Wilderness March 2025

WE KIWI TRAMPERS TRULY ARE A LUCKY BUNCH. And, a part of that luck resulted from the NZ Forest Service combating a potential disaster when a booming deer population in the 1970s led to a hut-building boom by the service. The huts were for deer cullers, and the result is a network of backcountry accommodation that is unique to New Zealand. In this issue, out of more than 900 huts that now dot the country we’ve highlighted 25 amazing shelters. But as we celebrate these huts, a warning. Late last year, cash-strapped DOC (when has it ever not been cash-strapped?) proposed charging up to $57/night to use a basic hut or bivvy (neither of which currently incur any fee), and to increase the fees of standard huts and campsites. The…

FIRE SAFETY IN HUTS There are white folded fire blankets in most serviced huts, and I'll bet you're like us - not noticing them until they're needed. So a big thank you to DOC for installing these blankets and having them strategically placed by a kitchen bench or near the door. They work wonders if you start a fire in a hut. They are easy to use and, after drying, to fold and repack for reuse. Recently, in a hut in Nelson Lakes National Park, an older gas cooker was correctly attached to the cylinder but something faulted and it caught fire. The flame adjustment handle melted, the blaze grew and if it were not for the fire blanket it may not have been extinguished. We were worried that the…

Get your photo published here to receive a meal from Real Meals worth $17. Last Weekend submission criteria can be found at wildernessmag.co.nz. LEARN MORE ABOUT REAL MEALS AT www.realmeals.co.nz.…

It has taken three years, but the new via ferrata rock-climbing route on Takaka Hill - the vision of a group of keen Nelson volunteers - is open. Via ferrata - ‘iron way’ in Italian - is a rock-climbing route with a series of iron steps and a fixed steel rope that climbers attach to for safety. It means that anyone with a decent level of fitness can give the climbing route a go and scale heights normally accessible only to experienced rock climbers. Such routes are popular in Europe - there are over 1000 in the European Alps alone. “We’re so excited to share the thrill of rock climbing with many more people,” said Till Middelhauve, the driving force behind the new visitor attraction. Middelhauve founded an incorporated society…

In summer 2022, artist Jacob Paterson walked the South Island leg of Te Araroa, tramping 1400km in 60 days. He created a drawing each day and has recently been revising them. He shared a sneak preview with Wilderness. “I had a lot of spare time,” Paterson said. “I walked for maybe four to ten hours a day. At the hut, i cooked dinner and then drew what I saw or what I remembered from the day.” The practice became a daily habit. “Some of them are really good, some are rubbish,” Paterson said. It was not about being perfect but about the simple craft of putting pencil to paper and sitting in the moment. “I grew up tramping in the South Island with my dad and had such a cool…

After 40 years, Pouākai Hut is being rejuvenated. During its life the hut has provided shelter to day walkers and overnight trampers exploring Te Papakura o Taranaki (formerly Egmont National Park). DOC Hauraki–Waikato–Taranaki regional director Tinaka Mearns said the building had been showing signs of considerable wear and tear. “With demand for overnight stays increasing, it’s appropriate to provide visitors with a facility that is fit for purpose,” she said. The original 16-bunk hut, built in 1981, was traditionally the busiest in the park, with a 95 per cent occupancy rate during summer. The new hut will have the same footprint as the old, but will have increased capacity and is expected to open in May. Bookings will be available closer to opening time. Meanwhile, the Mangorei Track and Pouākai…