Short talks at the Turnbull: September Section Night Advance Notice

Back by popular demand for our 2 September Section Night we are having a Short Talks Evening. Some AIC students will present a short review of this years AIC and we are to have a whole range of talks about different type of trips Rock, Alpine or Bouldering. Usual venue: Turnbull House on Bowen Street; usual time, 8 pm. Date: Monday 2 September.

The October speaker - Mark Inglis!

Horses & courses

Find your own way there: LEADERSHIP/NAVIGATION INCLUDING GPS COURSE
Friday evening 22 November - Sunday 24 November 2002.

Golden opportunity for budding glory seeker!

For the last 2 years Derek Richardson has nurtured our previously unkempt library. It has flourished under his supervision and we now have new books and easy access to existing stock that most of us didn't know existed. Now we want you to help decide what books to buy, open the library on the odd section night and generally provide support for Derek.
If you think you could be an assistant librarian then e-mail Derek on library@nzalpine.wellington.net.nz or introduce yourself to us at the next section night. This is not hard work and ensures your place in the history of the Alpine Club!

Nega-climbing, or big days in

It has been a while since I shared my thoughts with readers. The reason is because I haven't been climbing. However, things have recently perked up. I've at least had a thought, though I still haven't been climbing. Rather than considering my predicament as not undertaking any climbing, I've re-invented myself as a "nega-climber" (I've conned the term off Amory Lovins and all those alternative energy types with their talk of "nega-watts"). The older amongst you may know it as "armchair climbing", "vicarious climbing", or even "Walter Mitty climbing" (James Thurber reference). I've had some big, long, lonely, run-out, strung-out, seat of the pants soiling days nega-climbing recently. I've been frighted, be-nighted, and so excited. I've had some big days in. I've been a hero in my head. Try it some time.
Editor

New books in the library, but Derek is lonely…

Three new NZAC guide books have been added to the library, all printed in 2001:

* A Climbing Guide to the Nelson Lakes Region, Simon Noble, revised by Ben Winnubst, Ben. This is an update to the 1994 edition providing short route descriptions of peaks in the Nelson Lakes area.

* Aoraki Mount Cook, Alex Palman. A guide for mountaineers.

* The Mount Aspiring Region, Al Uren and Mark Watson. A guide for mountaineers.

Other books have been ordered and will be announced in the October newsletter.

There is an encouraging interest being shown by members in the library on section night with a marked increase in the books being borrowed. A list of the books held by the Wellington Section can now be found on its website. Still outstanding are journals, various historical records and, no doubt, other yet-to-be-discovered tomes that this librarian has had no time to dig out. So, while we are on that topic, if there are any members who would like to be involved in such minor tasks as selection of new books, opening the library on section nights, cataloguing or just providing short book reviews, now is the time to speak....man it is lonely out there.

Derek

Our website

Reminder about our web site www.nzalpine.wellington.net.nz.

DISCUSSION GROUP - Over half of Wellington section members are now subscribed to our free email discussion group. If you would like to get or communicate articles of interest, trip details and other information then go to our web site www.nzalpine.wellington.net.nz for instructions on how to join.

First aid course

I have booked First Aid consultants (Kate Nickson) to hold a 2 day outdoor first aid course for w/e of 21 and 22 November time: Saturday (all day) Sunday from 12 -6pm. We still have a few spaces left. Kate has run outdoor first aid courses for us for the last few years. I found her instruction really good, which is why I keep rebooking her

So far have had people on the courses from TTC NZAC, WTMC, VUTC, Outward Bound..so let me know if you are interested...

Diana Munster

Climbing wall deals

Reminder that Fergs are still have $5 members cheap nights (Monday 16 September this month) this year. Also Hangdog are continuing their anytime $8 deal.

Two Kevs do Egmont "on the chunder"

After two aborted weekends (not counting last year's "meteorologically challenged" AIC course) we finally got the weather conditions right. A "Go" decision was made. We knew it was going to be tight. A warm front was forecast to come through on Saturday evening preceded by a strong northerly in the afternoon. Leaving Wellington at 4pm (the traffic was horrendous, bring on Transmission Gully!) we arrived at Tahurangi lodge (1510m) just after 11pm on a clear still night. Tahurangi lodge was surprisingly empty. We did meet 3 locals passing through on Saturday morning.

Saturday morning dawned clear, blue and very still. Unfortunately my stomach did not! Upheavals delayed our start to 8.20am and really inhibited the speed we needed to beat the weather. Kevin Martin lead the way, I just sort of shuffled along behind feeling chunderous, having the occasional spit, and bitching about the Wanganui food! The snowline was at hut level, and with a good overnight freeze crampon conditions were excellent. For the first 2 hours we walked up a narrow shallow valley then a broad, sporadically pole-marked ridge - all the time watching as cloud formed up below. As we went Commander Data was taking regular compass/altitude readings to ensure we would find our way back - as it turned out this became crucial.

After 2 hours we climbed up onto "The Lizard" - an exposed ridge that lead to the top. Conditions underfoot were significantly steeper with large 6" sastrugi inhibiting a clean surface contact. At this point a group of two locals that had just passed us, headed back, the conditions not to their liking. Wimps. I scoffed 4 chocolate bars. In full recovery mode we surged forward entering the crater, eventually summiting at 11.30am (2518m).

The huge amount of sastrugi made a spooky rhyming sound when trod on in the windless conditions. Sun sent the temperature up to 22C. We could clearly see Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe. If we had a telescope we would probably have been able to see our AIC colleagues summiting. A fantastic blue sky day for them too. At that point a local Snowboarder turned up sans attachment, which had been left further down the slope cause of the ice.

Half an hour later the cloud rolled in and the wind started. The temperature plummeted. Visibility dropped to a few yards and we made the decision to head down. Unfortunately the transporter was off-line so we had to walk. It was somewhat disorientating particularly with the wind changing direction. The compass was telling you to head in a direction 30-50 degrees away from what your instincts were saying. Past tracks had been covered over by snow/ice drift, and there were too few poles to guide us. I wonder if the Snowboarder found his equipment?

Reaching the lodge just after 1pm, we decided to call it quits and walked out arriving back in Wellington by 8.30pm in time for the rugby (groan). Thus completing a very successful climb, maybe even one of the first successful Wellington NZAC Alpine climbs this winter.

Trip members: Kevin Patterson (trip leader/Cmdr. Data) and Kevin Martin (Lt Paris)

And this in from Simon Carr…

Amy and I did the safari thing in Tanzania (Serengeti, Ngorogoro Crate) and Kenya (Masai Mara, Lake Nkaru). This was great....saw many animals, lions, cheetahs leopards rhinos elephants etc etc....plus millions of flamingos and a few hundred thousand steaming wildebeest. It was tough staying in 5 star hotels.

After that we went to Mombasa and did a couple of days of diving..a bit rough sea conditions but saw a 15 ft whale shark, vegetarian fortunately, a sea turtle, many stingrays and numerous fish. Pretty good diving in fact, going down to 20m.

After that, in early August Amy left for the US via Amsterdam and relatives and I left for Mt Kenya.

I was climbing with David Benson, a US climber I met in Boston a few years ago who is spending a year travelling and climbing around the world. We hired porters and spend 5 days walking in and getting acclimatized - this is the time consuming part, not the walking. Eventually we ended up at Shipton's camp at 4200m under the N face of Baatian. To ensure success, we climbed the trekking summit (Pt Lenanya).

Weather was so-so, a fair amount of rain and snow (and it's supposed to be the dry season). Eventually we headed up the N face of Baatian; we climbed 25 pitches in two days, with a bivy, but stopped about 200m of ridge traversing from the summit - we were at about 5100m (summit is 5200m). We'd run out of daylight - only 12 hours there on the equator and we would have had to reverse the traversing pitches in the dark if we'd carried on. We made it down just as it was getting dark....not too hard technically, about grade 14/5.5/Hard Severe, but climbed in mountain boots carrying a rucksack, and some iced up rock...So, no summit but I don't think I'll be back

I'm now in the UK, till August 31 hoping to do some cragging. And back in the US September 1.

Simon

AIC student report

This year's Alpine Instruction Course 2002 run over 7 weeks in July/August has just finished with an awesome weekend's climbing on Mt Taranaki. What a different beast she is to Ruapehu!

The course got two good weather weekends on Ruapehu - much to the delight of all. Where we were at Tukino, we were also privileged to have an empty mountain side to play on - knowing that just around the mountain at Whakapapa and Turoa were 10,000 odd crazy skiers flying in all directions!

However, with no 'hut days' this presented some challenge to the Chief Instructor (PdJ, the bearded one) who really relies on getting some bad weather to make sure us trainees get our full dose of technical ropes instruction. His wish was partly granted on Ruapehu and he had us hanging from the ceiling prussiking up to the roof on one of the weekends.

The third and final weekend took us to Mount Taranaki, a different mountain that demands even more respect than perhaps Ruapehu. It also gave us trainees a taste of a real mountain trip as we had to back pack all our gear PLUS our food and walk 1 1/2 hours up the Puffer Track to get to the Tahurangi Lodge up at 1500 metres. Unlike the 'delivered right to the door' service that the old truck Marmaduke provides at Tukino. On the weekend, we got out onto the clag shrouded and bitterly cold flanks of the mountain to learn some good sound lessons in survival including navigating in white out and negotiating potential avalanche snow slopes.

We did have a lot of fun though - and also got a hut morning on the Sunday to prussik away. The walk or blow down the mountain to the car park was an awesome if at times scary experience in a storm blizzard. Good learnings to be able to handle the 'real thing' on our own future trips.

Congratulations to all the instructors on the AIC course who made it work so well. This is a very high standard course run very professionally and safely and it was a lot of fun learning new high altitude skills with a great bunch of fellow aspiring climbers.

Highly recommended for anyone thinking of going higher and needing to know how to do this safely and confidently.

Peter C

And here are some club trips for you to go on!

21-22 September 2002. Mt Ruapehu - Girdlestone.
Annual (?) trip up Girdlestone. Well timed for after the AIC.

Contact: Sally at Sally.Boyd@nzcer.org.nz, or phone 04 3846356 (hm), or Steph at SGibson@tepapa.govt.nz, or phone 04 381 2817 (hm). Each will be away during different periods over July and August.

Pete's Top Secret Heli-assault. Some time in September 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 some judicious use of a helicopter. Contact: details to be advised.

Mt Franklin: The Return. October 3 (5.30pm ferry)-Sunday October 6 (9.30pm ferry)

This will be a 3 day weekend (Thurs - Sun) back to Nelson Lakes for some unfinished business. Contact: Caroline at cd@nzalpine.wellington.net.nz, or phone 04 4755542 (hm).

25-29 October 2002
Labour Weekend in the Arrowsmiths, Canterbury.

Labour weekend. Fancy a chance to venture further south into the fabulous Arrowsmiths? Already keen interest shown. Contact: Steve at sdhart@paradise.net.nz, or phone 04 9738079 (hm).

January 2003
Wanaka for New Year. 27 Dec 2002-4 Jan 2003.

A chance to soak up some hills before the national climbing camp. Steve Hart will coordinate a trip to the Aspiring region. Potential climbs in the area include the east north traverse of Rob Roy, Aspiring itself and lots more. To lodge interest email Steve at sdhart@paradise.net.nz, or phone 04 9738079 (hm).

January 2003
National Climbing Camp. Godley Valley. 4 - 12 January 2003.

Canterbury/Westland Section is organising the next national climbing camp. Centred in the Godley Valley. Hoping to make use of 4wd/watercraft for access. Fantastic opportunity to quit work and climb all summer-with Steve in Wanaka and then the Godley. Contact: C/W section direct, or stay tuned.

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.

Coarse participants

Dave Shanks, Michele Domaneschi, and Andrew McKinlay will be the Wellington Section participants on the Instruction or Instructors Climbing Course.

Caroline Duggan, Maria Cassidy, Sharon Flood, and Camilla Colebatch will be the Wellington Section participants on the Intermediate Climbing Course.

A flurry of for sales and wanteds

For sale, a pair of Sportiva Makalus, men's 40. Hardly used, too small. $250. I am also looking for Alpine Journals, pre-1983. Steve Hart , phone 9738079 or email sdhart@paradise.net.nz.

Outdoors Gal up the duff so taking a few years off! For Sale (the gear not the gal.): Ski Mountaineering bindings (fully adjustable and instructions provided); Silvretta 404s; currently attached to Salewa touring skis (175cm), skins thrown in. All in excellent condition. $300 the lot (what a bargain!). Bolle Glacier glasses - sorry not the groovy mirror finish - ex. cond, $70. Tel: Kate on 389.1238

Wanted 1 (or 2) second hand ice hammers. My day work ph number (04) 801 9162 Thanks Peter C

Wanted to buy, good quality down sleeping bag. Low weight and small volume are good but anything considered. Required prior to Sept 14th. Phone Joanna on 934 0884 or email jroberts@malaghan.org.nz.

Koflach Plastics. Men's size 9. Old, but still have a few miles left in them, $80. Boreal Acers. Women's size UK 4, US 5. Excellent condition, hardly used. $80. Contact Ben - 025 2288182 or AH: 3800913

For sale Rock-shoes; Boreal Ace size 5-UK, very near-new (only used in gym four or five times) $125ono. Ph 06 370 2549 or e-mail richardbellnz@hotmail.com.

For sale Macpac fleece salopettes medium, very good condition $60. Black Diamond Switchblade crampons, for technical ice-climbing, suit medium/large size boots, very good condition $120, Petzl Jumars, a pair, left and right hand, never used, offers Dennis Clark Phone 04 528 4977.