Indholdsfortegnelse for September 2023 i Wilderness

WALKSHORTS As we head into spring, rivers will soon be affected by changing weather patterns and snowmelt and can quickly become dangerous hazards. Drownings occur every year. The Mountain Safety Council advises those inexperienced in river crossing to select tracks that have bridges. People should also always be prepared to change their tramping plans to avoid river crossings, and ‘if in doubt, stay out’. STOP BEFORE YOU CROSS WARNING SIGNS OF AN UNSAFE RIVER: ● Water moving faster than average walking pace ● Discoloured, cloudy, surging water ● Visible debris in the river like tree branches ● The sound of rolling boulders on the river bed. See www.mountainsafety.org.nz for useful videos on river crossings. 1. Choose the safest place to cross – where the river is flat and the water…

Megan Dimozantos has been elected president of Federated Mountain Clubs. She talked to Wilderness about her priorities, future challenges and her unusual tramping habits. What are your top priorities for the term ahead? Iwi engagement is one thing high on my list of priorities. We are kidding ourselves if we think we can do a good job for the recreational community without working well alongside mana whenua. It is also really important to me that we protect our huts and track network. [This is] a national treasure which we all get so much benefit from in terms of recreational enjoyment, wellbeing, the ability to gather kai and do mahi that protects our native species and biodiversity. What do you see are the main challenges for outdoor recreation and tramping? Climate…

WHANGĀREI Ann Wilde says the trail in AH Reed Park through to Whangārei Falls is “lovely and peaceful among the trees”. AUCKLAND Glen Hill-Willis recommends the 4km Milford to Takapuna coastal walk. “There are such appealing views of the gulf, beaches and bays, and frequently people fishing from the rocks. The clincher is the Takapuna Beach Café. A perfect conclusion!” Donnelle Cheree enjoys the Puhinui Stream Forest Trail which links the Botanic Gardens with Tōtara Park. “There are some steep, slippery parts, but it's a good length with great views and not as busy as the gardens. An easier walk is Southern Park / Conifer Grove at sunset – you can choose the length of walk, it's flat, almost all well-paved, and the evening light on the Manukau Harbour is…

LAST YEAR, I tramped a difficult section of Te Araroa Trail – the Richmond Range. I spent New Year's Eve at Rocks Hut with several others, and the following two days were fantastic: wonderful weather and perfect views. I felt strong and everything was alright. But between Mt Rintoul Hut and Tarn Hut, about an hour before the day's final destination, I started to feel dizzy. I assumed it was caused by dehydration. I reached the hut okay and after drinking a lot of water, the dizziness disappeared. In the morning I was okay and set off, but between Mid Wairoa Hut and Top Wairoa Hut, I was dizzy again. This section has eight river crossings and during one crossing, I felt really bad. I knew I could not continue…

WAYPOINTS THE JOURNEY TO AMBER COL is varied and interesting, with boulder-hopping and mostly off-track travel. It's also an accessible overnight tramp off the beaten path close to Christchurch. The start is at Hawdon Shelter before walking to Hawdon Hut and ascending Twin Fall Stream to discover a hidden gem – an enchanting hanging valley with a pristine tarn, which is home to whio. At Walker Pass, turn left and follow the stream to Amber Col, from where there are views into the Edwards Valley on the other side of the ridge. We set up camp a few hundred metres below the col, under the dramatic Falling Mountain. This hanging valley is a stunning place to pitch a tent and watch the sunset. Another campsite, not far from here, is…

OFF the BEATEN TRACK Seven days and five of Aotearoa's greatest backcountry lakes. That's the promise for my partner Agustina and me. I'd been reading blogs, watching videos and studying Topo50 maps that would enable us to construct a route encompassing the highlights of the Travers–Sabine, including Rotomairewhenua / Blue Lake and Lake Angelus. The first leg to Lakehead Hut – just three hours – begins beneath a chorus of korimako. There are many daywalkers to dodge on the path to Lake Rotoiti, but we are buoyed by the thrill of starting a multiday track. The dreary damp of Coldwater Hut is not for us and we carry on to Lakehead Hut, which is quiet for an Easter Friday – just us and a young family. Our pesto, zucchini and…

Lisa and Peter Dudfield from Cambridge completed the Heaphy Track with their teenage daughters in 2020. It was their second time around after first doing the walk 20 years ago, combining a kayaking trip around Abel Tasman and a friend's wedding in Nelson. “That was before smartphones and Google,” says Peter. “There was no checking the weather beforehand, and we have far fewer photos from the first trip. Back then we had to take the film to the chemist to get it developed.” Shuttle services and car transfers didn't really exist in 2000 either. “The services and infrastructure around the track were pretty limited,” says Peter. “There were a lot of logistics to arrange for the oneway route.” “At the end of the track was a bus that left at…

Rakiura Track Māori Beach was once a busy settlement with a school, several houses and a sawmill. Now it's a peaceful and picturesque area with regenerating forest, and a popular swim spot. Jason Palmer has lost count of the number of times he's been there. “It's an absolutely stunning spot,” he says. “I've done a lot of tramping and it's a place like nowhere else. It's a beautiful yellow sandy beach with gentle waves. It's really sheltered, and safe to swim at. The water is ‘Stewart Island’ warm, and there's always a lot of wildlife around.” Kepler Track Right on the doorstep of Moturau Hut and with the Kepler Mountains providing a stunning backdrop, Lake Manapōuri is perfect for a dip after a hard day's hiking. “It's freezing,” says Derek…

A MAGAZINE FOR EVERYONE I'm writing to share how much I enjoy Wilderness. I bought a subscription for my husband in 2020 but it was I who got hooked on the magazine. But sometimes an inner voice says ‘why are you reading this? You're not a real tramper!’ I tell this self-critic it's wrong because I've been inspired to do many things via Wilderness. I completed the Walk1200km challenge; I was part of an extended family group from 7 to 73 that climbed Mt Manaia; and an article about trails in the Waitākere Ranges has prompted our family to visit more often, including sometimes with other families. Every issue excites me about being active in nature. Whether we're experienced trampers tackling mountains or enthusiastic novices pounding the pavement, what matters…

The Backcountry Trust has been granted $1million over two years via DOC's Community Conservation Partnership Fund. The amount granted is less than the $1.6 million the trust applied for. For the past three years, DOC has provided the trust with $450,000 annually for volunteer projects and since 2014, the trust has funded the restoration of more than 250 huts and 1000km of walking and mountain bike tracks. Backcountry Trust national operations manager Rob Brown said without the new funding the trust would not survive. “We are doing everything we can at the moment, but cornerstone support of a monetary kind is critical. “We are the most cost-effective backcountry maintenance option out there, with some very talented and committed people delivering the results, which also contributes to a bundle of other…

WALKSHORTS Being able to see and visit many outdoor places remains out of reach for people with limited mobility, and one in four New Zealanders is classified as having a disability. Disabled Persons Assembly National President Joanne Dacombe said, “Making tracks accessible will provide an opportunity for more disabled New Zealanders and their whānau to enjoy the great outdoors in the same way non-disabled people can.” There are more than 50 easy-access short walks throughout the country that are suitable for people in wheelchairs, but despite a wheelchair access trial completed in 2016 on the Abel Tasman Coast Track, DOC currently has no plans to incorporate wheelchair access on any longer walks, such as the Great Walks network. DOC heritage and visitors director Cat Wilson said DOC considers where disability…

Imagining anything like a war zone in Anchorage, or any bay in Abel Tasman National Park, is a stretch. The place is peace personified; surrounded by native forest and shimmering sea, reached by foot or boat. It's where toes can be curled into golden sand and weka can be seen pecking along the high tide line. “It's just so beautiful that you are almost forced to be aware,” says former New Zealand Special Air Service (SAS) corporal Gregg Johnson. “Everywhere you look there's something spectacular.” Johnson knows about this area. After a 20-year military career, he retrained in adventure tourism and began an internship at Abel Tasman Kayaks in 2016. Not long into his new gig, he took an Australian couple on a kayaking trip. The husband had been a…

The one hike that Gregory Gould really wanted to check off was the Milford Track. “I didn't intend on doing any other Great Walks at the same time, initially,” says Gould, who lives in Wellington. “I booked the Milford about a year in advance, and decided to add the others afterwards.” Gould did the Routeburn, Kepler and Milford tracks back to back in that order. “I started with the Routeburn as it worked out the best way for me after flying into Queenstown,” he says. “I got a shuttle straight from the airport to the start of the track. Because of the way I arranged it, I only needed to take a week and a day off work.” Logistically, it was relatively simple to organise and Gould planned the walks…

Petronella Spicer from Christchurch is totally blind. She's no stranger to tramping and the Great Walks, having ticked off Lake Waikaremoana, the Abel Tasman, part of the Kepler and part of the Milford. “The Blind Foundation (now Blind Low Vision New Zealand) would organise a big tramp every two years with lots of support,” she says. “People with low vision need a guide to be able to experience these walks.” The level of support needed depends on a person's vision, says Spicer. “Those who are totally blind, like me, generally hold a hiking pole between them and the guide, one at each end, and follow the guide. We use a second pole to steady ourselves. The guide describes hazards on the track as we walk.” This method keeps the trampers…

IMAGINE THAT you are walking along a track and come to a bridge. Consider the following situations: ● The bridge is sound, and you are not afraid. This is a good situation. You can cross the bridge safely and continue your walk. The lack of danger is matched by your feeling of security. ● The bridge is unsound, and you are afraid to cross. This is also a good situation because you can decide not to cross, or take precautions that relate to the danger. The danger is matched by your fear. ● The bridge is unsound, but you don't know this and are not afraid. You are likely to cross and, in doing so, put yourself at risk. You might cross safely and incorrectly learn that a bridge in…

This year's wild weather has damaged many tramping tracks and over the past decade numerous winter weather events have caused widespread damage. Last year on the Dusky and Kepler tracks, heavy snow was followed by significant wind that caused many trees to fall. DOC is prepared for avalanche damage on known tracks and every year removes bridges during winter to minimise weather impact. DOC's director of heritage and visitors Cat Wilson said the damage is not limited to winter, however. “Extreme weather events such as floods and cyclones can occur at any time of the year,” she said. Widespread flooding in February 2020 in Fiordland and Mt Aspiring National Parks damaged more than 78 tracks. “Extreme wind events can also happen at any time, causing track damage and closures,” Wilson…

WILD COMMENT POISON LAID, avalanche potential, river crossings, weight limits on bridges, pictures of undesirable animals. Whether temporary or permanent, signs on tracks tend to carry the weight of enforcement, and their numbers seem to be increasing. Friends, who recently spent five months biking and tramping around the South Island, were struck by the number and variety of signs they encountered – far more than, say, 30 years ago. Certainly, authorities are more diligent about alerting people to risks around structures, natural hazards, or the dangers of being underprepared or ill-equipped for the terrain. Navigation, health and safety warnings – they are all relatively common. Some people might see warning signs as a challenge to their competency. While words like ‘Do not cross here at high tide’ could for some…

WILD TRIPS THE WALK starts from a parking bay through the predator-proof fence. The track then crosses a wetland and heads straight up the hill to follow the South Coast Track, which is marked by white posts. As you climb, it's worth gazing back towards the wetland and Jones Bay. Māori – Ngāti Raupō, a hapū of Te Kawerau – lived here for 800 years. In those times you might have seen the people fishing or gathering shellfish, tending kūmara in the sandy soil which was ideal for its cultivation, or collecting wood and thatching material from forest and wetland. From 1870 the land was slowly converted to farmland by colonial settlers, and the trees were logged by the Martin, Jones and Young families. It would have been noisy and…

‘They're full of tourists … not the real backcountry … they're just highways … the huts are like hotels …’ You've probably heard all the above comments. You may even think all of the above. But are they true? Should you give the Great Walks a miss? The answer is no. According to the Department of Conservation, these are premier tracks that pass through diverse and spectacular scenery. From native forests, lakes and rivers to rugged mountain peaks, deep gorges and vast valleys, the Great Walks showcase the best of the country and have much to offer. Teresa Moreno from Wellington had never wanted to do a Great Walk, “or any overnight walk for that matter,” she says. “The idea of carrying a heavy pack, sleeping with strangers, and not…

Great Walks’ hut and campsite bookings during the season often sell out in days. It can be frustrating and disappointing, but out of season it can be easier to book and the tracks are less crowded to walk. Verity Jackson and her 14-year-old niece headed from Ashburton to Stewart Island in winter to do the Rakiura Track. “We mainly chose the Rakiura because my niece is on a mission to complete all the Great Walks,” she says, “but also because the weather on Stewart Island tends to be more settled in winter – milder and less rainy.” Jackson and her niece only saw two other trampers the entire time. “It was nice to have a backcountry experience on a Great Walk. I like that there aren't flush toilets or gas…

UPPER Most hiking shoes are made from a combination of leather and/or synthetic materials such as mesh or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which is a rubber-like material. They are light, easy to break-in and care for, highly breathable and quick-drying. MIDSOLE Most midsoles are EVA, a foam designed to handle the stress and impact of walking over uneven ground. Varying densities of EVA provide firm or soft support, with soft-flex shoes offering greater rebound when moving fast. These midsoles are likely to compress over time. Some midsoles are PU (polyurethane), which is firmer and more durable than EVA. These shoes are better for when precise footholds are needed on rocky terrain, or when sidling steep slopes and climbing or scrambling. HEEL The heel should be held firmly in place for stability…