Otago University Tramping Club

The Otago University Tramping Club (OUTC) is a large student club at the University of Otago for the pursuit of outdoor activities, mainly tramping, mountaineering and climbing. Club members are also known to go mountain biking, kayaking and skiing.

Most members are students, staff or recent graduates of the University of Otago in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. The club operates out of the OUSA Clubs and Societies Centre.

History

OUTC dates back many years...

1970s

Bush Balls begin (see below).

1980s

In 1987 OUTC sold Big Hut in the Rock and Pillar Range to the Otago Tramping and Mountaineering Club for $300.

1990s

2000s

In 2005 the club faced raising fuel prices which, combined with student poverty, made long-distance trips increasingly unaffordable.

Money and time pressures on students led to the return of mid-week trip, called 'Wednesday Walkies', involving short walks to destinations such as Nichols Creek, Mount Cargill, Flagstaff and Signal Hill. These sorts of club trips were common in the 1930s.

Trips

OUTC takes trips to numerous locations, primarily in the lower South Island. The most common trip is a weekend tramp, from Friday night to Sunday night. Popular destination include Fiordland National Park, Mount Aspiring National Park and Westland National Park. Closer to Dunedin are the Silverpeaks, where Rowan loves to roam.

Club members have also ventured to more exotic destinations have also been undertaken, in recent times including the Lofoten Islands (Norway), Wind River Range (Wyoming) and Wilsons Promontory (Australia).

Those on a trip usually drive in private cars or a van to their destination, often having a meal on the way. This is usually some form of fastfood, most likely fish and chips.

Annual Events

Paradise (aka Freshers)

The first major trip of the year for the OUTC is Paradise, held near Glenorchy. Buses, one driven by the legendary 'Bill', take all the club members to the location on the Friday night, where a fly camp for up to 100 people is set up. On Saturday morning, all the groups go off on their day trips, varying in intensity from strolls along the Routeburn Track to a hard core assault on Turret ridge, a 1200m ascent giving great views back to Paradise.

As dusk falls, and weary trampers return, the cooking competition begins as each group makes its masterpiece and the President judges the efforts of the various teams. From there the party begins, the beer bottles are opened, the keg is tapped and corks popped. Sunday brings a twenty minute walk to the sunny Lake Sylvan for a dip to wash away the previous night's indiscretions. The camp site is cleared, and back onto the buses everyone goes. Those who are lucky enough, will get to take home the Old Dunstan trail, with stunning views of Central Otago from the top of the Dunstan Range and the tourist attractions of the Pig Root.

Bush Ball

Bush Ball is an annual party held in the bush, usually at a backcountry hut.

The first Bushball was in the mid 1970s and was held at Aspiring Hut, where many Bushballs have been held since.Bushball is where the shy young ladies of the Club can venture bravely into the night and pursue the man of their dreams. Fights break out and hearts are broken as the backcountry equivalent of a debutante ball runs further into the night. If you go to bed early you are know as a 'sad sack' especially if you wander around the next morning bemoaning the lack of decent 'talent'. People have been known to 'score' and 'not score' depending on their costume, charm and aftershave.

The 2005 theme was Peter Pan with many men dressed as pirates, and many women dressed as Tinkerbell looking for the magical wand. Suits and ballgowns are "de rigueur" and it is expected that at least one girl (or boy) will put their eye makeup on with a trowelFeasting and drinking are the order of the night and many a participant is seen nursing a hangover the next morning.

Annual Awards Dinner

The annual dinner provides the club with opportunity to recognise the best, bravest and stupid among its membership.

Prizes awarded in the past have included jems such as the "S. France Standard - Helicopters to the rescue", the Peter G. Wilson flashing red bike light of navigation, the "judy", for the person who has injured themselves in the stupidest way and awards for navigation failings as well as scoring. Nominations are open in all categories to anyone who is or was a member of the club, or was even simply around the club in the given year. Decisions on winners are made by the club social officer(s), which makes it one of the most entertaining jobs of the year, as they get to make fools out of everyone else, and keep their own disasters quiet(ish).

In 2005 a new award was inaugurated, the '12th Man Award', for the person who turns up for the wrong trip but only realises a few hours down the road.

Annual General Meeting

This meeting is a chance to elect club officers and review the past year. Sometimes the treasurer has been drunk while presenting the financial report.

Photo Competition

OUTC holds an annual photo competition. Categories include 'flora and fauna', 'people' and 'landscapes'.

Publications

Antics

"Antics" is the annual magazine of OUTC. It features trip reports, cartoons, recipes, gossip, quotes and photos from the previous year's activities. Over time the tone of the publication has changed. Nowadays it features fewer naked women, but more naked men, and greater use of bad language. "Antics" has always been a bastion against political correctness.

In November 2006 OUTC published a 'best of' "Antics" compilation, "45 Years of Antics: Adventures and escapades of the Otago University Tramping Club" ISBN 0-473-11473-9.

ee also

* New Zealand tramping tracks
* New Zealand Great Walks
* National parks of New Zealand

External links

* [http://www.outc.org.nz/ Offical OUTC website]
* [http://www.clubsandsocieties.co.nz/ Clubs and Socs website]
* [http://otmc.co.nz/otmchistory1.html Otago Tramping and Mountaineering Club - History]
* [http://www.fmc.org.nz/ Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand]
* [http://www.mountainsafety.org.nz/ New Zealand Mountain Safety Council]