Introduce Yourself

[Jon (aka site admin)]

New here?   This is the thread to say hi, and tell us about yourself and peak bagging and tramping adventures so far....   whether they've been in New Zealand or elsewhere in the world.

Also, tell us how you heard about this site...  Google, a friend, another website, in the media?

[pmcke]

I am Peter, active member of the Rotorua Tramping & Skiing Club. I am also a trustee of the Ngongotaha Bush Restoration Trust.

I have been an active tramper since the early 1970s when I lived in Dunedin so have bagged a lot of peaks in my day. However I am not competitive and often find myself bipassing the glory of the summit in favour of and early finish in camp these days.

[Jon (aka site admin)]

Hi Peter, and welcome.  I just emailed the Ngongotaha Trust Chairman yesterday letting him know about the site and I want to put Ngongotaha on it....  but it sounds like he might hear from you anyway!    Thanks for your info on Ngongotaha, I'll get it on the site as soon as.

We are not at all competitive either, in fact I'm one of the laziest bastards around!      That's why i figure that if peak bagging can get me doing something active, then it can for other non sporty types too....

[GemPom]

Hi all... I'm Gem from England. I arrived in AUckland 4 weeks ago... and I intend to stay!!! Me and my climb buddy labrador Saffy used to 'peakbag' in England before we came out here, so I suppose it would be rude not to carry on the tradition!!!
I would describe my abilities as average although once I get out there I tend to think of myself beyond that - but I'm still here so hey!!!!
Anyway, it would be good to meet friends to get out and discover NZ with, especially on the bigger walks that my best friend Saffy can't come with me on!!!! Gem

[vinodrinker]

Hi Gem

Yay the days are getting longer and hopefully sometime it will stop raining and big walks will be on the agenda!!  Welcome to Auckland.  Maybe sometime you can join up with our group of amateurs on a trip!

Put Tongariro crossing on your to do list too

[GemPom]

Count me in!!! Some of the tracks I hope to do with the dog, but she can go in Kennels if I can't take her!!! Let me know when you have the longer tramps planned and hopefully I can be there too!!! Thanks x

[Allan]

Hi everyone, I'm Allan from Taupo. Just getting into a bit of walking to compliment my running training. Have lived here in Taupo for most of my life, climbed Mt Tauhara for the first time this Saturday, then again on sunday! Most enjoyable. Looking forward to doing it and lots of other peaks in the future, seems like a great way to spend the day. 

[Jon (aka site admin)]

welcome Allan....  Taupo's a pretty good place to live for such an activity... practically the whole North island within reach....  and all those little old North Island volcanoes around the Waikato and BOP too

[vinodrinker]

Hi Allan. Im the opposite, doing some running to train for my walking hehe

Tauhara is on my list. will be in taupo in about 3 weeks to do it (and pureroa)

[Ash Bash]

Hi I am Ashley.

I am nearly 10 years old.

My favourite mountain is Mt Auckland. There is a viewing tower at the top.

The hardest mountain I have climbed is Mt Karioi which took six and a half hours. The thing a liked about Karioi was the chains and the stairs and the good lookout.

The highest mountain I have climbed is Mt Pureora. I was in the lead most of the way. We climbed it with our friends. You could see other mountains with snow on them.

Mt Te Aroha is the biggest climb up I have done. At the top we got yummy food for lunch.

The best thing is that after the climbs we get ice creams.

[Claire Bear]

Hi i am Claire i am ash bash's twin

My favourite mountain is Mt Tauhara.  At the top there were big rocks you could stand on or sit on.  There was a great view looking over Taupo.

Kohukohunui is the longest one I have done.  It took five and a half hours. There were lots of interesting trees.  At Twin Peaks there were lots of big Kauri trees.

On top of Mt Baldy it was really windy and cold. We wouldnt stay there long because we would be shivering.

It is fun and it is interesting and you get time with your family doing it together.

[Jon (aka site admin)]

Hiya Ash Bash and Claire Bear!  Welcome...

Icecreams huh?  I tell ya what there is nothing like gorging yourself on treats after bagging a peak.  Icrecreams, chocolate, pizza.... it's all good!  At least you know that for that day at least it won't make you fat!

Yeah a lot summits are cold like Mt Baldy Claire.  We climbed Mt Arthur in the South Island, and we sat just below the summit in the sunshine eating lunch.  Probably about 20 degrees.  Then we climbing a little way up to the summit, and the wind from the south was just freeeezing.  I swear is was only about 5 degrees.  A bit of shock after sitting in the sun.

Glad to hear you're enjoying yourselves...  we've got some great photos of you on the site.  I found another of you the other day that I hope to get on the front page soon.

[fruitbat]

Hi, I'm Margaret, I do a lot of tramping and love getting up to the summits of hills and mountains and enjoying the views. My favourite places are Mt Hikurangi, Lake Waikaremoana and Tongariro National Park.

[ellisp]

Hi

I'm Peter Ellis (no, not that Peter Ellis - I'm younger than him, Australian, and work in overseas aid).  Currently living in Wellington, but originally from Australia.  I've hiked a fair bit in Australia, mainly in the south-west, one amazing trip up to the Kimberley, and New South Wales / ACT particularly the Budawangs, Namadgi national park.  I also spent a couple of years living in Timor Leste, where I managed to do a fair bit of walking and even some peak-bagging.  I recommend Mt Matebian in the east...

In Wellington, my personal project is to climb all the 1,000m+ named peaks in the Tararuas.  I've so far done about 30 out of a (without stopping to count them properly...) 70.  But those were the 30 closest to Wellington - this could take a while yet.  Anyone out there actually done it (or even just counted them exactly...)?  If anyone's got any tips, or bits of history on the Tararuas, I'm interested to hear them.  I'm also looking for copies of old guidebooks of the Tararuas, particularly Merv Ropdgers' Tararua Footprints (otherwise only available through the Wellington library).

I tramp solo, with my partner, or a range of my friends from work.  I also rock climb a bit, and am hoping to get into mountaineering while I live in the right country to learn...

I also have an interest in learning from tramping/climbing accidents, and think New Zealand could do with an equivalent of the must-read annual Accidents in North American Mountaineering.

Looking forward to participating more in Peak Bagging NZ!

PE

[curtly]

Hi all,

My name is Curtly and techically I don't live in NZ I'm on the other side of the ditch on the Gold Coast in Oz. I have however done some tramping around the south island. My wife and I walked Key Summit, we learnt some valuable lessons about midges, mud and possums at the hut on the Welcome Flat track. We went to Glenorchy to do the Rees-Dart track, but unfortunately it snowed down to 900m it was November !!, neither of us have any experience or equipment for that sort of tramping so that effectively can that which  left us a spare week . So we did some other smaller day walks around the place.

I do a lot of peak bagging here though. Coming into winter the days have been around 26c, just right for climbing. Last Saturday I climbed with 2 other blokes up Mt Warning for the sunise. It's a 3-4hr climb up the 1,156m mountain. The track is basically 8.8km return. We left at 2.30am and reached the summit at 6am.Just in time.



I have also climb a number of local mountains of the years.
I saw this site advertised in the April 2009 NZ Wilderness mag and thought it was pretty cool.

Curt.