.

Any member of the section may apply for an award. The closing date for applications this year is 2 May. Decisions about grants are made by the fund administrators (the section's chairperson, instruction committee convener and treasurer).

Applications should be in writing, and should specify the courses or qualifications for which financial assistance is sought; the need for such assistance; and the availability of the applicant to instruct on the section's snow courses.

Appropriate courses are NZAC or FMC instructor courses; NZOIA snow assessments or pre-assessments; risk assessment and outdoor first aid courses; or any other courses or qualifications that the fund administrators approve. Awards will be used to pay for expenses actually incurred, rather than given as a lump sum.

The decision about awards will take into account the applicants' climbing skills and judgement, ability to communicate with students, commitment to safety, previous contributions to the section's instruction programmes, and availability to instruct on the section's alpine courses in future. The available funding may be given to one applicant, or split between two or more.

Applications should be sent to Distaghil Sar Fund, NZAC Wellington Section, PO Box 1628, Wellington BY 2 MAY 2003. Awards will be announced in the June newsletter.

Moved House?

Please notify the Club's National Administrator of your change of address as the labels for all newsletters and club publications are generated at the HQ office.

You can contact:

Richard Wesley
NZAC Administrator
PO BOX 786
CHRISTCHURCH
TEL (03) 377 7595
FAX (03) 337 7594
e mail office@alpineclub.org.nz

Section news: Sharing and growing!

Please send your trip reports to newsletter@nzalpine.wellington.net.nz so everyone can enjoy your stories, tall or short.

Mt Brewster ascent
Before Easter John McCutcheon and Alan Knowles climbed Mt Brewster comfortably within daylight hours from Brewster hut. No need to occupy any of the myriad biv sites that peppered the bluffs like a Nepalese village. They then headed into Newland Stream, crossed an ice-glazed Newland Pass to be defeated by the rock on the summit massif of Mt Alba. An alternate route up the gully to the west of the summit was abandoned because of objective danger (rockfall the size of cars). They don't recommend Newland Stream for Sunday walkers!

From Alan

Hart felt
We had a good period over Easter up at Wharepapa, in the Froggat area and at Smith Rocks. Meanwhile Scott and co bludgeoned around at Waipapa saying it is fantastic though a harder area than some. Smith Rocks seems ideal for student groups with numerous short easy routes leading up to a good number of more difficult ones. At Froggats Dieter Ayres made an elegant job on Monsterpiece Theatre (20) while Michele Domanesci strung the moves together brilliantly on Terror Incognita (17), while John Hart (age 9) on a top rope did justice to Nigh Eve (16) at Smith's. There seems no end of things to go at, without having to resort to paying for use of a crag, the New Ignimbrite Climbs being useful for Smith Rocks and a photocopy of the new Waipapa guide available ($5 from Bryce Martin or you can copy mine and I will collect for the bolting fund for that area).

In from Steve Hart

More from Reckless Eric
Have had a couple of trips away to the Bay and one to Waipapa and Froggatt over the last 6 weeks. The core crew has consisted of myself, Peter Rowe, Jeremy Haines, Amy Henderson, Catherine Moger and French climber Julien Funfrock. Highlights have included the Arches (18) at Waipapa which is an excellent climb well worth doing, Redpoints of Monster Piece Theatre (20) by Jeremy and I (after several large falls on earlier attempts) at Froggatt, Amy on sighting a number of gear routes at the Bay; Sayonara (17), James Sterling Direct (17), Ego Trip (19) and onsighting a couple of 20's with ease at Lobotomy Buttress. Julien onsighting Bizarrete (22), which I later redpointed, and then he redpointed Jim Takes a Booma Gusta (23?) which Jeremy also had a go at. Julien also had a go at On Patrol in the Ruins of Your Body (23) and onsighted Seperation Anxiety (21). Jeremy took a nice fall on Champagne's first pitch (17) when his top cam popped out while I tested my cam placements on Collector (18) falling 4 times having trouble with the finger crack. Pete has redpointed Surrogate (18), Blind Paratroopers (18), and Sporting Gestures (17) with Catherine seconding all of these.

Cheers
Eric

Wright on: New route at the Bay
New route ticked over the weekend. On the Up De Do Da Buttress. The Rumble in the Jungle *** Grade 19, 40m, 11 ring bolts, triple ring bolt belay. Immediately to the right of Oxidator. Start up the rightward leaning ramp past two bolts. To pass the next three bolts step right and climb the short arete onto the face and move up to the base of twin grooves (crux section). Follow the lefthand groove past two more bolts. Step right onto the final arete to the top past 4 more bolts. Double abseil via When We Were Kings belay ledge.

Di and Nat both seconded it and consensus is that it is about grade 19. Elise tried but 4 months of pregnancy proved to be a handicap (although good on her for having a go). Charles declined due to ill fitting Ninja's.

I hope I have made it in time for the next reprint of the guide!

Done by James Wright

More Bay news

In an impromptu foray to Whanganui bay over 5/6 April a small group managed to sneak in some great climbing. After some warm up routes on the Lobotomy buttress, Matt Downes completed a smooth second ascent of The Rumble in the Jungle (19) on Up De Do Da buttress, only recently put up by James Wright who described creating the route as vertical house cleaning over two days. It sports 11 hangers and is 40m long. Judy Reid also made an excellent top rope ascent of the route. Both Judy and Matt described it as a fantastic climb.

On a more serious note it appears, in talking with Mere and from signs at the campsite, that some people are departing without paying camping fees. This endangers the delicate relationship we have with the iwi and could lead to a ban if it keeps happening. So PLEASE MAKE SURE that you pay for your camping and treat the owners of this fantastic resource with respect.

SD Hart again

And here are the club trips for 2003�

New Trips
Trips are a key part of the section and anyone who has an idea, however vague can contact me anytime to talk about it. trips@nzalpine.wellington.net.nz

Queens Birthday Weekend 2003 - The Inland Kaikouras
A chance to taste early winter snow in the inland Kaiakouras. Kevin Patterson is planning to get to Tapeaonuku next June. To get in quick with your place contact him at: Kevin.Patterson@nzmp.com, ph:04 566 0975

Post Monsoon 2004 (September/October)
How about a slightly longer trip - to Nepal? Several people have indicated interest in a section climbing trip to attempt several trekking peaks, Island Peak and Lobuje East have been suggested as reasonably straightforward objectives. This could include a non-climbing trek party also. Trip leaders for both are emerging as discussions go on. To indicate an initial interest email the trip co-ordinator, trips@nzalpine.wellington.net.nz.

And one non club opportunity - Caving
Ever wondered what it's like down under and interested in giving caving a go. The Wellington Caving Group (WCG) is holding a meeting to introduce anyone interested in this exiting pastime.

Go along and find out

What skills do you need?
What lighting options are used?
What to wear when caving?
What specialised equipment is used?
Where to go caving?

And meet some of the friendly team from WCG.

When: Wednesday 14 May at 7.30 p.m.
Where: Turnbull House, 25 Bowen Street, Wellington.
Next Beginners Trip: May 24-25th, Mahoenui Contact
Jennifer Roberts
Ph 236 0663"

Thanks to everyone making an effort to generate club trips. Remember, trips can be any length, any level of difficulty and any size (a trip of two people is just as valid as a trip of ten - but can you take a trip by yourself? Ed.) We have a trip template and plenty of suggestions for those who want to give it a go. Do contact me even if you want ideas for private trips. Nothing will be set in stone! sh@nzalpine.wellington.net.nz, or phone 04-9738079

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