FMC Youth Expedition Scholarship

What I Did Find Darkness and Light in the Olivines

By Guest Author|2022-06-16T12:44:56+12:00June 15th, 2022

After receiving the tragic news that her partner Lochie is missing, Tara pauses their plans to traverse along the Southern Alps from Cape Farewell to Fiordland to help with his search. When the search is called off, she makes the heavy-hearted decision to continue with the trip. Tara recounts the final leg of her journey as a Simon Bell Memorial Scholarship recipient – a solo trek across the Olivine Ice Plateau towards Red Mountain and down to the ocean at Big Bay.

Expeditions

West Coast Gems On the Hunt for New Routes in the West Coast Wilderness

By Guest Author|2021-10-08T12:40:49+13:00October 8th, 2021

The allure of an unchartered climb is enough to entice climbers Jamie Macalister and Martin Johnson. As recipients of the FMC Youth Expedition Scholarship, they venture to scale the expansive, 300-metre-high face on Douglas Spur above the Paringa River.

Expeditions

The Gardens Newton Peak

By Ben Mangan|2021-08-21T10:43:16+12:00August 21st, 2021

Climbing in the Garden of Allah, Adams Wilderness Area on a FMC Youth Expedition Scholarship trip.

Expeditions

Mist, Scrub and Ultramafic Boulders An Epic in the Olivines

By Guest Author|2020-08-19T18:18:58+12:00August 14th, 2020

When Katherine, Penzy, and Lydia set off for a girl’s only traverse of the Olivine Range, little did they know it would take 15 days and a helicopter transport.

Trip Reports

Te Araroa Part II: A Long Run on our Long Pathway

By Guest Author|2024-01-29T11:59:09+13:00June 21st, 2020

In Part II of her blog, Mary completes the North Island portion of the Te Araroa Trail just days before lockdown and emerges to find a world strikingly different from when she began her tramp.

Trip Reports

Te Araroa Part I: A Long Run on our Long Pathway

By Guest Author|2024-01-29T12:00:43+13:00June 12th, 2020

As a recipient of the FMC Youth Expedition Scholarship, Mary Williams departs on a solo mission to complete the South Island section of the Te Araroa Trail.

Expeditions

Part 2 A Sweltering Southern Alps Traverse

By Guest Author|2024-01-29T12:11:12+13:00March 4th, 2019

In hindsight it’s easy to look back and ask ourselves why we didn’t do more side trips since the weather was so good.

Expeditions

Part 1 A sweltering Southern Alps Traverse

By Guest Author|2019-03-04T13:02:55+13:00February 28th, 2019

In late November 2017 Dulkara Martig set off from Arthur’s Pass with three other kiwi women, with the goal of walking to Mount Cook Village.

Expeditions

Young guns: Diary of a traverse from Arthurs to Lewis

By Guest Author|2018-05-01T14:21:44+12:00April 3rd, 2018

Max Truell and friends from the Western Springs College Tramping Club venture out on their biggest tramp yet.

Expeditions

Ivan's Story West Coast, Best Coast: Part 2

By Ivan Andrews|2022-08-23T05:08:55+12:00April 3rd, 2018

In Part 2 of their FMC Youth Expedition Scholarship trip, the Southern Alps crossing from the Rakaia to the West Coast is told from Ivan's perspective. Find out what the lads got up to after going solo on Day Four . . .

Expeditions

Anita's Story West Coast, Best Coast: Part 1

By Ivan Andrews|2022-08-15T09:00:24+12:00April 3rd, 2018

Ivan Andrews and friends from the Victoria University of Wellington Tramping Club (VUWTC) were awarded an FMC Youth Scholarship in 2017 for a Southern Alps crossing from the Rakaia to the West Coast via the Bracken snowfield and Ivory Lake Hut.

Expeditions

Olivine adventures Chasing Gold in the Arawhata, part 2

By Guest Author|2021-09-17T15:02:00+12:00January 2nd, 2018

The grand-children of John Findlay continue their pilgrimage to the Olivine Range, and the glacier named after him.

Expeditions

Olivine adventures Chasing Gold in the Arawhata, part 1

By Guest Author|2021-09-17T15:04:16+12:00January 1st, 2018

The seed was planted for this trip a couple of years ago, when my sister and I were was told that there was a glacier in the Olivine Ranges named after our late grandfather, John Findlay.