Having done an Alp1 course in 2025 but getting no further trips onto the snow due to terrible weather, I was apprehensive about signing up for any alpine trips this season. Fortunately for myself and a crew of others in the same position, Anne was willing to lead a refresher trip, with Megan B and Stu signing on to co-lead. I know we’re all really grateful to them for making it happen.
While there’s much more snow on the ground than last year, it almost seemed like the weather was going to ruin our plans again, with an iffy forecast for Saturday and a blizzard-type one Sunday. We drove up to the WTMC lodge on Friday night and decided on a later-than-alpine-start given the forecast, with the plan of heading up to the NZAC lodge for some skills practice, and a meander a little further if the weather was holding. Anne did a great job facilitating conversation on the avalanche and weather forecast, volcanic hazards and other risks, and route-planning considerations both Friday night and earlier in the week, which was beneficial to those of us still learning.
The morning had dawned pretty clear, with excellent views across to Ngauruhoe and Taranaki, so while we took off uphill all bundled up, it wasn’t long before we stopped to shed layers. We reached the NZAC lodge mid-morning, having followed the ridge route up, finding several NZAC crews practicing in the surrounding area too. Here we stopped for some self-arrest practice, quickly learning that the hard-packed icy slopes weren’t very friendly; the endeavour made for a good show-and-tell of bruises back at the lodge.
With the skies still clear we carried on, soon breaking into different groups. A few of us continued up to the top of the Whakapapa skifield with Megan, taking more time to practice different skills along the way. After a lunch stop with a fantastic vista and victuals, we headed to the west and picked a different route back down, heading for the skifield pub via the rock arch. The rest of the crew kept climbing upwards to Summit Plateau, with a few reaching Dome with Anne before making a swift descent as the weather began to turn.
With the weather poor on Sunday, we had a leisurely morning and an early return to Wellington.
The trip was a fantastic refresher, it was really great to take the time early in the season to re-gain confidence moving with crampons on and to try some self-arrests without feeling the pressure of a big trip objective. It could be a good regular fixture on the alpine calendar!
