The Hutt Valley Tramping Club is a very active club and offers many activities the whole year round. Trips are planned in advance and a Trip List is put together every six months. Tramping, skiing and biking are the most populair activities.
The main activities are:
Tramping
The club offers most weekends three different tramping trips, plus a Sunday walk. There are often mountainbike rides and walks during the week as well. The trips are graded to meet the needs for different levels of fitness. Weekend trips are usually in the Tararuas and Ruahines. During longer weekends and over Christmas and Easter the club organises trips to the South Island.
Climbing
The HVTC is active in climbing and tramping in an alpine environment. The club runs instruction courses to teach basic alpine skills. Alpine climbing includes trips to Tongariro National Park, Mt Taranaki and the South Island. The club has some rock climbers and trips cover North as well South Island.
Skiing
The club is very active in downhill skiing. The HVTC owns its own lodge on the Whakapapa ski field in Tongariro National Park. These unique facilities are available to members every weekend during the ski season. Ski touring trips have been to Tongariro National Park, Ruahines and the South Island.
Mountain Biking and Cycling
Many mountain and touring bike rides are on the syllabus, including Tuesday night trips during the summer months and longer trips during weekends.
Instruction Courses
The club runs regular outdoor instruction courses. Instruction courses cover bushcraft, alpine and leadership skills. Bushcraft skills like navigation, setting up a camp, fire-lighting and crossing of rivers are part of the program. The alpine instruction courses are during the winter and teach how to use ice axe, crampons, ropes and how to get around safely on snow and ice in an alpine environment. Other activities include sea kayaking, tubing down rivers, rafting.
