Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2022 i Wilderness

I suffered the dreaded boot sole delamination recently. It was on a trip to Pinnacles Hut in Coromandel Forest Park. A few minutes before it happened, while standing in a small stream to assist my daughter to the other side, I thought how brilliant these boots were. I’d done innumerable difficult trips in them – Stewart Island, Otago, Coromandel, Tongariro, the Tararua Range and more – and they’d offered support and surety of grip. Not five minutes later I heard a flapping noise and felt something knocking against my foot. “Oh-oh.” Sure enough, the sole was barely hanging on. A few minutes later, the delamination had spread to the other boot. I had newfound sympathy for all those readers who had shared similar tales of woe a few years ago…

MY FIRST visit to Cupola Hut was one winter when the snow was so deep we had to dig our way inside. A shovel mounted above the hut’s door is there for a good reason. So when I returned, again in winter, my memories were of a very cold spot. This second time though, there was no snow to dig and a potbelly stove had been installed. The hut was built in 1957 as a base for scientific research. There are eight bunks and one quite unusual feature is sliding windows at the north-west corner. From here, you can gaze out from the comfort of your sleeping bag on the top bunk, while breathing in fresh mountain air. The windows were installed so researchers could observe the birdlife. The hut…

THIS IS A SIMPLE and easily followed route using a farm 4WD trail from bottom to top. At least half of the track is on private land and access permission needs to be sought from the landowner. It starts through a farm gate at the foot of Mid Dome and leads across a paddock to a farm track that heads south for a few hundred metres and then begins a long zigzag up the western slopes of the mountain. On a cold winter’s day, the track will be firm and snow can be expected at the top. In spring and autumn, the track can be muddy due to animal and farm vehicle movements. The zigzags continue to the 740m contour, where the track once again turns southwards to gain a…

THE ROCK AND PILLAR RANGE runs parallel with the coast, only an hour’s drive from Dunedin. A demanding access route begins from Glencreag Station on the patchwork of Strath Taieri Plain. It’s a few clicks from the tiny town of Middlemarch, known as the terminus of the latent Taieri Gorge Railway and the start of the 152km Otago Central Rail Trail. Through the farm gate on SH87 the trailhead is a kilometre along a gravel road. Park by the large, grey farm shed, cross the stile into a paddock and follow sporadic red markers along the fence line. After strolling for about 15min there’s a DOC sign signalling the boundary of the Rock and Pillar Conservation Area. Turn hard left to climb steeply for 30min along the fence line. It’s…

By the time the snow reaches above my gaiters, I am beginning to regret wearing shorts. In a southerly that is supposed to be dying, Peter Laurenson and I are post-holing up Raingauge Spur. As we’ve climbed, the snow has steadily gathered depth, thickly coating the ground and trees. Flakes ghost through the air in small gusts. It’s a winter wonderland, but daylight is failing, and our progress has ground almost to a halt. Nearing the bushline, each footstep involves a gymnastic feat of hauling my leg out, lunging forward, crunching through the crust, hoping it will hold, then sinking as the snow fails to take my weight. “Can you take over please, Peter? My thighs are cut.” “Sure mate,” Peter replies, Sensibly, he’s wearing over-trousers. By the time we…

Headlamps have an Ingress Protection Rating (IP) that measures water and dust resistance. IP ratings come with two numbers (e.g. IP67). The first number rates solid protection (i.e. dust) on a scale of 0-6 where 0 offers no protection and 6 is dust-tight. The second number rates water-resistance between 4 and 8, where 4 means splashing water from any angle can be handled (10-litre/min) – that’s most rainy conditions – and 8 is full and continuous immersion up to and within the manufacturer’s specifications. If an X is used instead of the first number, it means the headlamp has not been tested for solid protection.…

WE NEED THE WHOLE STORY I would like to tautoko (support) Tania Rae’s ideas (‘There’s something missing from the Great Walks’, April 2022). As a Kiwi doing one of the Great Walks, I was profoundly uncomfortable with the one-sided narrative being delivered by the DOC wardens. The passion, aroha (love) and manaaki (care) shown by these wardens are abundantly clear; the blame lies not with them but with the poor support offered to them by DOC. I was left feeling that these nightly talks were a wasted opportunity. Pre-Covid, when the huts were full of overseas visitors, these stories of how the passes and mountains were named and discovered by early European settlers went unchallenged. With Kiwis now filling the huts, it’s time for DOC to up its game and…

Perfect grind-free coffee can be made in a billy. After boiling water in a small billy, spoon in the coffee (usually 1-2 tablespoons per person). A crust will form. After a couple of minutes, break the crust and tap the side of the billy a few times. The grinds will sink to the bottom and a thick crema will appear. Wait a little while longer before you pour carefully, leaving the grinds at the bottom. The first pour usually gets all the crema. Use espresso ground coffee for a rich, thick brew.…

A weekend tramp as an alternative to the multi-day Tongariro Northern Circuit can be made to Waihohonu Hut, where there are interesting places to visit nearby as well as along the way. The shortest route from Desert Road takes about 1.5hr. However, a more interesting way is from Whakapapa Village on a well-formed track through open country with views of Mt Ruapehu and Mt Ngauruhoe. By going this way, the 20m high Taranaki Falls can be visited and there’s a side trip option to see Tama Lakes (an additional 1.5-2hr). From the hut, there’s an easy 1hr, 2km return walk to Ohinepango Springs. The cold water bubbles up incredibly fast from beneath the old lava flow into the stream. A swim is for the brave. Also nearby is the original…

MANGAHAO FLATS HUT is one of the less frequented huts in Tararua Forest Park, and the time taken to get there can be anything from four to eight hours, depending on experience, fitness and group size and ability. Reaching the track requires driving past the Mangahao Hydro Electric Power Station which was completed in 1924. From the road end there’s a well-formed track on the dam’s western side, or, if the water levels allow, it is quicker to simply walk up the side of the dam. Roaring Creek is soon crossed on the true left of the Mangahao River and from here the expansive river valley with its flat terraces allows trampers to ditch the track and walk straight up the watercourse. A bridge over the Mangahao River is reached…

TORRENTIAL RAIN, boot-sucking mud, voracious sandflies; a perfect storm of nasties that breathe life into the legend of tramping around Rakiura / Stewart Island. It’s so isolated that one is entirely on nature’s terms, removed from the comforts of urbanised society and a world away from the usual safety nets. Evocative names like Hellfire Pass, Ruggedy Range and Christmas Village fire the imagination. It is at the bottom of Aotearoa and was at the bottom of my bucket list, waiting for an opportunity that never seemed to come. In the autumn, my friend Malcolm and I flew to Invercargill, boarded a bus to Bluff and then sailed across Foveaux Strait on a ferry to Oban, a compact village where there are more kiwi than Kiwis. The numerous small boats anchored…

RAB XENAIR ALPINE $399.95 A synthetic-fill hoodie for alpine adventures. With lightweight Pertex Quantum Air fabric, body-mapped recycled Primaloft Gold Active+ insulation for warmth where it’s needed, insulated helmet-compatible hood, articulated sleeves, elasticated cuffs, hand pockets. 449g (m), 381g (w). www.outfitters.net.nz BLACK CROWS TRIOS FREEBIRD POLES $299.95 Three-piece telescopic ski touring poles, Power Lock 3.0 locking system for stability, tapered long grip handle, two sets of baskets for year-round skiing or walking. 250g/pole. www.outfitters.net.nz MSR EVO ASCENT SNOWSHOES $479.99 Rugged UniBody decks with integrated all-condition traction and TriFit bindings for security on uneven slopes. Built-in Televator heel lifts reduce calf fatigue, load capacity of 80kg. 1776g. www.ampro.co.nz MACPAC WOMEN'S ICEFALL HOODED DOWN JACKET V2 $499.99 Designed for above the snowline activities and with 800FP HyperDRY water-resistant goose down, PrimaLoft Gold…

Therm-A-Rest Parsec $989.99/805g /-6°C Limit FEATURES: The Parsec is built from 100 per cent recycled nylon and filled with 465g of 800 fill power water-resistant down. Anti-snag zippers with easy-to-find pullers open a bag that has a prominent neck muff, a deep hood and a cosy additional foot baffle that wraps over the top of your feet. Two removable straps are included that allow the bag to be fastened to your mat, and there is a small zippered external pocket. A compression stuff sac is included. 5/5 FIT: Available in small, regular and long, the Parsec is shaped to be snug in the legs but a little wider in the shoulders so that extra clothing can be worn when you’re pushing the bag’s limit. With my slim frame it felt…

THE NORTH FACE WOMEN'S SHELBE RASCHEL $260 Wind-resistant hoodie with a non-PFC DWR finish, fleece lining, attached hood, exposed reverse-coil centre front zip, covered zipped hand pockets. 840g. www.thenorthface.co.nz EARTH SEA SKY HEAT TRAP $329 The BiPolar fabric used is 15% warmer than standard Polartec fabrics, shag pile inner, 94% recycled polyester, durable low pile non-pill outer, internal pockets, two zipped hand warmer pockets, made in New Zealand. 630g (m), 510g (w). www.earthseasky.co.nz PATAGONIA R2 TECHFACE JACKET $299.99 High-loft double-weave fabric, DWR finish, Fair Trade Certified sewn, 77% recycled polyester fabric, chest pocket, two pack-friendly handwarmer pockets, partial hem binding. 380g (m), 312g (w). www.Patagonia.co.nz WIND RESISTANCE Most fleeces don’t block wind, though some colder-weather garments may have a windproof lining to help trap warm air next to your body.…

YOU DON’T NEED TO LOOK LIKE AN INSTAGRAM INFLUENCER TO GET OUT THERE. STUFF THAT! THE OUTDOORS IS FOR EVERYONE. Solo does away with heroics and celebrates accessible, progressive adventuring through landscapes many of us know and love. It reads like an invitation to do more. Was this your intention? It was an exhortation, really, to get out there, give it heaps, and make the most of the time we get. I dedicated the book to Rob Hosking, a friend and former colleague. Rob died from cancer in early 2019 and I began writing the book then, as his death struck me pretty hard. You don’t know how much time you have until you don’t have it anymore. The book was also a love letter of sorts to Mt Ruapehu,…

“I’ve always been able to pick up people who are good at different things. It’s just a matter of organising them all.” If you’ve ever walked the section of Te Araroa Trail between Palmerston North and Levin, then you owe virtually every step you take to the tireless efforts of one man. Ian Argyle grew up a farmer in the hills near Palmerston North, but for the last 23 years has dedicated his life to building tracks for recreational hikers and local families. It started in 1999 with the Sledge Track, near Palmerston North. Argyle noticed there was no real access to Hardings Park, an 860ha scenic reserve. When the project was completed, Argyle was asked to continue his work and take the track further. He didn’t know then that…

ABOVE THE SOUTHERN banks of the Waimakariri, the rounded summit ridge of Mt Bruce curves against the skyline. The bare, golden aspect of the northern face of Mt Bruce, known as Burnt Face, falls away to the trees below, disappearing from view as you proceed down Cora Lynn Road to the car park at the base of the hill. Bealey Hut sits in a small clearing only a few minutes’ walk up the track. The well-maintained trail ascends through native forest, climbing gently through mountain beech for about 45min and crisscrossing small streams which race noisily down to join the braided Waimakariri River below. Then suddenly, as though through a curtain, the beech trees give way to the sombre density of conifers. The sun drops through breaks in the solid…

Over a year ago (May 2021), Wilderness ran a story suggesting outdoor gear manufacturers weren’t catering for plus-sized trampers. It seemed as though some brands didn’t consider larger humans ever went hiking. But we know that’s not true. After our story was published, we had a raft of feedback from readers applauding the story’s topic and suggestions on where to find plus-sized gear. So what’s happened since? At Macpac, demand for plus-sized clothing is ramping up and the brand is listening. Rachael Grooby, buyer for Macpac, said awareness of plus-sized clothing is increasing after the company did a soft launch of extended sizing recently. “The new sizes have definitely been picked up by customers in our most popular styles but as this was a soft launch most people are likely…

Discovering a problem with your crampons when you’re high up on shady snow slopes late in the afternoon is a good way to sabotage a winter weekend trip. It’s easy to overlook gear maintenance when some of it is only used seasonally, so here are a few items to think about before you venture into those short, cold but beautiful days of winter. BOOTS Apply a conditioner if the leather is showing any signs of dryness or cracks. Replace laces if necessary and make sure the soles are still well bonded and have a reasonable edge for grip on snow and frozen ground. CRAMPONS Fitting crampons to your boots before you go is best practise, as you’ll be able to confirm they’re set at the correct length and don’t have…