I am currently trying to get over to NZ and one thing I am looking forward to is the wide variety of climbs that are over there! I am by no means an expert you can see on youtube jumping up the sides of rocks or racing Jeremy Clarkson up a mountain on an episode of top gear.. .. yet .. but would love to find out where people think is the best area to go climbing and camping in?
Also if you name a good climb that is quite high/tricky a quick suggestion of getting more kit/recommended kit amounts would be helpful

Try these

Welcome | Canterbury Mountaineering Club
New Zealand Alpine Club homepage | NZAC
Queenstown Climbing Club

Most clubs will welcome newcomers, and it's a great way of meeting people

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Top Cat
www.arttel.co.nz
Our online diary of life in New Zealand

thats brilliant! thank you Top Cat!
want to get into that as soon as I can!

Hi

More links to add - NZ Tramper and New Zealand Mountain Safety Council (MSC)

All these clubs are such a good way to get in touch with people with the same interests and local knowledge, I see they MSC also runs training courses

more links from this site you'll open it at Mt Taranaki (aka Mt Egmont) 2518m 8260ft, my old 'home' area. Note 'has seen more climbing fatalities than any other mountain in New Zealand' the death toll around 70 and in the last 20 years there's been many tourist deaths, it is so easy to get to from the city (New Plymouth) 25km away.

The Egmont Alpine Club runs annual 'open climbs' I found the latest report here from January 2012, some good pics and short video on that link too.


Taranaki Alpine Club Open climb

wow that place looks amazing!! is climbing allowed there or are these conservation sites off limits to that sort of activity?

I cant wait to get over there! the best camping and climbing I have around london is a small wood with sandstone rock which you cant go on if its been raining! (and lets face it.. its England!)

Excellent!! Thanks Song_Si!! definately going to be joining a club when I get over there! ... but may need to get my climbing up to scratch before trying Mt Taranaki!!

^ i think it would be too unstable, they are a 'work in progress' in terms of erosion, a river can run through there in times of flood inland, ever-changing landscape.

hmmm better not try it.. knowing my luck il be half way up.. look down and a river has appeared! got to see it though!!

some damage to a Dept of Conservation hut from the Tongariro eruption

The Mount Tongariro eruption photo gallery
View photos that show the damage to Ketetahi Hut and the Tongariro Crossing track, caused by the Te Maari Crater eruption.


Ketetahi Hut, which is closest to the crater eruption and was unoccupied at the time Mount Tongariro erupted but has suffered boulder damage.

wow.. thats a lot of ash!! imagine camping nearby and waking up to all that!

I watched the news videos of this eruption then saw another one about a large collection of tiny rocks floating around NZ too.. part of the same eruption?