Indholdsfortegnelse for September 2020 i Wilderness

IF YOU’VE EVER wondered about walking one of the Great Walks, this is the issue for you. Not only do we show you how to do each of the 10 walks, but we’ve also asked New Zealand’s best outdoor writers to share what the walks mean to them. When I asked the various writers to contribute their experiences, I was hoping to discover what makes each walk ‘great': is it the views, the huts or the overall experience. Turns out, it’s a combination of these things but, also, much more. I’ve discerned a couple of major themes running through the feature: that the walks are as much a cultural experience as they are a nature experience, and that those who walk them seem to develop an unbreakable connection to the…

THIS GREAT WALK is not actually a ‘walk’, but a 145km river journey. It may not immediately appeal, especially for those raised with feet firmly set upon dry land, but it’s an adventure that should be on every Kiwi’s bucket list. Over the course of five days (three if you opt for the shorter and more popular 88km alternative from Whakahoro), paddlers are treated to the best of what the Whanganui River, the world’s first natural environment to be granted legal personhood, has to offer. From cavernous river valleys that rise up through pristine native bush to the telltale song of endemic and native birds, the Whanganui River is a truly untouched wilderness, yet it’s easily accessible to the average New Zealander – where else in the world can paddlers…

Alternative track: The Inland Track doesn’t quite capture the beach vibe, but it provides stunning views over the Abel Tasman coastline while providing a scenic forest experience. Since you’re already here: Walk the 45min track to explore Harwoods Hole at the end of Riwaka Valley Rd. Only experienced cavers can explore its secrets, but the limestone formations and views make it a worthwhile short walk. Just got a weekend? From Totaranui, walk the quieter northern section for a night in Whariwharangi Hut. For a loop, return via Gibbs Hill. Where to stay: There are several accommodation options available at the track start in Marahau. Where to stock up: There are small stores in Marahau, but nearby Motueka has a much greater selection of groceries and local produce.…

Access From Aorere Valley Road end, Collingwood, or Karamea Kohaihai Road end, West Coast Grade Moderate Time 4-5 days. Brown Hut to Perry Saddle Hut, 5hr; To Gouland Downs Hut, 2hr; To Saxon Hut, 1.5hr; To James Mackay Hut, 3hr; To Lewis Hut, 3.5hr; To Heaphy Hut, 2.5hr; To Kohaihai River Mouth, 5hr Distance 78.4km Ascent 4068m Accommodation Brown Hut (16 bunks), Perry Saddle Hut (28 bunks), Gouland Downs Hut (eight bunks), Saxon Hut (16 bunks), James Mackay Hut (28 bunks), Lewis Hut (20 bunks), Heaphy Hut (32 bunks). Multiple campsites. Topo50 map BP23, BP22 Find the map and route notes for this trip at www.wildernessmag.co.nz…

Glade Wharf to Clinton Hut 5km, 1.5hr The walk begins with a boat cruise across Lake Te Anau to Glade Wharf at the head of the lake. From here, it’s a very leisurely walk through beech forest and alongside the Clinton River to Clinton Hut. You can fill the remaining daylight hours exploring around the hut, where there are some good swimming holes and a short wetland walk. Clinton Hut to Mintaro Hut 16.5km, 6hr The track continues up the Clinton Valley, gradually climbing to meet the river’s source at Lake Mintaro. The upper valley is a wild and dramatic place – especially the Clinton Canyon, a defile of rock and precipice 2000m high and split by fissures where waterfalls tumble. The sheer scale of the landscape is mind-boggling. Mintaro…

Lee Bay to Port William Hut 8km, 3-4hr Starting from the large chain sculpture symbolising the anchor stone of Maui’s canoe, the track sidles above the bay to Peters Point and around to Wooding Bay and Māori Beach. At the northern end of the beach, a bridge spans a tidal estuary and then the track climbs to a junction. Head right and descend to Port William, where the 24-bunk hut is set in a sheltered bay surrounded by large gum trees which date to a short-lived settlement populated by Shetland Islanders in the 1870s. Port William Hut to North Arm Hut 13km, 6hr Retrace your steps to the track junction to begin the forest section of the walk, which follows the route of a tramline. The bush is not particularly…

Rab Electron Down jacket Specs: $549, 500g (m) / 470g (w) Reviewed by: Cold-weather climber and women’s gear reviewer Penzy Dinsdale Used for: Four years When my highlighter pink jacket was stolen several years ago I was pretty sure that I’d never find its equal. I was mistaken. The Rab Electron – mine is bright orange – has been an outstanding replacement. At 500g it’s certainly not the smallest or lightest item in my pack, but it’s never something I regret taking with me. The Pertex outer provides adequate shower-proofing and combined with the 800-fill power hydrophobic goose down provides performance in a range of conditions. The shaped and varied baffle sizes are excellent for allowing free movement while climbing in very cold conditions. The elastic cuffs fit well and…

SELF EXPLORATION AND SHOWCASING THE BEAUTY OF OUR PLANET INSPIRES US ALL TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE ITS BEAUTY. How does Expedition Earth promote environmental issues? We have been working with a number of conservation initiatives from National Geographic Society and World Wildlife Fund to smaller, grass root programmes. Because we are accessing areas far off trail, organisations such as Nat Geo give us assignments to document some of the many projects they fund. What inspired the journey? We decided to undertake the journey on our second or third date when we were having a picnic near Aoraki/Mount Cook in the freezing snow. Topher had read about a German explorer called Gunther Holtorf who spent 25 years driving the planet with his partner. We named our Jeep after Gunther and were…

Letter of the month THE ARTICLE ‘Subscribe to outside’ (August 2020) confirmed for me that I’m on the right track. I’ve started a private Facebook group called ‘Lunchtime Hikes’ for an invited list of friends and close colleagues – all women in their 40s and 50s. When I’ve spoken about my tramping trips, where I’d been and what I’d seen and heard, various responses would usually start with ‘oh wow – I’d like to do that but…’ – insert any of the next phrases to finish the sentence: ‘I’m not fit enough’, ‘I wouldn’t be able to keep up’, ‘I don't have the right gear’, ‘I'm not brave enough to do that’ or ‘aren’t you afraid?’ I agree with the author that ‘for every Kiwi tramper, there are two non-trampers…

Access SH38 from Rotorua Grade Easy-moderate Time 3-4 days. Onepoto Landing to Panekire Hut, 5hr; To Waiopaoa Hut and campsite, 3-4hr; To Marauiti Hut via Korokoro Falls, 5.5hr; To Waiharuru Hut and campsite, 2hr; To Whanganui Hut, 2.5hr Distance 46km Total Ascent 2407m Accommodation Panekire Hut (36 bunks); Waiopaoa Hut (30 bunks); Korokoro Campsite; Marauiti Hut (26 bunks); Waiharuru Hut (40 bunks); Whanganui Hut (18 bunks) Topo50 Map BG40 Find the map and route notes for this trip at www.wildernessmag.co.nz…

Alternative track: The Mohaka River in Hawke’s Bay provides a range of journeys for more experienced paddlers, with a number of DOC campsites along its banks. Since you’re already here: Walk the 2hr Te Maire Loop Track near Taumarunui to explore some of the region’s now rare podocarp forest. Just got a weekend? A two day paddle is possible from Taumarunui to Whakahoro, and includes some of the best rapids. Where to stay Check with your canoe hire company about pre-trip accommodation options. Where to stock up Taumaranui’s Seriously Outdoors for gear, or supermarkets for food.…

ON A SUNNY, windless morning at Punakaiki, the seaward horizon and the bush-heavy inland hills are free of cloud. A decent swell butts up against headlands to the north and south of the small settlement. It’s early, which means the usual queues of campervans and tourist buses, not to mention the over-friendly sandflies, are yet to congregate. The blowhole at Pancake Rocks does its thing in relative privacy for a change. And there I was, sitting on my bike, watching the waves and taking a moment to embrace the Coast’s unique ambience before starting out on New Zealand’s first Great Walk to be opened in 25 years. Before me stretched 55km of purpose-built mountain bike and walking track, following a route along the Paparoa Range. It’s fair to say that…

I HAD NEVER been tramping in my life when, one day, I decided to go and see some mountains. I was 24 and had my first real job and my first real disposable income and a vague idea that I liked the outdoors, even though I didn’t know it very well. I Googled all the Great Walks to see which one looked best in photos, and I wrote on Facebook: “I’m going to tramp the Routeburn. Anyone want to come?” It was not a great proposition for any of my friends. I had zero outdoor skills. I was a giant nerd. I had never walked for a whole day. But an acquaintance replied – Lynda was in – and six months later, we were in a minivan bumping along a…

A MUSICAL WHISTLE breaks the stillness followed by a harsh screech and an answering chord from the trees. Kākā stir as stars still linger in the sky, in the void so far above these steep and dark canyon walls. Weka call from opposite sides of the valley, their obnoxious volume radiating through the clear air and reaching my ears with a welcome pang of familiarity. It is almost hard to tell when sunrise arrives as the sky is so far out of reach. I step outside onto the crunchy, frosty ground and notice that there is a touch of orange high above. Dawn at last. The honking of paradise shelducks boosts my departure, blaring through darkness in the otherwise frozen and silent world. This is the second time I’ve been…

IT WAS 1988. The Department of Conservation was just one year old, New Zealand was mired in the stock market crash and Fiordland had a brand new track. Not just a track, but a great one. With tops, forest, rivers, lakes, wetlands, views – the whole gamut. And three large, purpose-built huts. Fiordland’s other two premier tracks, the Milford and Routeburn, both had a pedigree dating back more than a century. Unlike those through-tracks with their complicated access, the bespoke Kepler Track formed a neat loop, beginning and ending near Te Anau. From the shores of Lake Te Anau, it rose onto the tops, east of the Kepler Mountains, then cut a surgical line past Mt Luxmore, with views over South Fiord towards the Murchison Mountains of takahē fame. Then…

AS A MĀORI, there are several ways I go about anchoring myself with and within the natural world, no matter the tramp: walking with whakapapa, connecting with my Māori cosmos, and making the mythology matter. In my case, walking with whakapapa on the Rakiura Track involved researching the name ‘Rakiura’ to know more about its Māori meaning and origins. Rakiura’s original Māori name was ‘Te Puka o Te Waka a Māui’ – the anchor stone of Māui’s canoe. While Māui worked with all his might over days and nights to reel-in his wild and thrashing fish ‘Te Ika’ (the North Island), Te Puka kept everything stable. A chain-link at Lee Bay memorializes Māui’s battle, physically joining Rakiura and Motu-pōhue (Bluff). Passing beneath this symbol of Rakiura’s whakapapa gave me goosebumps,…

Stove types There are four types of stove: Multi-fuel: Liquid and multi-fuel stoves burn almost any flammable fuel – including white gas, kerosene and even regular canister gas. They are environmentally-friendly in that the fuel bottle can be re-used. Canister stoves: Simple, convenient and inexpensive to run and maintain. More expensive models may have a regulator which provides consistent output for the life of the canister and improved efficiency in alpine or cold environments. Gas canisters must be punctured before recycling at a waste-management centre. Personal cooking systems: These stoves use a specially-designed pot that attaches directly to the burner. All components nest inside the pot for easy packing. They have quick boil times, making them a good choice for cooking dehydrated food and making hot drinks. Alternative fuel stoves:…

WITH HER WALL space quickly running out, Rachel Gamble-Flint needed a plan B. Photographs of tramping adventures adorned much of her home, and the need for a more streamlined interior was becoming apparent. The keen tramper had just returned from a Fiordland adventure with thousands of photos and rather than get them printed, she was struck with a new inspiration. Selecting a few colouring pencils and a fine liner, she got to work on her first map, using Geographx maps, DOC brochures, photographs and her memory for reference. The result – a beautifully illustrated, annotated map of the Hollyford-Pyke Loop – showcased the unique features of the landscape, the waterfalls, mountains and wildlife – and best of all, it was an efficient use of wall space. The map was a…

PEOPLE WILL OFTEN SAY of a place that no two days are the same. In Tongariro National Park, you could almost say no two hours. Mts Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu are to cloud, wind and rain, what a magnet is to metal: an irresistible attraction. One moment you could be covering up from the sun, the next sheltering from the rain or finding your way through a whiteout. I try to time my trips to the park with the weather, but at this altitude (the three peaks are 1967m, 2287m and 2797m) and with these three magnets, experience has taught me you’re just as well to go because it might not be so bad. Or it might be worse. My first time on the Northern Circuit, it was worse. I…

Alternative track: The three day Mangamate Loop Track is a worthy Te Urewera alternative which takes in the Te Whāiti-Nui-a-Toi Canyon, Whirinaki Waterfall, and one of the best podocarp forests in the country. Since you’re already here: The small but scenic Lake Waikareiti can be reached on an easy 2hr track north east of Waikaremoana. Just got a weekend? Take the Lake Waikareiti Track, and continue to Sandy Bay Hut, an 18-bunker on the north eastern shore of the lake. Where to stay: Waikaremoana Holiday Park provides lakefront accommodation between Onepoto and Hopuruahine Landing. Where to stock up: The closest supermarket is in Wairoa, one hour away.…

“AQUA (WATER COLOUR). Bellbird. Canuka?” My daughter and I grinned, but had to concede kānuka starts with a K. We were playing ‘the alphabet game’, you know, find something starting with A, B, C, etc, as we walked from Onetahuti to Bark Bay. She was 10 at the time. Dad and big sister had gone ahead to set up camp and the game was a distraction as we hauled ourselves in the heat up a gentle forested hill that seemed more of a mountain to little legs. There won’t be so many internationals around this year but my bet is this track will still be busy. There is so much going for it, no matter your age or fitness. You can walk long or short days, stop for a swim,…

Alternative track: The 4-6 day Wangapeka Track crosses Kahurangi National Park, east to west and finishes near Karamea. Since you’re already here: Visit the Oparara Arches Basin in Karamea to explore New Zealand’s largest limestone arches. Just got a weekend? Make a return trip to Heaphy Hut, walking during the golden hours of morning and evening. Where to stay: A stay near Wharariki Beach will be worth the extra drive time, or choose from a range of accommodation options in Karamea. Where to stock up: Karamea on the West Coast or Collingwood in Golden Bay.…

Alternative track: The Inland Pack Track departs from Punakaiki and heads north in a loop to exit via Fox River over three days, giving trampers a good taste of Paparoa National Park. Since you’re already here: Walk the 700m Truman Track to explore the rugged coastline, and a waterfall that plunges onto the sand. Just got a weekend? Get on your bike, and tackle the Paparoa Track over a weekend. Where to stay: There are plenty of accommodation options in Blackball and Punakaiki, including backpackers, hotels and AirBnB. Where to stock up: Greymouth offers the widest range of food and equipment options.…

Routeburn Shelter to Routeburn Falls Hut 9.8km, 3-4hr The track sets out on a gradual undulating climb through lush beech forest, following the window-clear Routeburn River until it reaches the dramatic flats, flanked on both side by the Humboldt Mountains. Keep one eye on the river for whio, and another above for yellowhead, titipounamu, robin and kākā. Once passed the Flats Hut, the track climbs steadily through thriving beech to the Routeburn Falls Hut, situated beneath the stunning falls, and with million dollar views over the valley. Routeburn Falls Hut to Lake Mackenzie Hut 11.3km, 4.5hr The track continues up the Route Burn Left Branch, climbing to Lake Harris. A steep ascent brings the track high above the turquoise lake, where it sidles past it and on to Harris Saddle…

Kepler Track car park to Luxmore Hut 13.8km, 5-6hr The track hugs the shore of Lake Te Anau to Brod Bay, where it begins a steep switch-back ascent. Above the treeline, stunning views over Lake Te Anau are revealed from amongst the tussock and the hut is then reached within an hour. Side tracks to Luxmore Cave and Mt Luxmore are worthwhile. Luxmore Hut to Iris Burn Hut 14.6km, 5-6hr The day begins with a climb to a ridge-line which provides staggering views across the south fiord of Lake Te Anau and the Murchison Mountains. The tops travel in this section is marvellous – perhaps the best of any Great Walk. Two shelters – Forest Burn and Hanging Valley – provide good spots for a snack or break from the…

Best wildlife encounter: Finally being able to identify the local southern tokoeka (kiwi) pairs around the hut and knowing which pair was which by the time of night that they call. What’s something you recommend walkers do? To keep an eye out for southern tokoeka and to use the red light on their torches to spot them. I could point walkers to the areas where they are most likely to see the birds. It’s nice just to sit outside the hut where you can be visited by ruru/morepork and stare at the amazing night sky. What’s in tramper’s packs: It’s not so much what’s in their pack as what’s not on their feet. I’m always surprised when I see people tramping barefoot. These people tend to also carry a day…

Patagonia Capilene Thermal Weight $149.99 / 147g (m) Features: Made from Polartec Power Grid polyester fabric (30-92 per cent recycled content) with an anti-bacterial treatment. Offset seams ensure no chafing under pack straps and a full underarm gusset allows unrestricted movement. There are low-profile thumb loops and the garment is Fair Trade certified. 5/5 Fit: The top is a loose-fit on me and hangs to below the waist for full coverage. Sleeves hang to the heel of the hand and don’t ride up when arms are outstretched. 5/5 Comfort: Flatlock seams throughout ensure chafe-free comfort and minimise rubbing or irritation from pack straps. The underarm gusset allows ample freedom of movement. 5/5 In use: The Power Grid fabric provides exceptional warmth. It has an open-grid pattern next-to-skin to create thousands…

CAPACITY Usually between 50 and 80-litres in size, multi-day packs are either single or double compartment, with the lower compartment used to hold a sleeping bag. Double compartment packs will often have a removable divider allowing a reduction in weight and to add versatility. Numerous pockets provide ample storage options. Detachable day pack lids Some pack lids are detachable and designed to be used as a day-pack – for side trips to a summit or excursions from the hut. This allows users to fine-tune their pack weight: leave it at home if they won’t be needing it, or carry it and use the lid on short side trips. HARNESS The harness keeps the pack stable and – when fitted correctly – will transfer the weight of the load onto your…