The Wanganui Tramping Club committee has notified members that all planned activities, including meetings and travel in club vans, are suspended until further notice. Exceptions are the TT2 Thursday morning walks, Tuesday Bombs rides and tramps that can be undertaken in private vehicles. The situation will be reviewed on April 30.
Given that it is not possible to preview upcoming tramps, this is a chance to reflect on some of the wonderful trips the club experienced in the 2019-20 summer.
Looking back to pre-Christmas, standout events included a three-day trek in the Kaweka Range, weekend tramps in the Wairarapa and at Taumarunui and cycling the Hauraki Rail Trail by two groups.
January began with a day trip over the Whitecliffs Walking near New Plymouth followed by three days at Whangamomona, three days in the Waitaanga Conservation Area and two days at Waiinu Beach. Into February we had a weekend at Pouakai Hut in Egmont National Park, five days over the Matemateaong and Mangapurua tracks, an exploratory weekend in the Tararua which included river and ridge walking, and the annual pine clearing weekend on Mt Ruapehu.
March provided six days of tramping in Golden Bay including three in the magical Cobb Valley where we overnighted at Fenella Hut. A group spent nearly two weeks exploring the Mt Cook area while two groups sampled the new Paparoa Great Walk on the West Coast.
Suspension of trips has ruled out a number of interesting scheduled tramps including three days in the Tararua, three days in Egmont National Park and a five-day crossing of the Ruahine following the route of missionary William Colenso, the first European to make the crossing.
While it is unfortunate we can't do what is planned, many members will have good memories of what they have been able to achieve in our great ouitdoors in the summer just past.
