Innehållsförteckning för April 2018 från Wilderness

YOU’VE REALLY GOT to take your hat off to search and rescue volunteers. Not only do they risk life and limb to aid those in desperate need of help, but as we learn in our feature ‘The trauma of rescue’ (p72), they also risk their sanity. It came as a real shock to learn that up to 20 per cent of emergency service personnel develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). That includes search and rescue volunteers. When I think of PTSD, I tend to associate it with war zones and something wounded soldiers might suffer. But tragically, the harrowing experiences of those in the search and rescue community can have a very real and lasting mental impact. PTSD can be debilitating and have huge negative consequences on the lives of those…

GET YOUR PHOTO PUBLISHED HERE TO RECEIVE AN OPINEL NO.5 FOLDING KNIFE WORTH $20. Learn more about Opinel at ampro.co.nz . Last Weekend submission criteria can be found at wildernessmag.co.nz…

LAKE MACKENZIE HUT on the Routeburn Track will be closed for five months as it undergoes major renovations. The 50-bunk hut will be closed from May 20 until the end of September. People can still use the Lake Mackenzie Campsite and use the winter toilet located at the hut. The 40-year-old hut is being reclad and will get a new roof. DOC says Great Walks are becoming increasingly popular in the off-season, when the huts don’t have to be booked and the prices are lower than during the walking season .…

THE NUMBER OF tramping and mountaineering related ACC claims topped 5868 last year, totalling $3,051,246 worth of claims. According to figures released by ACC, the largest injury category was soft tissue injuries, which accounted for 4841 claims, followed by ‘lacerations, puncture, sting’, with 507 claims and 304 fractures/ dislocations. There were also 20 claims for the eyebrow-raising category ‘foreign body in orifice/eye’. The number of claims has grown steadily over the past five years, rising from 4013 in 2013. However the total cost of the claims has decreased, after peaking at $5,236,661 in 2015. DISTRICTS WITH THE MOST CLAIMS WERE:  Auckland: 643 Queenstown Lakes: 467 Christchurch City: 426 Southland: 268 Wellington: 246 Tasman: 242…

JUST TWO METRES ABOVE sea level next to the West Coast’s Stafford River, this hut provides plenty of attraction. We arrived on the low-tide coastal route, encountering quite severe conditions as waves crashed on the shore and sent us scurrying up steep bluffs to avoid the worst of the swell. And this was at low tide. By the time we arrived at the hut, we were soaked through and happy to light the fire and enjoy the comfort of a dry bunk. Numerous records in the visitor’s book told of how others had also experienced a tough walk along the coast, with some being forced to use the inland route over Stafford Saddle. To reach the hut, follow the marked tramping track to Smoothwater River where you can then choose…

CLIMBING INTO the dry Central Otago high country to one of New Zealand’s highest gold mines, this loop track offers excellent scenery and fascinating history. From the Mt Buster Road end, the Little Kye Burn Track runs through pleasant flats alongside Little Kye Burn Stream. After about 20 minutes, the stream funnels through a steep gorge, where there is a cascading waterfall into a crystal clear pool. The track sidles up above the stream on the true left of the gorge before again meeting the stream – there are great swimming holes as the water steps through blocks of schist. Here, the path narrows, heading through matagouri and speargrass at the bottom of the valley, with steep rocky slopes on either side. After about 45 minutes, the track leaves the…

THE NEW ZEALAND outdoors is renowned for it’s changeable weather. It’s not unheard of to be sweltering in the sun on the walk into a hut, followed by a miserable walk out in sleet and wind the following day. Here are a few ideas for keeping comfortable the whole trip long. Start out feeling cold It’s amazing how often people stop to take a layer off within 10 minutes of leaving the hut. Exercise produces heat, so once you get moving you’ll warm up. By starting off feeling slightly cold, you should be registering a comfortable temperature by the time your muscles have fully warmed up. Stock up on thinner layers It’s easy to assume that thicker layers are warmer, but that’s not always the case. Many types of material…

Merrell Women’s Everlong FZ Tech Fleece $199 Featuring M-SelectWick, the Everlong fleece wicks moisture from the skin and has an elastic hem, thumb-holes, flatlock comfort seams and invisible zip secure pocket. Featuring underarm ventilation panels and stay-safe reflective elements.www.merrell.co.nz Fjallraven Women’s Keb Fleece Hoodie $345 Made from a wool and recycled polyester blend with elastane stretch and durable G-1000 Eco canvas reinforcements on the shoulders. It features a moisture-wicking brushed lining, fitted hood, hand warmer pockets, chest pocket, full-length zipper and protective chin flap 430g. www.fjallraven.co.nz Patagonia Women’s Better Sweater Jacket $229.99 Featuring a wool-knit face and soft fleece lining, stand-up collar with zipper garage. Front-forward seams and rear princess seams provide a contoured shape. It has two zippered hand warmer, two inside pockets and one sleeve pocket. Fair Trade…

STORIES REKINDLE MEMORIES I have been stirred to write after reading the articles by Shaun Barnett on his recent visits to Waterfall Hut in the Ruahine Ranges, and Aokaparangi Biv in the Tararua Ranges (February and March 2018 issues). As a New Zealand Forest Service Deer Culler in 1963, I was one of several cullers in the Ruahine Ranges North Western Block, which at that time provided shelter in four tent camps and seven huts, one of which was Waterfall Hut. There is no argument that Waterfall Hut was my favorite shelter from the storm. In all, I spent 54 nights in this hut and admit it was like a home away from home. That it is still providing shelter to trampers, and remains in its original condition, is most…

A summary of stories published at wildernessmag.co.nz REES-DART CIRCUIT CLOSED Just a year after it reopened, the Rees-Dart Circuit is again closed after heavy rain damaged a bridge. Senior DOC ranger Richard Kennett said a section of river bank was washed away at the lower Snowy Creek bridge, close to Dart Hut. The bridge separates the hut from a nearby campsite and has to be crossed to reach the Rees Saddle, which connects the Rees and Dart valleys. In the online story you can view dramatic video footage of the flood waters eroding the river bank beneath the bridge. FARMER TRESPASSES TE ARAROA WALKERS A fed-up Southland farmer has trespassed two Te Araroa Trail walkers after becoming increasingly frustrated with walkers going off trail, leaving gates open and even breaking…

THOUGH THE LAKE Waikaremoana Track is a Great Walk, it is often overlooked by local trampers and tourists. But what the 46km track lacks in the grandeur seen on some of the southern Great Walks, it makes up for in diversity of the forest the trail passes through. The walk can be done in either direction and it’s best to break the tramp into four days. By taking your time, you’ll be able to explore some of the side tracks, like the trail to Korokoro Falls, and enjoy the various swimming opportunities the lake offers. Some highlights include views of the lake on the climb up and over Panekire Bluffs, the goblin forest on the approach to, and descent from, the bluffs, and the constantly changing characteristics of the vegetation…

A DISTINCTIVE PEAK in the Hunter Mountains, Mt Titiroa appears to have snow on it all year round due to the white granite sands that glisten on its summit. We took a water taxi across the Waiau River and began walking the Hope Arm Track. Old beech and podocarp trees lined the muddy and swampy track – it is one of the few places that these tree types grow together. We moved on from Hope Arm Hut through more beech and podocarp forest, to Garnock Burn Saddle and on through Snow White Clearings – a great place to camp if you have more time. We pressed on, descending to the river to commence the off-track section of the trip. We climbed a ridge in the bush, keeping to the true…

THERE ARE SEVERAL easily accessible walks along the Whangarei Heads and Ocean Beach roads, which run along the north side of the Whangarei Harbour. Mt Manaia and Mt Lion are two of the best known, whereas Mt Aubrey is often overlooked. It ticked all the boxes for us though: bush, beach, amazing views and two walkways that can be joined to create a loop. The steep-sided volcanic remnant takes its name from the area’s first resident magistrate and collector of customs, Harcourt Aubrey, who settled in the area in 1848. We saw a scattering of homes dating back to that era and a pretty, historic church on the corner where we turned into Reotahi Road. There is a small car park (Tiller Park) on the left and the track led…

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Boots Fully rigid boots for winter and spring objectives such as the La Sportiva G5 or Nepal range. A lighter, more flexible pair, such as the Trango range, for later season routes that are mainly on rock. Gloves, beanie and Buff Thick gloves for early starts, thin for during the day or fiddly tasks. Buff for sun or wind protection. Jackets We use Rab clothing, including a windproof jacket for summer alpine climbing, a lightweight waterproof – though it spends a lot of the time in the pack – and a synthetic insulated jacket to put on at the hut and when stopped for breaks. Sleeping bag Lightweight and not too warm or bulky for summer hut use. A bothy bag or bivi bag for emergency shelter. Hydration Wide-mouthed Nalgene…

A record number of blue duck/whio ducklings have been counted in Egmont National Park this summer, following intensive predator control in the north of the park. Mt Taranaki whio were designated “functionally extinct” in 1945, because of stoat and rat predation. They were re-introduced following the predator control programme, now spearheaded by the Taranaki Mounga community conservation project. DOC ranger surveys this summer found 64 ducklings in eight rivers throughout the park, the previous record was 53. Also back and breeding are toutouwai (North Island robin), which hadn’t been seen on the Mounga for 112 years. Last April, 50 toutouwai were released into a 1000ha area where Taranaki Mounga has installed more than 2000 A24 rat traps, the largest area in which these traps have ever been deployed. At least…

Wilderness readers on Facebook welcomed the news Auckland Council is closing the Waitakere Ranges to prevent the further spread of kauri dieback disease. Nanny Ma: About time, now how about Waipoua, NZ’s largest kauri forest and just as endangered. Mike Fooy: A sad day but we have to preserve the native bush for future generations. I hope it can be resolved in the near future, but I feel it’s going to take a while. Gin Barker: Good! Should’ve been closed months ago. Hayley Wadmore Bobbi Manson: Overall sad, but actually stoked the council has got on board. Mary Miller: Well done. Impose fines for trespassing Shaz An Kc: About time. This was just a no brainer.…

Ruapehu Alpine Lifts plans to start construction on a gondola later this year, which will replace two chairlifts at Whakapapa Ski Field. It’s not the only gondola proposal in the pipeworks. The Remarkables A consent for a 10km gondola that would run from Remarkables Park, near Queenstown Airport, along the Kawarau River and up Rastus Burn Valley to The Remarkables ski field is expected to be lodged later this year. About 2km of the route is on DOC land and would require a concession. The gondola would carry 2000 passengers an hour and operate year-round. Franz Josef Plans for a gondola running from the valley floor to the head of the Franz Josef Glacier are progressing, but first the development must be permitted in the next management plan for Westland…

MOST PEOPLE don’t tick off a major bucket-list item in their childhood, but after four years, 11-year-old Hannah Currie has now ticked off all nine Great Walks. The Hastings tramper set the goal while on her first Great Walk, Lake Waikaremoana. Her mother, Sarah, thought it would be something to achieve over a lifetime, but Hannah had other ideas. The Hastings family has completed two or three Great Walks every year since. Hannah’s favourites have been the Heaphy and the Kepler. “I like seeing wildlife,” Hannah said. “On the Kepler, the terrain was pretty cool and the native birds were good. We saw seven whio and nine kea. “On the Heaphy, each day was really different, which I liked.” Despite her size and youth, Hannah isn’t shy of hard yacker…

AOTEAROA IS KNOWN as a land of wondrous birds, with many of them – like the kakapo and kiwi – peculiar to this country. But perhaps we should be known as the land of invertebrates? New Zealand has far more endemic species of creatures like beetles and spiders. My daughter, who does not like eight-legged critters, would be horrified to learn that ‘for most of our lives, we are probably never more than a metre away from a spider.’ So says Simon Pollard, writing about native arachnids for the online encyclopaedia, Te Ara. According to Pollard, we have 1100 named species of spider, and possibly two times that number still to be formally described. Perhaps surprisingly for a cold-blooded creature, some native spiders survive among the highest peaks of the…

THE RAKAIA VALLEY is immense. Some 4-5km wide and draining a vast tract of the Southern Alps, the river courses over a stony riverbed, flanked by huge terraces and wide expanses of tussock flats. In the river’s mid-reaches, where the Wilberforce and Mathias rivers join, large alluvial fans descend out of the tributaries on the river’s south bank. It is up one of these that the track to Turtons Saddle and A Frame Hut begins. The hut, along with some others nearby, is on the Te Araroa Trail, so a trip here may include an encounter with intrepid hikers from all parts of the world. The trip begins on the south bank of the Rakaia at the marked easement that heads, gently at first, into Glenrock Stream. A poled route…

PICK A SUNNY DAY to walk the Bell Rock Track to be rewarded with spectacular views of the Hawke’s Bay countryside. The Boundary Stream Mainland Island is protected by a predator-proof fence, providing a safe haven for at least 24 species of reintroduced native birds. They appear to be flourishing – among our tally were kaka, tui and bellbird. From the roadside parking area, the track immediately enters beech and podocarp forest and leads gently upward for about 30-40 minutes. As elsewhere in the reserve, this area of bush has numerous traps for stoats and rats, and bait stations are laid out. It also has wooden weta houses attached to trees. The path abruptly emerges into open grassland. There’s a stile and DOC posts mark the route uphill. About 50m…

We received more than 650 entries and the quality of images has been outstanding, displaying vision, creativity and a breadth of subject matter that shows just how incredible is New Zealand’s outdoors. With so many worthy entries, it is a shame we are limited to just three winners. But decide we must. JUDGES Alistair Hall is the editor of Wilderness. Dennis Radermacher is a professional photographer based in Christchurch. He is a FujiFilm Ambassador and his images have featured extensively in Wilderness. View his commercial and outdoor photography at www.lightforge.co.nz. Wildlife Mountain buttercup Photographer: Mimi Chiu Mimi wins the Wildlife category and is our third-place getter. She receives a FujiFilm FinePix XP120 worth $349. Mimi said of her photo: “I was pleasantly surprised to see mountain buttercup blossoming in early…

Arc’teryx Gamma LT Hoody $379.90 A light, durable and versatile women’s softshell with two-way stretch, articulated patterning and underarm gussets, a helmet-compatible hood, and a streamlined fit for comfort while wearing a harness or pack. Windproof, breathable water-resistant. 454g (m); 465g (w).www.bivouac.co.nz Macpac Fitzroy Softshell V2 $399.99 Stretchy, breathable and critically seam-sealed with a high-degree of water resistance, the Fitzroy is designed for wet routes. It comes with two large external chest pockets with YKK AquaGuard zips, a helmet-compatible hood with stiffened peak and a longer cut to prevent cold spots. 590g (m); 510g (w).www.macpac.co.nz The North Face Apex Flex GTX $500 Gore-Tex fabric combines with a stretch-woven exterior for a waterproof and breathable softshell. Active fit, adjustable hood, waterproof front zipper, covered hand and chest pockets, pit-zip venting, Velcro…

Synthetic-fill jacket from Patagonia $459.99 The Micro Puff Hoody ($459.99, 264g (m)/227g (w)) was nearly 10 years in the making – that’s how long it took the company to develop its PlumaFill synthetic insulation and the construction techniques that prevent it shifting and clumping. Plumafill is said to replicate the structure of down, which means it has the same packability, but with the added benefit of being warm when wet. Patagonia describes it as the best warmth for weight jacket it’s ever built. The jacket features 64g of insulation, a water-resistant and windproof ripstop nylon shell, centre-front zipper with wicking storm flap, two zippered hand warmer pockets and the left pocket doubles as a stuff sack. Leatherman makes a watch Want a watch that doubles as a multitool? You’ll be…

On a sunny morning, sitting at his home in Fox township, Allan Uren was recovering from an arduous week. He had been part of a lengthy search and rescue operation, looking for an acquaintance who had been missing for 10 days near Arthur’s Pass. The operation had ended in success, his friend had been found when all hope seemed lost. But it left Uren mentally and emotionally drained, so he took the day off from his painting and decorating business. Then another call came in. There had been an avalanche on Mt Tasman. Some climbers had been hit. Uren snapped back into action, headed to the Fox SAR centre and was soon helicoptered to Plateau Hut, perched on the edge of Grand Plateau icefield, beneath the southeastern face of Mt…