President’s Desk
Kia ora folks,
A lot of our new members will be wondering if their chances of completing a snowcraft course will be possible this year after spotting the mountain on Monday. Thanks to our dynamic efforts of Finn and the dedicated team of volunteer instructors we will try our best to run courses when the conditions allow hence having backup weekends already built in. If these attempts fail a third date is sometimes a possibility subject to instructor availability. Let’s just hope the snow can come back as quickly as it has disappeared.
Club night update
- August: I couldn’t make it unfortunately but from what I heard last club night was a non-event due to modern technology keeping us on our front points. One good thing from last club night, thanks to some straight-talking club members, was some clear feedback on what they wanted from club nights. Therefore, we now have most of a plan until the end of the year. See the Club night section further below in this and future HiTAC’s as well as following our facebook page for more details.
- September: See you there for a cup of tea (home baking welcome) at the Fitzroy Golf Club this Thursday 1st September 7:30pm – Kick the modern tech to the curb with us by watching a trusty DVD film on the 1953 Taranaki mountaineering disaster.
Here is a teaser about other club nights in development: - October: A brief but informative induction required for those who want to help out on the day of the club’s annual fundraising event The Open Climb February 2023 traditionally followed by a short film.
- November: Still to be decided, possibly a conservation theme if we can find an available speaker.
- December: Our annual photo competition where we ask our members to submit their alpine related photos for our viewing pleasure, keep an eye on upcoming HiTAC’s and Facebook for more details and updates on how to enter and win glory and prizes.
You may have noticed our social media has been busy due to severe weather events causing havoc for those who are not digitally connected that way I will repeat here. The power is restored thanks to some dedicated and skilled members volunteering their time to get a repair in place. There is also a reported hole on the translator road with the very heavy rainfall we had last weekend. Be your usual careful selves up there on the hill with some massive rainfall events as of late. Some of those regular routes might just throw you a spanner to remind us that the mountain is an ever-changing landscape.
From some members I have talked to recently, the lack of snow has forced them to source their inspiration by thinking ahead to a likely early start to the rock-climbing season, if you want some assistance being equally inspired check out these sources below:
- A rock-climbing festival currently being planned at Waipari in the Waikato in October
- The idyllic Whanganui Bay opens for a trial winter season until the end of November (booking essentials). Keep an eye on September HiTAC for a potential club trip here.
- And of course, our local maunga the best trad climbing destination in the North Island uncontested no thanks to the Quarry remaining closed for no publicly known logical reasons.
See you on the snow and rock soon!
Conrad Murray
President