Auckland Section Trips

Trips are what draws like-minded people together and forms the backbone of the Alpine Club. You get to meet new people, see new places, climb new routes, learn new techniques, and of course, have lots of fun! Trips are organised by volunteers, and participants pay for their own transport, accommodation, gear and food. Do you have a new trip idea? Perhaps you missed one before and want a repeat? We can only run as many trips as there are organisers. Volunteer to lead just one trip this year and get to do it where, when and with whom you want! You don’t need to be the most proficient person on the trip, you are not a guide, it's more about car-pooling and food groups etc. Make your dream trip happen this year, contact Amanda (Trips Officer) by email .

Alpine Trip Difficulty

Beginner: Suitable for people wanting to learn about moving around on snow. Includes current students of Snowcraft. Experience in alpine tramping or skiing/snowboarding may be helpful.
E.g. walking to the Crater Lake on Mt Ruapehu.

Intermediate: Competent and confident in basic snow skills (e.g. can use ice axe and crampons, do self-arrest). Some exposure to falls. Must have attended a snowcraft course or can prove experience in alpine environment.
E.g. climbing Mt Taranaki in winter.

Experienced: Steep ascents, arduous travel, hazardous conditions, snow and navigation skills essential. May involve multi-pitching. Confident in use of ropes, two tools, rescue equipment.
E.g. climbing 'Chiming Bells' on the Pinnacles on Mt Ruapehu.

You may need to assure the organiser that you have the appropriate skill level before they let you attend. The best way to do this is to attend the monthly Monday night meeting, introduce yourself to the organiser and tell them what skills and experience you have. This is not just for your safety but for the safety of others on the trip.

Organising a trip

Trips are an integral part of keeping our club active and alive, however, organising one can be rather daunting, especially if it is your first time and there is a large group of people wanting to attend your trip. To simplify the process we’ve put together a checklist to help you get started. It is recommended that you use this document as a guideline to help you organise various activities and aid the smooth running of your planned trip. There are three parts to this guideline – a checklist, so that you know what activities need to be completed as early as possible, a contact details list for gathering information from potential attendees to make your co-ordination easier and an intentions form to help you co-ordinate emergency procedures. Download the Trip Organiser Guidelines here.

The Checklist is designed to help you co-ordinate the following for your intended trip:

The Contact Details List helps you make sure you get the right information from people to coordinate the above. It would be advisable that you get this information at least a fortnight before the trip to save any last-minute hitches.

Finally the Intentions Form is intended to ensure that the relevant information is passed onto rescue services should an emergency arise.

We realise that this checklist is not a definitive list of tasks required and that you may have more questions or need further advice, so don’t hesitate to contact the trips officer or another member of the NZAC committee, as we are always happy to help.

Find out more...

Browse this website to find out what trips are happening, local and national Alpine Club news, information about instruction courses, how to get to the Ruapehu hut, and who to contact on the committee if you'd like to volunteer!