Wilderness August 2022

The search for ever lighter gear and packs to carry it in can be ridiculous. Cutting your toothbrush in half? Spending thousands on lightweight gear to fit into that new lightweight pack that's incapable of carrying more than 10kg? Sometimes, the key to a lighter pack is to get smarter. The heaviest thing most of us carry is our tent. But what if you had a shelter that weighs a third of your tent, but can still keep you dry (if not as comfortable)? I'm talking, of course, about a bivvy bag. This lightweight one-person shelter is gaining in popularity as more people recognise the benefits and gear manufacturers make ever more refined options - lighter while being more spacious and comfortable. In his feature, 'The beautiful bivvy' (p54), author…

LETTER OF THE MONTH WORTHWHILE DIVERSION ON CASEY HUT TRIP I enjoyed the Casey Hut story (July 2022), and would like to add to the experience. About 500m west-south-west of Casey Saddle, as shown on the article's accompanying route map, is a 30m waterfall. It is well worth visiting and is accessed by a gorge narrow enough to have trees fullwidth overhead. Water tumbles straight from a rock face much higher than the falls. The fall is visible and audible only when you are literally directly below it. It adds around 40 minutes to the trip. - Mike Cornwall PREPARING FOR RESCUE The ‘Short little guide to getting rescued' (June 2022) was a good article. I am a long-time Search and Rescue volunteer, starting in 1981 and still volunteering. I…

SPONSORED A bikepacking trip around Samoa was supposed to be an adventure Lasting a few days. It turned into a 13-year-Long business opportunity. WE FIRST CYCLED around Savaii 13 years ago and were captivated by the beaches, swimming and friendly village accommodation. Cycling on a quiet sealed road beside the lagoon, our riding was constantly interrupted by the need to wave back and reply with a friendly “Talofa” to the many people who greeted us. When we stopped, we would always be asked, “Where are you going?” by people genuinely interested in us and why we were bikepacking. Savaii is Samoa's biggest island. It's sparsely populated and only an hour from Upolu and the international airport. But it's a world away in pace and culture. On the first afternoon, we…

Get your photo published here to receive a meal from Real Meals worth $17. Learn more about Real Meals at www.realmeals.co.nz. Last Weekend submission criteria can be found at wildernessmag.co.nz.…

Rats rule Ulva Island, and DOC says efforts to stamp out the pest since February have failed. The island is a sanctuary for native birds and achieved predator-free status in 1997. Located just 800 m off Rakiura/Stewart Island, Ulva is within swimming distance for rats - and until now, incursions of the pest have been successfully thwarted. In February, though, a dead Norway rat was found in a trap on Ulva, and in June a spokesperson for DOC said the department would consult with the Raki ura community over plans to handle this situation. By early July, the consultation process was yet to begin. Ulva Goodwillie, who operates walking tours on the island, believes the rats should never have been allowed to get out of control. “The last big incursion…

The Backcountry Trust is recruiting volunteers, and information sessions will be offered throughout the North Island in July and August. Backcountry Trust volunteers maintain huts and build tracks on DOC land. The sessions are a first for the trust and will be fronted by Megan Dimozantos, Backcountry Trust's North Island project manager. “They will provide an open forum for people interested in volunteering with the trust to gather all the information they need, see what questions other people have and potentially meet other people to do projects with,” said Dimozantos. An estimated 12,000 volunteer hours went into completing about 60 projects in the past year, including general building and maintenance, painting, roof replacements and track cutting. Dimozantos said the projects were a chance for volunteers to give back to the…