Innehållsförteckning för May 2023 från Wilderness

EDITORIAL ‘IF YOU ARE in a bad mood, go for a walk. If you are still in a bad mood, go for another walk.’ I would like to lay claim to these words, but they're older than me. They were spoken by Hippocrates, the ‘father of medicine’ who ambled here and there circa 400BC and who proclaimed that ‘walking is man's best medicine’. It seems nowadays, that everywhere you look there are stories about the benefits of walking. Last month I wrote of a study that analysed health data for more than 30 million people which showed that an 11-minute, or longer, daily walk could lower the risk of premature death by 25 per cent. It's worth a go, right? Then, just recently, the New York Times added another contribution…

A booking system will be introduced to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in July and a cap on the number of people who can walk the track each day will be introduced by October 2024. “We realise this sets a precedent – it's the first booking system for a one day walk in the country,” said George Taylor, DOC's operations manager, Tongariro. “It's applicable to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and all those who wish to use that section of track, so (it will include) day visitors and people doing the Northern Circuit Great Walk as well.” Booking the track will be free. A final number for the daily cap has not been determined, but 800 per day has been suggested by local iwi Ngāti Hikairo. Another change is to make the…

Complete the crossword and rearrange the letters in the blue squares to spell out the hidden solution. Send your answer, name and address, by May 19, to: wildernessword@lifestylepublishing.co.nz. All correct entries go in the draw to win one of five Light My Fire Sporks. Across Mt__ – peak that is part of Seaward Kaikoura Range (5) Typesofflightlessbirdsthat include kiwi (7) Befirstingroupto set out after rest stop on tramp (4,3) Markpaintedonorattached to tree to show track (5) _ River – Southland waterway that flows into Foveaux Strait (5) Thisdescribesconditionswithlow cloud and mist (4-3) Metamorphicrockthatcanbe split into thin layers (6) Personwhocarriessuppliesfor mountaineering expedition (6) _ Forest Park – protected area in Wellington region (7) Uncomfortablefitfortrampingboots (5) Wideopensea5) Greenwithabundantvegetation(7) Thismightdescribeverychallenging or…

These three fun #microchallenges will help you better appreciate your surroundings and have fun on your walks. Our favourite nine #microchallenge completers receive a Walk1200km badge. The best entry of each challenge receives a prize from our partners. #microchallenge22: Draw a map of your walk Doodle a sketch of the route you walk most often. Label important (to you!) parts, be descriptive with the placenames and add colour. It should be something you could give to a child and tell them: ‘Follow this, I've hidden some sweets somewhere along the way.’ #microchallenge22 PARTNER PRIZE: A $100 Back Country Cuisine voucher. #microchallenge23: Show us a landmark from your walk Show us a landmark from your town/suburb/village etc. Something that is important and that people from that place would instantly recognise. #microchallenge23…

WILD TRIPS A 4WD TRACK heads through bush and climbs steadily along the south-west ridge. There are conveniently located seats along the track and rewarding views to the Kaikoura Peninsula below and Seaward Kaikoura Ranges inland. Mt Fyffe Hut is reached after about two hours. The hut is set in a stunning location to capture impressive sunrises, and there are ample camping spots. Beyond the hut, the 4WD track steadily climbs to Mt Fyffe (1602m). Poles now mark the way, following the main ridge towards Gable (1585m), then a brief steep descent and ascent to Gables End (1592m), where there are commanding views of the Seaward Kaikoura Range, Mt Manakau and the full-length of the Kaikoura coast. The challenging 350m descent from Gables End to Kowhai Saddle is a mix…

• First, ask yourself if a cairn is really warranted. Do other people come here and have there been cairns here before? There's no need to build cairns in places no one goes, or where there's no established track. Don't intrude on the wilderness. • Make sure your cairn is distinguishable as a deliberate construction (you don't want trampers puzzling over whether a pile of rocks is a marker or a natural jumble of rocks. • Location, location, location. Choose sites with high contrast, so your cairn stands out. Is it camouflaged among other rocks? Try instead for a background of trees. Think about lines of sight from the track. • If building a trail of cairns, make sure each new cairn is visible from the last. Build your cairns…

Features: Customisation is key for the Molecule, with its removable lid, hip pocket, fastening cords, plus a wealth of reinforced attachment loops. The fabric is a combination of 100D and reinforced 500D Cordura, with two stretch side pockets and a hydration sleeve. The main compartment, with zip and hook closure, is a roll top, and Bach claims an extra 15l of space when unrolled. The Atlas Pro carrying system provides ventilation and support for loads up to 18kg. 5/5 Fit: There are two sizes, regular (back length of 44–55cm) and long (back length of 52–64cm), and the latter fitted my 185cm frame well. The pack sits close to the body, and there's minimal bounce or squeak when walking. This may suit some, but for me, the rigidity felt rather stiff…

FINDING A QUIET MATTRESS In reading ‘2023's guide to sleeping mats’ (April 2023) I think one important consideration has been omitted. I've owned a variety of mats and have learnt the hard way that one of the most important considerations is how noisy it is. I say ‘the hard way’ because it wasn't something I initially considered. I am a light sleeper and a side sleeper at that and turning over in the night on a noisy mat does not make for a happy wife/tramping companion! In a crowded hut, it becomes an issue for others too. Currently, I am using an Exped Ultra 7R mummy mat which is certainly one of the quietest I have used while still remaining reasonably light and warm. – Trevor Geddes VIEW FROM HELEN'S…

A volunteer backcountry hut repair group is anxiously awaiting a funding decision from DOC. Permolat Southland is a network of volunteers looking after some of Southland's most remote huts. The group's chairperson, Greg Wilson, said huts they worked on in the deep south needed everything from a quick paint job to a total rebuild. Their funding has primarily come from the Backcountry Trust (BCT), which is supported by DOC. Volunteers like Wilson are concerned they haven't received assurances that funding will continue after May. DOC's West Coast operations director Mark Davies said the department had invested more than $4 million in the Backcountry Trust since 2019. He confirmed BCT had applied to the DOC Community Fund, and the application was currently being assessed against the fund's criteria. Since its inception…

Whistling: some people can, some people can't. Some love it, some hate it. For a number of people, whistling is a family thing. Jill Baxter says, “I often find myself whistling, as did my dad, and brother. I had a chuckle the other day as my 13-month-old granddaughter was crawling along whistling.” Helen Carroll recalls her Dad whistling when they walked and that “he was fantastically melodious.” However, it doesn't necessarily run in families. For Bronwyn Eeles, it skipped a generation: “I wish I could whistle. My grandfather was an amazing whistler. Now I listen to both my girls with green eyes. My eldest daughter whistles all sorts of songs – from musicals, the latest songs on the radio or her favourites off her Spotify playlist.” But whistling is not…

#microchallenge16: Visit a place made famous in a movie or TV show PARTNER PRIZE: A pair of Bridgedale Midweight Merino Performance Fit socks. Winning ENTRY Leah Wyatt had a stunning time on the Pouakai Circuit where she saw Taranaki Maunga, AKA Mt Fuji in the film The Last Samurai. At Kowhitirangi, Lisa Fionnachta saw this memorial to the victims of a mass shooting in October 1941. The 1981 movie Bad Blood was set in Kowhitirangi and was based on the hunt for the murderer. Jenny Marshall and her partner visited a Fellowship of the Rings location near Te Anau. #microchallenge17: Visit a hut PARTNER PRIZE: Salewa Crow GTX boots worth $530! Winning ENTRY Steven Dye visited MacKenzie Hut while walking the St James Walkway and Routeburn Track back-to-back Troy Forsyth…

Wilderness WALK1200km 13km THE NUMEROUS TRACKS leading through the Waiorongomai Valley can be confusing. It is hard to imagine how people originally found the start of the once unmarked Pylon Peak Track, which opened in 2015. Now, things are easier: About 150m from the start a sign points the way to the right, off the easily accessible Low Level Track. The Waiorongomai River has to be crossed after a few metres. This can be difficult especially after heavy rainfall. And it's just the beginning. For the next 4–5km (around 3hr), the well marked track climbs, at times steeply, as it follows a spur upwards. Fortunately, there is much of interest along the way, such as the beautiful untouched bush and remains of the steel power pylons alongside the track. The…

Penzy Dinsdale achieved her goal of traversing the Southern Alps this past summer. “I became obsessed with tramping and other adventures as a teenager,” says Dinsdale. “After moving to Dunedin to study at the University of Otago I set a goal of traversing the Southern Alps at some point in my life. This summer I realised this goal and here's what I took with me.” The base weight of Panzy's pack on her expedition was 15kg. MISCELLANEOUS My Sony Alpha 6300 camera with Tamron 18-300mm lens has become my favourite combination for its versatility – there is no need to change lenses in the environment. My pee rag greatly contributed to my overall well-being. SunSaver Classic Bundle solar panel and power bank kept everything charged. SAFETY The Garmin inReach Mini…

Patagonia R1 Air Full Zip Hoody $279.99 USED BY: Contributing gear editor Mark Watson USED FOR: 10 months Patagonia's R1 fleece hoody is a modern classic that has been widely imitated. You'll know the look: close-fitting stretchy Power Gridstyle fleece, with a cosy hood. Some outdoors people I know own several (me too) because they're so practical, functional and comfortable. This latest hoody adopts a new style of fleece – proprietary to Patagonia – and while being thicker than Power Grid fleece, it's both better looking and harder wearing. It's 100 per cent recycled polyester with a hollow core yarn and zigzag texture that wicks moisture while being highly breathable and quick drying. The smooth contours of the hood fit comfortably under a helmet and the full zip makes it…

The May 2022 article ‘Gone but not forgotten’, included the story of my uncle Lester Tweeddale, a police constable who died in 1969 while trying to climb Mt Holdsworth. An unofficial memorial to Lester was built on High Ridge in 2019. It had been a plan of mine to visit the memorial site with family ever since it was built but the idea of tramping up to Mt Holdsworth with little experience was daunting, so when a good friend offered to be a guide we all jumped at the opportunity. One day in March, we set off before dawn from Masterton with everyone excited and determined to reach the memorial. We walked along High Ridge, taking in the beautiful scenery, and with the sun beaming down. When we came across…

Walkers will soon be able to access a popular attraction at Canterbury's Mt Somers that has been closed since 2017. There has been no public access to Sharplin Falls due to rockfall (which destroyed part of a gantry access to the track) and dangerous conditions. The Mount Somers Walkway Society has been overseeing repairs to the new track. DOC Geraldine operations manager Tony Preston said the society had an easement concession to build the new track to Sharplin Falls. “It will be on a new route that is mostly on the true right of the stream. This was chosen to avoid the rockfall issues the old route suffered from.” The society sought advice from geotechnical engineers for the new design and its opening would be announced once it was deemed…

“I HAVE MY LUNCH AT MORNING AND AFTERNOON TEA TIMES SO I CAN GO FOR A WALK AT LUNCHTIME.” – Jen Massey “I live in the countryside so my options are limited for walking. I tend to do small lunchtime walks during the week and longer walks at the weekend. I don't feel totally safe walking in the dark on my own.” – Rachel Berndt “I walk as soon as I get home from work about 5pm and am hoping when winter comes I can get at least 30-minutes. I have walked nearly 600km in three months so when winter comes I can reduce my walks if the weather is really bad. I'm still hoping to do at least a couple of kilometres each day if possible, though. The challenge definitely motivates…

Salewa Carbonium Tour $219.90/pair A three-piece telescopic alpine trekking pole with the top section made of carbon and the bottom made of highstrength aluminium to cope with rocks and scree. Ergonomic dual-component EVA foam and plastic grip, carbon-reinforced Powerlock system for fast adjustment and locking. 68cm collapsed. 480g/pair. www.bobo.co.nz Gabel TransAlp Te Araroa NZ $49.99/pole A special edition pole with a map of New Zealand depicting and describing Te Araroa Trail. It features a screw-in carbide tip, aluminium construction, ergonomic grip, adjustable strap and 54mm basket. 64cm collapsed. 283g/pole. www.ampro.co.nz Camp Sky Carbon Eco $399.99/pair This five-segment pole uses carbon fibre on the upper segments and aluminium alloy on the bottom to balance weight, rigidity and strength. There's a micro-adjustable tensioning system, adjustable wrist loops, carbide tips with rubber caps…

WILD TRIPS THIS TRACK STARTS just past Johns Creek in the south-west corner of Lake Hāwea. Initially, there are relentless zigzags which lead to a small saddle on the ridge above. It's almost worth starting the walk from Johns Creek to get a warm-up before starting the climb. Take plenty of water as the only option for more is an untreated supply at Pakituhi Hut. The track climbs the spur toward the peaks ahead. A few sections with loose gravel above drop-offs require care, one is near the top of the zigzags. Hiking poles are handy here. Soon the peaks of Mt Aspiring National Park will be revealed with Tititea/Mt Aspiring prominent. Well-earned rest stops during the exposed climb will allow time for marvelling at the scenery. A junction at…

WILD TRIPS THIS BEAUTIFUL RIDGE, home to varied vegetation and birdlife, is almost entirely below the bushline, so is suitable for when a gale is blowing and tops travel is out. The route isn't marked on the topo map but it's a good footpath and there are frequent markers. It's obviously well-used and there's hand-crafted signs along the way. A few hundred metres from Holdsworth Lodge a bridge spans Atiwhakatu Stream. Stay on the true left of the stream – don't cross – and travel along its bank. This is a trapping route with a variety of traps on display. After about a kilometre, markers indicate to turn uphill for the grunty part of the walk – a 600m, two kilometre ascent to Pinnacle (877m). The ascending track skirts the…

Victorinox Classic Colour Collection $39.99 With all the essential, daily-use functions Mum needs for her keyring, designed and produced by the makers of the original Swiss Army Knife. Pictured ‘Cupcake Dream’ is one of many vibrant colours now available. 21g. www.ampro.co.nz Jetboil Stash Cooking system $339.95 Jetboil's lightest and most compact cooking system allows pack space to be maximised without sacrificing Jetboil performance. 200g. www.jetboilnz.co.nz Jetboil Jetgauge $44.95 Engineered to accurately measure the fuel level of any Jetboil canister, this tool will help you ‘know before you go’. www.jetboilnz.co.nz Merrell Bravada 2 Thermo Demi Waterproof $289 Winter-capable and weather-ready, this women's specific boot fits like a sneaker and hugs the ankle with added insulation to keep the feet warm throughout winter. Featuring a super rebound midsole for extra comfort. www.merrell.co.nz…

INSULATION Synthetic insulation is durable and will keep the user warm even when it's wet. It is cheaper, bulkier and heavier than down, but modern synthetic fills are coming close to equaling down in weight and compressibility. Down offers incredible warmth to weight and will most likely be treated with a hydrophobic coating that will resist soaking and dry more quickly. This means that in wet conditions, down won't ‘clump’ so easily whilst still offering warmth. HOODS Hoods improve warmth considerably by trapping warm air around your head without blocking visibility. Hoods on alpine or climbing jackets will fit over or under the helmet. Drawcords are often used to tighten the hood but, as with cuffs, elastic hood hems ensure a more snug and warmthtrapping fit. FILL POWER WHEN CHOOSING…