Wilderness magazine now has an online community – go to www.wildernessmag.co.nz  Once signed up you can share on line thoughts, gear reviews, information on tracks etc. 

Are very useful but also potentially dangerous to others……….  We had a recent incident where one of our stalwarts received a nasty leg cut from another person’s Leki. Please, either use the rubber pole ends or exercise great care. Follow the person in front of you at a safe distance and never waft your Leki about!  not only on the track but also when getting on and off the bus.  

Online Payments – the club now has an online banking to make it easier to administer the bank account.  Online payments are welcome for:

• away trips
  
• membership subscriptions
  
• banking collected Sunday trip fees
  

Remember to insert appropriate references unless you want it  to be accepted as a donation! The bank account number is on the trip forms or contact a committee member.  See here for contact details. 

General Information & Safety Guidelines - The committee has updated the General Information and Safety Guidelines.  Copies can be found on the bus and the website.

Overdue Parties - Helen Orchard has written guidelines for what to do if a party is overdue. A copy will be held on the bus and on the website Useful Info page here.

Organising a Day Trip - Gill Sanders is writing a new guide for organisers of day trips.  A copy is  on the website Useful Info page here and will be given to trip organisers.

Safety in the Mountains Guide -  This guide was last revised in 2003 and FMC are updating it.  Members will receive a copy of the updated guide when they renew membership for 2012/2013.

Other news : AGM news will be in the next newsletter. 

Chris still has some gear for sale….

Phone Chris Markham  :  027 476 9209

1x sleeping bag              $30
1x sleeping bag Snugpak                  $40
1x sleeping bag down              $60
1x tent Macpac  microlight., new condition  $280
1x tent 2 man 3 season new              $60
1x tent 2 man cycle touring or camping     $60
1x tent 2 man cycle touring or camping, near new         $100
1x Alpine technical jacket  Macpac, new condition       $200
1x Alpine technical overtrousers  Macpac, new condition $140
1x skis Spalding 180 cm with bindings $20
1x alpine boots Sportiva size 44 new  $300
1x tramping boots Garmont size 42 very good condition       $60
1x ski poles 110cm 2 poles ok for walking         $20
1x pack Macpac Genesis 70 litres     $100
1x pack day pack 20 litres new         $20
1x tent single skin, 2 man, new $20
1x oil skin jacket/ coat with hood $100
1x over trousers new condition    $40

30 May NSTC Annual General Meeting Senior Citizens Hall, the Strand, Takapuna  7.30
Guest speaker: Dr.  Nick Waipara of the Auckland Council about Kauri Dieback

You will all be aware that a number of tracks in the Waitakeres are going to be closed for a year for a trial in an attempt to control the spread of the kauri die- back disease. This will have an impact on both where we can go as a club and where you can go on private trips. Come along to the AGM and as part of it find out from an expert what is going on and which tracks will be shut.

Wilderness Magazine reported:
About 27km of popular walking tracks in the Waitakere Ranges will be closed in a bid to halt the spread of a kauri tree-killing disease. Formation of protection zones around unaffected kauri in the dense forest west of Auckland City was called for yesterday by Auckland Council's parks, recreation and heritage forum.

Officials had reported a higher incidence of the kauri dieback disease in areas more often visited by walkers and survey work showed the need for more extensive measures to protect healthy kauri than the present boot disinfection stations. It is estimated about 8 per cent of the ranges' dense kauri areas are already infected and another 3 per cent probably infected.

"The disease may have long-term ecosystem impacts if it continues to spread unabated and uncontrolled," said a biosecurity team report. In some cases where it was not practicable to close a track, there would have to be upgrading and rerouting.

Forum chairman Sandra Coney said it was a precautionary approach that still allowed enjoyment of most of the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park, which had 256km of tracks.

Protection zones were proposed for the Cascade Kauri, Anawhata, Waiatarua, Piha, Karekare, Huia and Parau areas, to be reviewed in a year while scientists learned more about the disease and whether a vaccine or cure could be found.

You can see the full article including details of the proposed closures here:
http://www.wildernessmag.co.nz/view/page/articles/read/updated-auckland-trampers-face-track-closures/  

The Mountain Safety Council have published their the list of courses for the rest of the year is with this newsletter. It will also be on the web page.

Please note that the club will refund 50% of the cost of courses on completion and on tendering of receipt to the Committee.

It is in the interests of the club to have you well trained. We commend these courses to our members

For more info see the brochure following or the MSC website here.