Alright team, what you’ve all been waiting for…

We’ve got Nathan Longhurst confirmed on 1 April before he flies off to the US the next day! He recently completed his version of the 100 peaks challenge, which he will be talking about. Please come and support Nathan on his huge achievement - I'm sure he'll have a lot to chat about!

Everyone is welcome, as usual!

Details:

• Location: Grey Lynn RSC

• Time: 7 pm

• Date: 1 April 2025

• FB event: https://www.facebook.com/share/1HQniPYip9/

Note that Nathan will also be speaking the day before on 31 March with the Wellington Section if you’re down there.

Lastly, please note, this event now REPLACES the April Club Night that would have been on 14 April (i.e. no club night on 14 April).

PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGED DATE AND LOCATION BELOW.

If you’re keen on doing Basic Snowcraft this year, this is the club night for you! We’ll be doing an information night about logistics, costs, etc! And a time for Q+A.

Date: Monday 17 March 2025
Time: 6:30pm
Location: The Mental Health Foundation, Eden 3, Ground Floor, 16 Normanby Road, Mt Eden, Auckland 1024

Park on Normanby Road. Head up the stairs (see pic below) and it’s the first office on the right.

As usual, everyone is welcome!

FB event link: https://www.facebook.com/share/1GckZzb1ZH/

CLUB NIGHT Monday, 10 February 6:30pm @greylynnrsc

We’ll be hearing what some of our members got up to over the break. We’re still looking out for speakers so get in touch if you’d like to do a brief presentation of your trip! It can be hiking or climbing related, and ANY experience level. We’re certainly not looking for the most hardcore trip ever 😉

Everyone is welcome, as usual. For those who have recently joined, or are wanting to know more about the club, come along to find out more, and to see what we’ve got in store for 2025.

FB event link: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Xr2JU41Ed/

CLUB NIGHT Monday, 14 October 6:30pm @greylynnrsc

Come along and hear what some of our members got up to over this rather interesting winter season! We’ve got a few trip reports lined up, such as East Ridge on Taranaki, South Face of Te Heu Heu, recap of some courses, and more.

The AGM for the Auckland Section will take place just before the presentations. Chris will be giving a broad overview of the last 12 months and confirming the committee for the year ahead.

If you’re wanting to get involved with the club, come along and chat!

FB event link: https://www.facebook.com/share/Z2yBuS5wZuuehTCP/

CLUB NIGHT Monday, 9 September 6:30pm @greylynnrsc

Guest speaker: Nic Low

Title: Walking the Southern Alps from a Māori point of view.

Nic Low (Ngāi Tahu) is a writer, regular contributor to New Zealand Geographic, and the author of three acclaimed books, including Uprising: Walking the Southern Alps of New Zealand. Over many years, he retraced the alpine routes used by his Ngāi Tahu ancestors, and used these walking and climbing journeys to explore the untold histories of our beloved Alps. Just how high did pre-European Māori go into the snow and ice? What does it mean to mount an expedition to not-climb Aoraki? What does it mean to be a mountaineer, yet see the peaks as ancestors turned to stone?

Nic will kick off at 7pm, but come along earlier for food and chats!

FB event link: https://www.facebook.com/share/dRLzpfTeEmiPiK1Y/

CLUB NIGHT Monday, 12 August 6:30pm @greylynnrsc

Frozen in time? A synopsis from Antarctica’s Ross Sea

Hugo Bloor is a geomorphologist and climate change expert, who will be talking about his recent trip to Antarctica’s Ross Sea. Awarded a True Young Explorers Scholarship, he seeks to provide a voice, to enable its preservation for future generations.

Come and visualise the magic in the Ross Sea, through a photo journey and stories of its history. We will touch on its pioneering history, the connectedness of its ecosystems and change at the southernmost continent.

Hugo will kick off at 7pm, but come along earlier for food and chats!

FB event link: https://www.facebook.com/share/X7wK5WWV5XW9Cd3K/

CLUB NIGHT Monday, 8 July 6:30pm @greylynnrsc

Alex Marsden is part of the Tāmaki Makaurau Police Search and Rescue (SAR) Team. He works closely alongside Auckland LandSAR and other agencies to locate, then help those in need. Alex is also part of the Police Technical Ropes Rescue Team. 

He has been a member of NZAC for about 10 years, has been climbing outdoors for about 16 years and mountaineering for about 13 years.

Alex is coming to talk about SAR, being rescued and how to avoid needing to be rescued in the first place.

Come along to this awesome opportunity to ask any questions about your mountaineering objectives this winter!

FB event link: https://www.facebook.com/share/ueif2W7qsb8CZtMg/

CLUB NIGHT Monday, 13 May 7pm @greylynnrsc

Kate Lewis is from Baltimore, Maryland, in the U.S. Kate majored in History of Religion but then switched to geology, eventually obtaining a MSc from University of Michigan and a PhD from Duke University, both in Earth Sciences with a focus on volcanoes and earthquakes. She has studied volcanoes mainly in Mexico, Hawaii, Montserrat (in the Caribbean), Saudi Arabia, and the Auckland Volcanic Field. Now, Kate lives in Auckland, and has worked at the University of Auckland and done some geological consulting. Her current job, as a natural features specialist at the Auckland Council, involves educating people about the wonders of geology and protect geological features from overdevelopment.

Kate will be talking about NZ’s geology, and what makes up our beautiful mountains and crags, that we all enjoy!

FB event link: https://fb.me/e/97e1ZxMzc

Please note, the location is back at Grey Lynn RSC!

Monday 8 April 7pm

NEW LOCATION THIS MONTH: Auckland Climbing Gym. 135 Newton Road, Eden Terrace.

Our guest speaker is Summer Garner (@summerwinter5) who will be talking about her recent trip to Nepal! Summer and her dad did the Everest 3 Passes Route in November 2023 with Nepal Nirvana Trails which included Everest base camp (5364m), Gokyo lakes, Gokyo Ri (5357m) and the 3 high passes Renjo La (5345m), Cho La (5420m), and Kongma La (5545m). 

We’ve managed to hook up a sick deal with Auckland Climbing Gym - half price to anyone who wants to climb before attending club night!

FB event link: https://fb.me/e/4cN1RLqWE

CLUB NIGHT Monday, 11 March 7pm @greylynnrsc

We’ve got Alex Buisse, world-renowned adventure photographer as our guest speaker! Alex currently lives in Canmore, Alberta, in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, but frequently goes back to his second home - the climbing mecca of Chamonix. 

Alex will be talking about his Mont Blanc Lines Project, which is to “exhaustively document the climbing and skiing routes on the most iconic cliffs and mountains in the world.”

Check out https://www.alexbuisse.com/ for more of Alex’s work.

FB event link: https://fb.me/e/4SJrtmBel

Come along to our first Club Night for 2024 where out Auckland Section members will be sharing their beta for trips they’ve done over the break.

Our last club night for 2023! And we’ve got Holly Beckham (Ngāpuhi) as our guest speaker!

Holly is on a mission, to be the first Māori wahine to scale Everest. She has no alpine experience, but she has survived the depths of addiction and is now determined to show others that it’s possible to overcome adversity.

We will be screening her film Te Ara (The Path) followed by Q&A.

Come and join us for the last club night and share your exciting plans for the summer!

As usual, those who are new and want to ask any questions, feel free to come along at 6pm since our guest speakers start at 7pm. Grab some food and a drink from the bar downstairs and head up to the 2nd floor where we’ll all be hanging out! You’re more than welcome to bring your own dinners!

FB event link: https://fb.me/e/FPs4Fmga

Guest speaker is Simon Mills! More info to come.

Simon will be sharing climbing stories, pictures and reflections from 2010 and 2011 trips to parts of Africa and South America with friends and Hot Rock Expeditions.

Those who are new and want to ask any questions, feel free to come along at 6pm since our guest speakers start at 7pm. Grab some food and a drink from the bar downstairs and head up to the 2nd floor where we’ll all be hanging out! You’re more than welcome to bring your own dinners!

Guest speaker is Anna Brooke!

Anna is based in Otautahi Christchurch, and spends much of her time in the Southern Alps. Anna is the LandSAR Alpine Rescue Canterbury team leader, and has a passion for teaching climbing, ski touring and alpine skills in the mountains. She was an Outdoor Instructor for the NZ Army Leadership Centre and has been instructing for NZAC since 2016. Anna is an NZMGA Assistant Ski Guide & NZOIA Alpine & Rock Climbing Instructor. Anna will share some of the mistakes she has made (or observed others make), and the things she has learned over the years between the highs and lows of standing on peaks.

Those who are new and want to ask any questions, feel free to come along at 6pm since our guest speakers start at 7pm. Grab some food and a drink from the bar downstairs and head up to the 2nd floor where we’ll all be hanging out! You’re more than welcome to bring your own dinners!

CLUB NIGHT Mon 11 Sep 7pm @greylynnrsc.

Spring has officially begun! Club night is on next week and we will be giving short summaries of the trips and courses that the Auckland Section have run over this winter season. And what a season it was for the North Island!

Come along and hear some of the exciting stuff we got up to, and this will be a great opportunity to see what people are planning this Spring!

See you there! 🍻🍕

FB event: https://fb.me/e/38iow9Agz

Those who are new and want to ask any questions, feel free to come along at 6pm. Grab some food and a drink from the bar downstairs and head up to the 2nd floor where we’ll all be hanging out! You’re more than welcome to bring your own dinners!

Auckland Section members Jack, Magnus and Sam will be chatting about ALL THINGS SKI TOURING! Jack will also be giving a trip report about ski touring trip in 2022 to Lady Emily Hut at Glenmore Station.

Come along if you want to know more about ski touring!

Those who are new and want to ask any questions, feel free to come along at 6pm since our guest speakers start at 7pm. Grab some food and a drink from the bar downstairs and head up to the 2nd floor where we’ll all be hanging out! You’re more than welcome to bring your own dinners!

Guest speaker: Paul Hersey

Those who are new and want to ask any questions, feel free to come along at 6pm since our guest speakers start at 7pm. Grab some food and a drink from the bar downstairs and head up to the 2nd floor where we’ll all be hanging out! You’re more than welcome to bring your own dinners!

Details TBA!

Those who are new and want to ask any questions, feel free to come along at 6pm since our guest speakers start at 7pm. Grab some food and a drink from the bar downstairs and head up to the 2nd floor where we’ll all be hanging out! You’re more than welcome to bring your own dinners!

It has been Mark Sedon’s mission in life to never waste a day. From a life filled with adventure growing up in the outdoors and travelling all seven continents of the world, Mark has extraordinary tales to tell, including some incredible accounts of survival when things go wrong.

From breaking his back when he was buried in an avalanche, to watching helplessly high up on an erupting volcano, starving for five days in a shipping container in remote Papua, and a yacht fire and broken mast in the Southern Ocean. Climbing Mt Everest, then saving a Sherpa’s life high in the Himalaya, and kite skiing 2,000km across Antarctica for two months in temperatures as low as -60 C to climb the most remote mountain on earth. 

The talk will cover the highs and lows, the laughs and humility of Mark’s audacious adventures. He delivers an important message to every would-be thrill-seeker about understanding and mitigating risk and for those, like Sedon, happy then to accept the risk, it’s about living life to the fullest.

Those who are new and want to ask any questions, feel free to come along at 6pm since our guest speakers start at 7pm. Grab some food and a drink from the bar downstairs and head up to the 2nd floor where we’ll all be hanging out! You’re more than welcome to bring your own dinners!

CLUB NIGHT! 13 March, 7pm, Grey Lynn RSC. SPEAKER: BEN DARE (Member of the NZ Alpine team).

Come along and listen to some of his awesome missions, such as his solo first ascent of the South Face of Pyramid Peak.

Those who are new and want to ask any questions, feel free to come along at 6pm since our guest speakers start at 7pm. Grab some food and a drink from the bar downstairs and head up to the 2nd floor where we’ll all be hanging out! You’re more than welcome to bring your own dinners!

Our first club meet for 2023 (and meets going forward) will be held at Grey Lynn RSC, Come along and hear what some of our members have been doing over the break! These will be short 5-10 minute updates to share beta and inspire future trips.

‘From free range climber to caged farmer - trying to keep a crag open and navigate life’s adventures.’

An evening dialogue with Merry Schimanski on his recent past to present lifestyle changes and corresponding shift in perspectives. From exploring the depths of volcanoes in Central America, climbing new routes on big walls, jumping off cliffs, and flying off mountains - to keeping motivation and trying to remain patient with the climbing community while viewing life through the increasingly frustrated lens of an overtired farmer with dwindling reserves. 

This will make for an interesting night you won’t want to miss!

Why not join some like-minded, mature mountaineers, for an evenings entertainment, recounting the golden age of New Zealand climbing, especially brought to you by our guest speaker and past president of the New Zealand Alpine Club, Geoff Gabites. There will be time afterwards for questions and informal social conversation, all accompanied by delightful tea and biscuits.

“The Golden Age of Climbing” An illustrated, themed talk: “The coalescing of new climbing tools, changes to import licensing and retailing in NZ, plus lots of unclimbed routes, led to a 1970s/80s surge in new climbs”.

Isobel Ewing is a senior reporter and Climate Correspondent for Discovery Warner Brothers' Newshub. She started her TV career at Newshub, spent 2020 working as a foreign correspondent in Budapest, Hungary, then moved back to Wanaka last year before ending up back at Newshub based in Auckland. Isobel's interest in environmental stories has taken her from inspecting the impact of ocean temperature change on marine life in the subantarctic, to tracking lynx in the Carpathian Basin and covering Pacific geopolitics in Fiji. It also earnt her a Voyager Media Award for Environment and Sustainability Reporter of the Year in 2018. In 2019 she and her brother Jack cycled a 2400km section of the Silk Road, through Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. With no previous bike touring experience, it was a baptism of fire and the adventure of a lifetime. Their film about the trip - called "Doma" - made official selection of the NZ Mountain Film Festival in 2020.