Indholdsfortegnelse for September 2025 i Wilderness

WE OFTEN hear negative refrains along the lines of ‘young people today’, accompanied by a shake of the head. I'm perhaps more acutely aware of this at the moment as my wife and I are facing a dilemma it seems all parents must confront: when to get their child a mobile phone. Our daughter is apparently the ‘only one in her class without one’. Yet we all know the harm these devices can cause: bullying, dangerous content and addiction to endless scrolling. Adults struggle to manage their time on their phones; how can we expect our children to? So, I'd like to draw your attention to many inspiring young people. As with every issue of Wilderness, if you turn to p6 you will get a glimpse of what many readers'…

Jack Pavich was 19 when he lost one of his closest friends to suicide. The Waikato-based ex-dairy farmer turned business owner believes that, given the right care, the tragedy could have been prevented. This September the 29-year-old is setting out to conquer the length of New Zealand on foot, tramping Te Araroa to raise awareness and funds for the mental health of young Kiwis. “Too many young Kiwis are struggling in silence,” he says. Pavich is raising money for I Am Hope's Gumboot Friday initiative. “I chose this organisation so that young Kiwis in need can have access to free counselling. Every step I take is for our rangatahi. Let's walk this road together.” Pavich has completed a Great Walk in the North Island and several multi-day trips, but this…

On October 18, 1925, Adrian Moulton and six others gathered in the crater of Rangitoto to hold the first committee meeting of the newly formed Auckland Tramping Club. One hundred years on, the club has seen vast changes in tramping gear, food, huts, tracks, and communications. “Sleeping on the hard ground was the norm for our members in the first 50 years,” said club committee member Tony Walton. “Any mattress was vegetation culled from the surrounds – fern fronds, tussock, bracken – and you might scoop out a hip hole for greater comfort.” One older club member recalled that when she started tramping in the 1950s, there were very few marked tracks. “You went with people who knew where to go and were capable of navigating safely in the bush…

#microchallenge13: Create the perfect scroggin Bridgedale Midweight Merino Performance Fit socks winner! #microchallenge14: Give us a sign $100 worth of Back Country Cuisine meals winner! #microchallenge15: Hug a tree Further Faster $100 voucher winner! SEEN THAT YOU'VE WON? To claim your prize, email a photo of yourself holding this issue of Wilderness to: walk1200km@lifestylepublishing.co.nz. Only registered Walk1200km participants are eligible to win, so make sure you're registered!…

BIOLITE SOLAR FLEX $49.99 Worklight, emergency light, overhead light – Solar Flexlight does it all. With its adjustable 35cm silicone arm, its three LEDs can be directed wherever you choose for up to 12 hours on a single charge. www.ampro.co.nz OCEAN SIGNAL RESCUEME PLB1 $629.99 A simple-to-use personal locator beacon that offers peace of mind when Dad goes tramping. Help can be summoned with the press of a button. It has a single-handed operation, a seven-year battery life, a warranty, and a flotation pouch. 116g. www.lusty-blundell.co.nz NITECORE NB10000 GEN3 $108 A water-resistant (IPX5-rated) 10,000mAh powerbank capable of recharging phones, GPS devices, headlamps and more. It has two USB-C quick charge output ports, allows pass-through charging and includes a USB-C to USB-A adapter. 150g. www.torchmonster.co.nz BUSHLINE RASPBERRY APPLE BIRCHER $11.99 This…

RAB VEIL XP 20 WATERPROOF PACK $339.95 | 476G You can forget about dry bags and fastpack confidently during wet weather with the fully waterproof Veil XP, which is rated to IPX4. This ultralight pack features a highly breathable, stable harness and plenty of pockets for accessing gear, soft flasks or stashing Z-poles on the go. It's available in two back lengths. NORTH FACE OFFTRAIL HIKE MID $350.00 | 563G The North Face's latest mid-height hiking boot has sharp looks along with a fast-drying, hard-wearing Cordura ripstop upper and a high traction 5mm-lug sole. The minimal seams, TPU overlays and generous toe cap on the upper suggest a boot that offers reasonable foot protection while being durable for its weight. MARMOT MINIMALIST PERTEX JACKET $449 | 331G We've only worn…

WAIOWEKA CONSERVATION AREA is a 39,200ha bush-clad expanse of public conservation land, south of Ōpōtiki, which adjoins the vast Te Urewera to the west. It includes a large part of the Waioweka River catchment. An hour and a half's drive from Ōpōtiki, deep within steep hill country and at the end of narrow gravelled Moanui Road, a DOC car park marks the beginning of the track leading to both Tawa and Koranga Forks huts. DOC advises there are three track washouts within the first kilometre of track that follows the Koranga River from the Moanui roadend car park. These are passable but require care. Koranga Forks Hut is a shorter and easier walk beside the Koranga River (8km and 2–3 hours). If combined with walking up Kahunui Stream to Tawa…

THE TRACKHEAD is accessed from SH73. Look for the Benmore Station sign 10km west of Springfield and turn left onto Benmore Road. A bridge crosses the Kowhai River and a DOC sign indicates Thirteen Mile Bush. Turn right at the T intersection and continue to the marked car park. From the car park, the Benmore Track follows an easement through Benmore Station, so keep to the markers and leave gates as you find them. This section follows a 4WD track beside Thirteen Mile Bush Stream before reaching public conservation land. Around the 2.3km mark the track crosses the stream; be prepared to get wet feet. Half a kilometre on a sign gives the option to continue on the Benmore Track along Thirteen Mile Bush Stream to Benmore Hut (3.2km), or…

ANOTHER LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY It was heartening to see the challenges of tramping with neurodiversity acknowledged in the June 2025 issue (see ‘Last Weekend’). Before we had children, my husband and I, keen trampers, were prepared for heavy packs, carrying nappies, limited walking distances, and a snail's pace. What we had not counted on was the additional complexity when one of your children is neurodiverse. Planning and executing tramps is another level of difficulty when your child has sensory issues and cannot sleep in a sleeping bag or any other bedding apart from their duvet from home, cannot tolerate sandflies touching their skin or flying around their face, and has severe food restrictions. Staying in shared accommodation when your child sometimes freaks out at loud noises and responds by screaming…

Spring storms can bring new dumps of snow to alpine environments, and trampers need to be wary of avalanche danger. In spring, milder temperatures and rain, rather than snow, can cause avalanches that are even bigger than those in winter, NZ Mountain Safety Council chief executive Mike Daisley said. These avalanches can run further down a mountain to reach the valley floor. “Trampers heading through valleys, gullies or streambeds below snowloaded slopes need to take avalanche safety seriously,” Daisley warned. He said trampers can minimise their avalanche risk exposure by following a few simple guidelines: Start early: The spring sun warms snow rapidly, increasing avalanche danger in the afternoon. Start early and aim to be well clear of steep, snowy terrain before the day warms up. Delay your trip after…

Artist Ginney Deavoll is creating paintings of huts and raising money for the Backcountry Trust (BCT). Each year she chooses a cause that reflects her values, and creates artworks to sell to support their activity. Since its inception in 2014, BCT has restored and renovated over 280 huts and 1500km of walking and cycle trails across the motu. “As a lover of a night in a backcountry hut, I think the work the trust does to ensure there will always be shelters dotted among our hills is amazing and something worth supporting and celebrating,” Deavoll said. She loves how each hut has its own story and unique character. Every Sunday on BCT's Facebook page she releases a small ‘hutscape’, which is then available for purchase from her website. Deavoll will…

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These three fun #microchallenges will help you to appreciate your surroundings and have fun on your walks. Our favourite six #microchallenge completers receive a money-can't-buy limited edition Walk1200km badge, and the best entry for each challenge receives a prize from our partners. #microchallenge19: FIND A TRAP Wooden trap boxes can be found beside tracks in all corners of the country from city parks and reserves to the deepest backcountry. Can you find the most scenic one possible – or one that has done its job? #microchallenge19 Partner prize: A $100 Back Country Cuisine Voucher #microchallenge20: GET A SUNRISE PIC Dawn is never more accessible than in the depths of winter, so wrap up warmly and head out to capture the magical moment. #microchallenge20 Partner prize: A pair of Bridgedale Midweight…

OMM CORE HOODIE $219.99 / 115G (M) OVERVIEW The ultralight Core is constructed from Primaloft Active 75gsm, one of the latest generation of highly insulating, ultra-compressible fleeces. Using a polyester plume woven through a knitted mesh, this innovative fabric mimics animal fur and reduces the need for clothing changes. This minimalist technical garment has a body-hugging fit and a cosy hood but no pockets or extraneous weight-adding details. PERFORMANCE Primaloft Active is similar to Polartec Alpha, which was developed for the rapid stop-start activity of special forces soldiers. The Core is so light and unrestrictive you hardly notice you're wearing it. When you're stationary the loosely woven lofty fibres provide remarkable insulation, and during movement the open weave allows generous airflow, which delays overheating. At walking pace you can feel…

CAPACITY Gear is getting lighter and it's possible to cram all you need for an overnight hut-based trip into a 35-litre pack (or smaller). Most overnight packs are between 35 and 50 litres, with the larger packs also suitable for longer trips or those where a tent is carried. POCKETS A front stash pocket or bungee system can store quick-access items like a rain jacket. Other pockets could include: stretch-mesh side pockets for drink bottles, and organiser pockets on the lid, hip belt and shoulder straps. FABRIC Fabrics can handle scrapes and knocks without tearing. Heavier, more durable fabrics are often used in high-wear or stress areas, such as the pack's base. Fabrics are treated with a silicon coating for water resistance. HIP BELT Most overnight packs have a supportive,…

FROM THE CAR PARK, proceed up the Mangatainoka Valley for a few minutes and cross the swingbridge to the true left. An hour's flat saunter leads to a second swingbridge, and from here it's 45min uphill to the junction with Roaring Stag Track, where the Dundas Circuit eventually loops back on itself. Heading anti-clockwise, a gentle ridge followed by a brief climb with a lovely outlook over the Ruapae catchment brings you to Herepai Hut, 30min away. The track becomes more rugged after the hut, but as the bush thins the views become expansive. From here, it's a 300m climb to Herepai (1125m), an unremarkable summit from this approach but a definite ‘knob’ when looking back from Ruapae (1279m), a kilometre away. Ruapae offers spectacular views of the way ahead,…

BEGIN THIS sandy trek at the mouth of the Anatori River (the first of four river crossings), or shave an hour/ off your walking time by driving south to Turimawiwi River in a suitably robust vehicle. It is crucial that you time your trip to reach the final river crossing at low tide. Other waterways encountered are mere trickles compared to the appropriately named Big River. However, DOC cautions that river conditions may change daily; the first three crossings can range from shin to thigh deep depending on tide and recent rainfall. From Turimawiwi River, they are naturally spaced to divide your walk into almost equal sections of 2–3km. All are stained a rusty brown with tannin from decomposing vegetation. As with any beach walk, locating the point where the…

Get your photo published here to receive a meal from Real Meals worth $18. Last Weekend submission criteria can be found at wildernessmag.co.nz. LEARN MORE ABOUT REAL MEALS AT www.realmeals.co.nz.…

Shane Riley and his partner Vicky from Taupiri are the lucky winners of an entry to the sold-out 2026 Kathmandu Coast to Coast. They were the successful bidders on the Trademe auction, where $4121 was donated to the Backcountry Trust. “We want to thank the countless volunteers who give their time for the trust, and the sponsors who help fund their work,” Riley said. “People who do what they can for organisations like the trust truly are the best of us.” He said the auction “spoke to them”. “The chance to be part of something that blends adventure, purpose and backcountry stewardship was too good to pass up. We never expected to win, but we were always going to push hard,” he said. The Coast to Coast organisers wanted to…

LIKE many Otago ranges, the tract of mountains between the shores of Lake Wānaka's Glendhu Bay and the Wakatipu Basin has a distinctive topography that's almost geometric with crisp spurs plunging from the peaks into incised valleys, interrupted by cliffs of schist. It's the narrow ridges in particular that are the hallmark of the Motatapu Track as you tread their photogenic spines to join the valleys of this sharply folded landscape. Sometimes tracing a historic mining route, the Motatapu Track (49km) forms one section of Te Araroa, linking the mouth of the Matukituki Valley, west of Wānaka, with historic Arrowtown. It's a classic, moderate alpine crossing following a well-marked route, with three modern huts and camping at the old mining hamlet of Macetown. In places it's steep and the narrow…

ONE NIGHT in Perry Saddle Hut while we fiddled with our dehy kai, another group whipped up an amazing paella in a huge wok. Damn, it looked good. Earlier, we'd laughed as a woman looking for the hut shower threw a wee tantrum when we pointed out the track to the swimming hole and told her: that's it. But when we saw her digging into that wok crammed with shrimps, chorizo, chicken and rice, carried in and assembled by her guides, she definitely had the last laugh. In Moonlight Hut last summer, Grant Porter happily tucked into a steak and salad dinner followed by dessert, then woke up to porridge and pancakes for breakfast. Porter loves tramping but after a serious motorbike accident he can't carry much. He joined a…

ALTHOUGH it's frustrating that you missed out, don't worry. There are some truly wonderful substitutes well worth your scroggin. The facilities might not be not as great, but that's half the fun! Here are a few Great Walk swaps. SWAP TŪĀTAPERE HUMP RIDGE TRACK FOR SOUTH COAST OR GREENSTONE–CAPLES TRACKS The Tūātapere Hump Ridge offers coastline, alpine tops and enchanting forests, classic for that part of the island. Keeping it southern, the South Coast Track brings a similar vibe with a noticeable jump in difficulty (and bog depth). For something friendlier, the Greenstone–Caples Track is a solid option. It's a well-marked trail with towering, glaciated peaks and tantalising waterways that tempt icy dips. A fair trade for the lack of coastal scenery. SWAP ROUTEBURN TRACK FOR REES–DART TRACK Alpine passes?…

RAB HYPERSPHERE ULTRA 7.5 $469.95 /610G /R7.3 by MARK WATSON FOR COLD SLEEPERS AND FOUR-SEASON TRAMPING AND CLIMBING. OVERVIEW This is a packable four-season mat with an impressive cold-blocking R-value of 7.3. Insulation is provided by 800 fill-power down within this rectangular mat's air chambers. It is surfaced with grip-embossed 20D recycled polyester fabric and has oversized outer chambers to keep you centred. EASE OF USE The large pump sack makes inflation fast. However, the low-profile valve integrates both inflation and deflation ports, so care has to be taken not to open the deflation port when removing the pump bag. The valve is too small for finger-tip air-bleeding adjustment, and its position on the mat's lower side makes it difficult to add air once set up in a tent. After…

Mt Xenicus is one of our 75 Top Trampers' Peaks. View all peaks in the list at www.wildernessmag.co.nz FIORDLAND and Mt Aspiring National Parks cover more than 16,000km². I love this mountainous country, its steep-walled valleys representing the slowly chiselled memories of once-huge glaciers that have long since melted to the sea. The Routeburn Track forges a wonderful link between these two great tracts of land. It roughly follows an old trail used by Māori and then early European explorers, crossing between the Routeburn and Hollyford valleys and from Aspiring National Park to Fiordland National Park. The track passes through a varied and at times surprisingly intimate landscape, offering a unique perspective across Hollyford Valley to the Darran Mountains. In particular, the approach to and crossing of Harris Saddle carries…

THIS INTRIGUING tramp has all the backcountry trimmings, like river crossings and slip avoidance, but is only a couple of hours from Auckland. The track starts at the end of Kauaeranga Valley Road from the same car park as the popular walk to Pinnacles Hut. Any map suggesting you can loop round to Pinnacles Hut is out of date. The eastward track that used to join with Rangihau Track is long closed, making this adventure an out-and-back. Though technically still open, the side mission to Mt Rowe appears unmaintained and will satisfy those with a penchant for cutty grass bashing. Start on Webb Creek Track: pass through the kauri dieback spray-station and follow the gravel path to cross the bridge over the Kauaeranga River at Billy Goat Landing. Continue on…