Snowcaving is this weekend! 

Snowcaving is pretty self explanatory - we go dig a big hole in the snow (there is a particular way of doing it so it has useful things like a roof and walls) and then sleep in it! Its also a chance to go practice snow skills (like ice axe and crampon use, plus maybe some top roped ice climbing if conditions suit) for those that have been on an AIC and want to keep the skills up. And there will be a chance for a few that are new to tramping/climbing in snow to pick up the basic skills.

Due to limitations on our equipment and the practical size of snowcaves, we will probably not take more than 20 people, so get in fast! There may be a tramping option as well, depending on who is keen.

It is absolutely essential for this one to have some decent gear - tramping boots (not shoes), gaiters, overtrousers, raincoat and sunglasses are probably most important as you will be spending a lot of time on the snow. Also necessary will be a decent sleeping bag, sleeping mat (foam roll is fine), gloves, hat, and generally lots of warm clothes. The weather hasn't been too flash up Ruapehu lately so pays to be prepared!

If the weather looks really bad for Saturday then we will postpone it for a couple of weeks, and maybe go for a tramp instead :)

Kieran

---

Kieran,
Co-Treasurer

Come along to the meeting Tuesday night to sign up for this, or if you can't make that then email me asap - please include details of your experience in snow, using ice axe/crampons, etc so we can sort out groups accordingly. And if you have a car you can bring let me know...

 Oh, and the trip is to the Whakapapa skifield on Mt Ruapehu. Find out more tomorrow night! 

---

Kieran,
Co-Treasurer

Hey guys,
the weather isn't quite looking like clear skies and sunshine for the weekend, but I'm keen to headup anyway and give snowcaving a good go! At this stage the weather looks like it will be better Saturday morning, so the plan will be to head up Friday night to Whakapapa, camp in the shelters and get an early start in the morning. Its a 1 - 2 hour walk up to the area we will build the snow cave in (depending on snow conditions and people's fitness/abilities), and we'll go over a few basic snow skills on the way.

Then, all going to plan, we dig a snowcave, sleep in it Saturday night and hope for some reasonable weather on Sunday to go play around in (and maybe do a bit of snow/ice climbing or just wandering about). The back up option if it gets too cold and miserable to bother with the snow cave on Saturday night, is to go stay in Whakapapaiti Hut, a 22 bunk hut about 2.5km off the Bruce road.

So, a few details:

Please let me know ASAP if you are on the list below and are not able to come this weekend.

We'll be meeting at 5.30pm on Friday at the Hunter Carpark at Victoria University (between hunter and student union buildings) and leaving shortly after. We'll stop for takeaways on the way up friday night, and arrange a group dinner for saturday night (see groups below), but you must bring all other food you need for yourself (lunch, breakfast and snacks for 2 days).

The trip cost is $40, you can pay this on Friday or next week at the meeting.

You'll need a certain level of gear for this trip:
 - decent waterproof tramping boots (not shoes)
 - gaiters (ideally)
 - overtrousers
 - raincoat
 - sunglasses (so don't get snow blindness)
 - gloves (waterproof ones ideal) and warm hat
 - decent sleeping bag
 - sleeping mat (foam or inflatable)
 - lots of warm clothes

Its essential that you have this gear as there will be quite a bit of standing around and contact with the snow while digging, and its important to keep both warm and dry! Having said that, a lot of it can be acquired quite cheaply at places like the warehouse... let me know if you have any questons about gear. (Francesco what size are your feet? I have some old tramping boots about size 44 that you could borrow)

The club will provide crampons, ice axes, helmets, pots, cookers, first aid kits and a couple of tents for backup.

Below are the groups - they may get shuffled around a bit yet. The idea is that the first three will take their time a bit at first, going over some basic snow skills on the way up (me and Craig instructing), while Guy's group can head straight up and start off the snow cave digging process.

Olly, Andrea, Simon, I assume you guys will be pretty much self sufficient in terms of gear, transport, etc, and we'll just see you up at delta corner sometime?

Cheers everyone, let me know if theres any questions!
Kieran

Kieran Paton (Car)          
Rachel Saathof               
Sean Girvan                   
Brian Loughnane              
Francesco Bortoletti? (if can get some boots)         

Craig Scott (Car)           
Phil Ruck                    
Nick Landiak             
Claire Little               

Jason Murray (Car)          
Rebecca Burns               
Walter Moore                   
Erin Johnson?                 

Guy Short                   
Dexter Bateman         
Andrew Watson (Car) 
Alyn Higgins?           

Simon Tuohy (Car)       
Andrea Logan           
Ollie Tuohy              

---

Kieran,
Co-Treasurer

Hey everyone

I can't get out of Wellington on Friday night (lame excuse, won't bother explaining!!) but am keen to get up the mountain anyway so was thinking of heading up early on Saturday morning with my skis!! 

Anyway let me know if you're keen for a ride up on Saturday, I won't bother going probably if it's jsut a long drive by myself!!

ooh and also weather looks like (not that you can ever tell) it might be good next Wednesday/Thursday- is anyone keen for a snow mission then?

Hey, sorry to make this call so late but the weather forecast for the central north island now includes severe gales and heavy rain warnings for Saturday which will not I think make for much fun standing around building snow caves! The recent trend in crap weather continues for now I'm afraid...

Nonetheless I'm keen to get away for a tramp and was thinking of going to an obscure little hut in the southern Ruahines called Kiritaki Hut. We can take two cars and do a crossing of the range, meeting up and swapping keys at the hut Saturday night - this would limit the trip to about 10 people (2 cars and its a 6 bunk hut).

It will probably also involve some bush/scrub bashing (leatherwood) and some offtrack travel, but will be mostly below the bushline/snowline. Leaving either later tonight, or more likely early Saturday morning (and back Sunday night).

Let me know if you're keen for this anyway, and we'll try again for some snow caving or camping up the mountain the next fine weekend we get (if such things exist)!

Cheers,
Kieran

---

Kieran,
Co-Treasurer

Hi Kieran,

You made a good effort to plan a decent snowcaving trip. Is this still going to happen?

Carola and I had very similar plans for the last two weeks and ended up sitting out the cr.. weather, as well. Didn't even leave Wellington...

HOWEVER, conditions are looking substantially different THIS weekend!!! Low avalanche risk and blue skies all over the place. So if you should be heading up with a bunch of people - we are, too! And we would have two spaces left for anyone in need of a lift.

Check this out:

http://www.mtruapehu.com/winter/whakapapa-report/

http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Whakapapa/6day/top

So far, we were thinking about heading up early on Saturday to Whakapapa / Iwikau village. From there we would make it up to the summit plateau, build a snow cave, would play around in the snow up there the next morning and would be back in Welly by 8 / 9pm on Sunday. Let me know what your plans are so we could probably suss something out together.

Cheers,

Nicolai

Hey,

 

Unfortunately with this weekend being holidays.  Many of us heading off to the south island. Many already in the south island and many off on another trrp.  Snow caving will not be happening this weekend.

 

If you were keen to take a trip up to Ruapehu for a bit of a look see and what not that would be excellent.

 

We will be hoping to run the snow caving trip shortly.

 

Craig

Cool. Never mind. We will be heading up to Ruapehu nevertheless and have two spare seats in our car left in case someone wants to join us. This is NOT an official TC trip.

Enjoy your holidays,

Nicolai