Innehållsförteckning för December 2021 från Wilderness

Lumix DC-TZ90 $599 As the Walk1200km Facebook group can attest, taking photos on walks is a must. We’ll be giving away four Lumix TZ90 cameras, starting this month. Bridgedale Midweight Merino Performance Fit $42.99 An award-winning sock with a unique blend of natural and synthetic fibres to ensure comfortable blister-free feet. We’ve got four pairs of socks to give away this month. Learn more: www.ampro.co.nz Salewa Wildfire Edge GTX $399.90 grippy approach shoe that can be adapted from hiking mode to climbing mode by a simple adjustment of the laces. Learn more: www.bobo.co.nz The Survival Kit Company Tramper Solo Large Wallet $39.90 Safety Partner, Mountain Safety Council, is giving participants the chance to win three first aid kits packed with all the essentials. www.planmywalk.nz $100 voucher from Living Simply Our…

MY ATTITUDE to life lies in taking opportunities that present themselves. The first big winter dump of snow on the Tararuas followed by a three-day high-pressure system, is certainly an opportunity I could not miss. As I parked at Mt Holdsworth car park, the forecast was for -20°on the tops. I was swiftly at Mitre Flats Hut with only a couple of worms and a few berries for sustenance. (For all episodes of Just Wild NZ I forage for food as I go.) That night, I caught an eel in the stream and it made a tasty fire-cooked meal. Next morning, I climbed quickly, nourished by two huhu grubs for lunch. Busting out onto the open tops was inspiring. The mind-blowing views and vanishing clouds gave me a real sense…

EXPANSIVE views and idyllic tarns are the reward for a summer day trip to the tops above Lake Ōhau. In early December, the beech forest is ablaze with flowering red mistletoe, a rare treat. The forests around Ōhau are home to nationally significant populations of three species of native mistletoe, protected by possum trapping efforts from the Ōhau Conservation Trust. The first part of the route follows Parsons Creek and joins Te Araroa Trail near Freehold Creek, before heading west and following the creek to its headwaters. Campsites are plentiful along the true right. After reaching the bushline and leaving Te Araroa behind, an uphill meander can lead towards the tarns near Pt1479. In summer, alpine butterflies will be flushed from the shrubs dotting the tussock. The lower tarn, in…

JOBS, community and social engagement, ecological restoration, health, wellbeing and huge local pride are emerging positives of Ngā Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trails. On some trails, those involved say these are the real benefits, over and above economic return. And for many riders, the trails have become more than just a bike ride as they engage with the locals, immerse themselves in trail history, landscapes, and produce, and the manaakitanga with which they are welcomed. Rob Kakahi (Ngati Maniapoto) is a shuttle driver for Timber Trail Shuttles and Bike Hire. He’s a former King Country rugby player who previously worked for the railway and then as a guide for Forgotten World Adventures. He sees his role as much more than driving. “You’ve got an hour with your people in…

BEST FOR DIVERSITY Mountains to Sea From Turoa to Whanganui, the Mountains to Sea twists and turns through a diverse environment beginning on Mt Ruapehu’s alpine slopes. Riding forested gorges with spectacular viaducts, cyclists pass rural properties to Mangapūrua Track where there are views of dense forest, Tongariro National Park and Mt Taranaki. An exhilarating jet boat ride down the Whanganui River provides a close-up view of dramatic white cliffs, fern-laced rock faces and enticing inlets. The Whanganui River Road then winds through rural settlements to the Tasman Sea, with history revealed along the way: The Māori legend of the river’s formation, stories of riverboats plying it, the Old Coach Road’s rail past, returning First World War soldiers’ abandoned farms, the Bridge to Nowhere, and Jerusalem’s missionary days. BEST FOR…

There’s a number of things that can lead to ‘pains in the neck’. A poorly fitted pack, a heavy pack, not doing enough strength, mobility training or physical preparation for your adventure are some. I’ve found that some tweaks and stretches for your upper back can work wonders on your neck. This is mainly due to the two areas being interconnected. You may have heard people talking about fascial connections, or neuromuscular connections. This is what you are working on with upper back stretches, and there’s a direct impact to the region above: your neck. Here are my favourite ‘go to’ techniques for neck pain. THORACIC EXTENSION Place your pack on the ground and lie on top of it from the middle of your back to your head. Stretch your…

DESERVED ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Thanks for a long-overdue acknowledgement of the fantastic work of the Search and Rescue personnel featured in the article ‘The Searchers’ (November 2021).Geoff Wayatt, who was profiled, plucked my badly injured companion and me off Mt Aspiring/Tititea some years ago. A crampon fell off, my friend slipped and tied together we fell down the icy slope until a small crevasse brought us to a welcome stop. The two other members of our party raised the alarm and the Wānaka SAR team arrived in a chopper.Geoff was calm, reassuring and capable. He was quick to assess the situation and immediately made us feel safe. He soon had us ready to be lifted to Wānaka for further assessment and treatment. My friend was dispatched to Dunedin hospital for a long…

MEET THE TEAM Mollie How do you spend your time outdoors: I will give anything a go with a fun group of people. Favourite gear: Glow in the dark Nalgene – need I say more? Favourite place to adventure: Kayaking in the Abel Tasman is paradise to me. What’s your speciality: You can find me with the kayak gear. Daniel How do you spend your time outdoors: Tramping, fishing, kayaking, canoeing. Favourite gear: I love my canoe. Favourite place to adventure: I love tramping in alpine areas. The Lewis Tops are amazing. What’s your speciality: All things paddle and tramping. Lana How do you spend your time outdoors: I love big days out, from first to last light or even in the dark. Favourite gear: I take my Osprey Stratos…

AT FIRST, BRONY SHEPHERD DIDN’T BELIEVE WHAT SHE HEARD. THEN SHE SPOTTED THE BIRDS COUNCILS, community groups and local residents have pitched together to protect two of New Zealand’s tiniest native birds, discovered close to the heart of Wellington City after a 100-year absence. The two titipounamu/riflemen surprised many when they popped up on Te Ahumairangi Hill, just behind Parliament, in August. They have since nested and have raised chicks. In 2019, 60 titipounamu were translocated from Wainuiomata Mainland Island to Zealandia Ecosanctuary. Last breeding season, they produced more than 100 fledglings. A few were spotted flitting just over the sanctuary fence but titipounamu are not great fliers and as a rule, don’t travel far. Certainly not for several kilometres, across busy roads, through multiple suburbs with only sporadic forest…

OVER MILLENNIA, the Greeks developed a complex array of myths and stories that feature powerful and vain gods, strange hybrid creatures and dauntless heroes, the language of which has infiltrated many parts of the world – even the backcountry of Aotearoa. Listening to Stephen Fry’s re-telling of these legends in his recent books Mythos, Heroes and Troy set me to wondering just how many of these fabled names feature in our mountains. To name but a few: Fiordland has Acheron Passage, Sphinx Lake, and Lake Pan. Rakiura has Port Pegasus, named after the famous winged horse. The West Coast has the Cerberus Glacier (hound of Hades), while Mt Olympus (home of the gods) is an area of unusual rock outcrops in Kahurangi National Park. Castor and Pollux (twin half-brothers) are…

1 THE PINNACLES, Coromandel Forest Park NEAREST HUT: Pinnacles Hut, 80 bunks From the country’s largest hut comes one of the best scrambles: an ascent that begins gradually, but steepens to include ladders until you reach the narrow ridgeline of The Pinnacles (773m). Here, views expand from the offshore islands in the east, across the broad crest of the Coromandel Range and into the rugged headwaters of the Kauaeranga Valley – a landscape of old, weather-whittled volcanoes. Allow 2.5-3hr to reach Pinnacles Hut, and a further 1.5hr return to the Pinnacles. Book your trip well ahead, Pinnacles Hut is popular. 2 HIKURANGI, Raukumara Forest Park  NEAREST HUT: Hikurangi Hut, 10 bunks As the highest non-volcanic peak in the North Island, reaching the crest of Hikurangi (1752m) should be part…

Sometimes you find inner strength where you least expect to. In the case of 16-year-old Nelson high school student Rylan Marshall, he found it in a remote mountain tarn in Kahurangi National Park. Perched high on a saddle beneath Xenicus Peak, near Fenella Hut, with stunning views into the Aorere Valley, the tranquil tarn was both inviting and foreboding for Marshall. The dive into its icy waters was a challenge and an achievement wrapped in one. “I struggled with that waterhole,” he admits, looking back on a day he’ll never forget. “Someone else jumped in first and was complaining about how cold it was. I wasn’t too keen at first. But I did it.” Marshall’s leap was in a way symbolic. Sometimes we all struggle to find motivation, it’s often…

POU HERENGA TAI TWIN COAST CYCLE TRAIL The best way to ride the Great Taste Trail is anti-clockwise, giving more balanced cycling days and more downhill. This trail can be ridden all year around, even in winter. Steph Godsiff, from Northland Experiences (which runs a fully supported tour) says temperatures in Northland average around 16° . Supported or self-guided, Godsiff suggests cycling over two days, starting each day in Kaikohe, the mid and highest point of the trail, giving a downhill cycle to either coast. Jump aboard the vintage diesel train running along 4km of the trail and through Kawakawa where the must-see Te Hononga Hundertwasser Memorial Park is situated. In Kaikohe, there’s Pioneer Museum and Park, Firehouse Museum and Ngawha Hot Springs, just out of town, to visit. Mangungu…

It’s day three of your five-day bikepacking trip and already you’re dreading having to sit painfully on that seat again; your neck is sore and one of your hands feels numb. Among the excitement of buying a new bike, preparing for a trip, or perhaps if you ride intermittently, it’s easy to overlook bike comfort, particularly for rides of more than just a couple of hours. Although they come in different sizes, bikes are often sold as ‘one configuration fits all’, but people come in different proportions and all have slightly different uses for bikes. Here’s how to optimise your bike for comfort on longer rides, whether it’s new, or you’re modifying an existing bike. SADDLE Of the trident of contact points on a bike, the saddle is the most…

Get your photo published here to receive a Victorinox Escort keyring pocket knife worth $22. Learn more about Victorinox at e.ampro.co.nz. THE ARE WALK YOU 1200 DOING KM CHALLENGE? We want to see where you’re logging your miles. See wildernessmag.co.nz/lastweekend for submission criteria.…

I’VE OFTEN scoffed at those who measure out their calories and cut their toiletries in half, but nobody can deny that pack weight is accumulative. If you’re looking to tramp lighter, upgrading gear is the easiest way to lose weight fast, but there is still plenty to gain by consulting the kitchen scales. PACKING DOWN How often do we lament in packing too much, when our pack is the heaviest item on our back? Ultralight packs drop the literage and may sacrifice comfort, durability and features, but a compromise will shave serious weight. I tend to pack a lot, but in order to go lightweight that habit needs to die, and thus my 2.46kg Osprey Aether 85l pack has to go. In its place, a Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50 would…

Ātiamuri Bridge to Mangakino, Waikato River Trails, Waikato 38km, 3-6hr River views predominate on this section of mostly downhill, narrow track through open reserves, pine and native forest. The picturesque trail follows the river, with solitary, distant Pohaturoa Rock rising 200m, seen near the start; boards relate its geology and Māori heritage. Later, white cliffs interrupt the rolling farmland beyond the river’s far side. Whakamaru Dam, where water lies placid on one side and flows northwards through a far-below valley on the other, and a 70m suspension bridge, approximately 5km south of Mangakino, are other highlights. Clutha Gold Trail, Otago 73km, 5-6hr You’ll learn not only the area’s gold history on the Clutha Gold Trail but also of its Māori moa hunting era, rail, hydropower, farming and orchards. It makes…

REVELATEDESIGNSSHREW 3L SEAT BAG $299.90 Designed to carry spare clothing and gear. Packs three-litres and weighs 142g. www.cyclewerks.co.nz BIG AGNES BLACKTAIL 3 HOTEL BIKEPACK $799 Three-season, three-person bikepacking tent with 4.1m2 sleeping area and easy access through two side-entry doors and vestibules. The 12-inch Shortstik Poleset packs onto handlebars, panniers and saddlebags. 3150g. www.gearshop.co.nz REVELATEDESIGNSMAGTANK$109.90 This top tube mounted bag offers quick, one-handed access while riding. Fill it with snacks, tools, a camera, beer – whatever. www.cyclewerks.co.nz SIERRADESIGNSHIGHSIDE1$579 Single-person tent with pre-bent poles for increased living space, extend-able awning for covered storage and improved ventilation, and compact pack size for stowing on bikes. www.furtherfaster.co.nz MACPAC PERTEX MTB SHORTS $199.99 Fully-featured shorts made with a durable Pertex Equilibrium outer and padded detachable inner for customisable comfort and protection from the elements.…

Even on a short walk social and psychological factors may influence your decisions relating to a change in the weather, terrain or people. These changes may be sudden and the consequences of a poor decision may be serious. Here are some common factors that might influence your decision making. Get-home-itis: This occurs when approaching the home straight, a hut or even a lunch spot. People focus on the end and stop paying attention to their surroundings. For example, they may walk straight past a fork in the track and take the wrong route. They are more likely to make poor decisions in eagerness, such as to attempt a dangerous river crossing with the hut ‘just over there’. Dropping your guard: When the key danger period seems to be over, you…

Nic Low is the author of Uprising, in which he traces the first crossings of the Southern Alps by his Ngāi Tahu forebears. “I work in seven-year blocks, swinging between being a full-time writer and artist (dirtbag), and working relatively well-paid jobs,” he says. “With income, I stock up on the expensive stuff, and when I’m writing, I improvise, hack and booty my gear.” Here are a few of the high-priced and ultra-budget bits of gear that helped Low cross the Alps. CAMERA I take a street-photography approach to shooting my trips with a Panasonic LUMIX LX5 slung around my neck. It’s got a fast wide lens and is small, light and bullet-proof. While others have nicer cameras, I often get better shots simply because the camera is always ready…