November 2025 Meeting Report

Meeting Report

Geoff chaired the meeting.

Up and Coming Trips

Top Dingle Hut
From Ahuriri Base Hut.

Tabletop
From the Waianakarua area.

Cass–Lagoon Saddle

Christmas BBQ
Glen Coe Reserve.

Trip Reports

Mt St Cuthbert
Five people enjoyed good views from the summit. It was windy but fine.

Twilight Walk
Ten people met and walked along the Skyline Walkway, then down Orwell Street to the foreshore. They returned towards town along the beach. It was a calm, pleasant evening.

Snake Gully and North Peak
A lot of gorse on this walk, but the group had good weather in the Trotters Gorge area.

Windy and snowy weather affected several planned trips this month.

Wednesday Walkers
A report was given.

Guest Speaker

David Woods spoke about his experiences in South America.

He first travelled to Venezuela in 2006. In 2010 he went climbing in Bolivia. La Paz, the capital, is about 4,000 ft above sea level, and he visited there to acclimatise before heading to Cococahann. His group climbed a peak in the Condori Range, crossing a large glacier before beginning the ascent. They had a local guide, and the climb involved a steep 55‑degree slope. David shared excellent photos of the route.

He then travelled to Ecuador. The capital, Quito, sits among mountains in the foothills of the Andes. The peak they planned to climb has been affected by climate change, with melting ice exposing rocky, difficult terrain. Kotopaxi is a volcano in the region, standing 5,900 m high.

David also spoke about the Patagonia Ice Cap, around 3,000 m in elevation and 7 km across. It lies in the Fitzroy Range and must be crossed in one push due to slushy, hazardous conditions.

He had remarkable photos and memorable stories from all these adventures.

The meeting closed at 8.45 pm, followed by a cup of tea.