President’s Desk
Kia ora folks,
Well, no body would have believed It, but we managed to get a snowcraft one course completed no thanks to a dismal snow season. A lucky and very grateful total of nine students covered off the basics of safely traveling on snow under a team of volunteer instructors. The course didn’t only just run but was in ideal learning conditions enabling students to grow their confidence massively in just two days and two evenings. The students did well to take in the mass of information show it out there on the real thing including building a two-person sitting snow shelter. There was also some healthy discussion on some controversial topics such as leash or no leash and what type of axe people should look at buying when starting out. As we move into the late spring season, I’m sure these discussions will progressively fizzle out and be replaced by some more quality discussions about stitched slings vs tubular webbing and the pros and cons of various belay devices.
As I am writing this the mountain is covered in cloud so it is hard to tell what the conditions are going to be like up there for the next couple of weeks but if we go off the avalanche forecast it looks like spring slush is on the immediate horizon. It may be clutching at straws but hopefully these conditions last a couple more weekends till the now scheduled slush summit where we get recent snowcraft students up to the summit. Slush summit relies on some experienced club members being around to mentor them further building on their current skill level. Check out the trips section as we have a lot going on including the first club rock trip of the summer season.
We have a date for our annual open climb its Saturday 11th February which is the weekend immediately after Waitangi weekend. We need approximately 60 volunteers from road end marshals to summit crew to make this event happen for 120 public participants who would otherwise not have the confidence or experience to summit by themselves. This is also a fundraiser for the club and pays the most part of the club’s biggest bill the insurance for our lodge. Our next club night Thursday the 6th of October is the open climb induction where we will power though the important points common to all volunteer roles. As tradition dictates the induction will be followed by an entertaining and motivating video this year being a summary on the current state of international competition climbing specifically youth which the club supports with their affiliation fees to climbing NZ. If you’re even just thinking about helping out on our annual open climb please make sure you make this club night to save the open climb committee countless hours following up checking you have received the essential information necessary to be part on the 2023 open climb crew.
Conrad Murray
President