Wilderness September 2019

You may think I’m being sarcastic, but I really am surprised. The announcement that the Hump Ridge Track will become the next Great Walk bumps the number of such walks in the deep south to five – two more than the number of Great Walks found in the entire North Island. The reason I am surprised is because I had pinned my hopes – and expectations – on the Te Paki Coastal Track, near Cape Reinga, getting the nod. When the search for the next Great Walk began, one of the priorities was to find a suitable North Island track and the Te Paki was shortlisted. Oops, Far North, Deep South – easy mistake to make. The reason for Te Paki being overlooked at this time is because there are…

MICROSPIKES TO THE RESCUE In January 2012 I walked the Three Passes from Lake Kaniere to Arthur’s Pass. I’d taken my boots for a spin the prior weekend and noticed a little looseness of the sole at the rear, but had not thought much of it. I should have taken the warning more seriously! About half an hour up the Styx River, first the right and then the left boot started to comprehensively lose their soles. Before long, both soles were attached only by a thin strip at the front of the boot. I was contemplating whether it was safe to continue when I remembered I’d brought with me some Kahtoola microspikes as a compromise between carrying crampons in the middle of summer and walking over the permanent snow of…

Get your photo published here to receive a double pack of BPA-free, biobased plastic Sporks worth $13. Learn more about Sporks at ampro.co.nz. Last Weekend submission criteria can be found at wildernessmag.co.nz…

BIKERS STYMIE WALKERS ON PAPAROA GREAT WALK FIVE MONTHS BEFORE it opened, Moonlight Hut on the Paparoa Track Great Walk was already 99.5 per cent full for the season – through until April 30. However, for the same period the track’s other main hut, Pororari, showed close to 100 nights of availability. Why the discrepancy? The Paparoa Track, New Zealand’s first purpose-built dual walking and biking Great Walk, is due to open on December 1. Given that most bikers are expected to spend one night on the 55km track and walkers two nights, it appears that bikers have stolen a march on Moonlight Hut, leaving many walkers high and dry in their quest to book two huts for consecutive nights. Camping is not an option along the Great Walk, and…

FROM SONGS of the right whale in Te Waewae Bay to echoes of pioneers amongst ancient podocarps, the Hump Ridge Track is a trail of stories. Its next chapter, as New Zealand’s 11th Great Walk, has just begun. Announced in June by Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage, the 61km sea to summit track is a jewel of the Southland Coast, crossing beach, forest and subalpine landscapes. Typically a three day, 61km loop, the track will receive around $5 million in funding to bring it to Great Walk standard for a 2022 opening season. Upgrades are under consultation, but may include new accommodation near the Percy Burn Viaduct, easier gradients, upgrading gravel surfaces and new sections of boardwalk. The announcement brings the South Island’s Great Walk total to seven, following the construction…

When to go: The track can be walked all year around, but it can experience snow in winter. Highlights: Okaka Lodge offers grand views of Te Waewae Bay and access to the nearby towering limestone formations and tarns; three large historic viaducts; Aurora australis may be seen at night in winter; and being close to Rakiura’s dark sky sanctuary, stargazers will be delighted by the night sky year round. Cost Prices for the 2019/20 season start at $245, but may be subject to change in 2022.…