Innehållsförteckning för July/August 2025 från Wilderness

WINTER can seem to drag on, can’t it? Short days and long nights, more time spent indoors … sometimes I wonder if it will ever end. Just in time, then, is this issue of Wilderness and our list of 75 of the best trampers’ peaks. Spread over 18 glorious pages, it’s a chance for you to fill those dreary winter months with dreams, plans and preparation for adventures to come. Ah, but what is a tramper’s peak, I hear you ask? With a few exceptions, it’s a peak you can walk up. A couple of the very high ones require the aid of crampons and ice axes, but for the most part the peaks our experts have identified require little more than a bit of fitness, a head for heights…

For those trampers brave enough to face the cold this winter, there’s comfort in the woodstoves installed in many backcountry huts. They may not rival a roaring fireplace, but a stove can easily dry wet clothes for the next day of tramping. It is especially wonderful if you arrive to find a pile of wood stacked neatly next to the fireplace. Rule number one of hut firewood etiquette is to leave plenty of wood ready for the next person. Just five minutes of collecting dry, fallen branches from around the hut, bringing in already cut wood if there’s a supply outside, or chopping wood yourself (if there’s an axe or saw) could easily save a life. Rule number two: use wood sparingly and only light the fire if you need…

BACK COUNTRY CUISINE THAI CHICKEN CURRY FROM $11.99 Enjoy the distinctive Thai taste of coconut milk and curry with freeze-dried chicken, green beans, rice and cashew nuts. Gluten free. www.backcountrycuisine.co.nz BUSHLINE RASPBERRY APPLE BIRCHER $11.99 Start your walk on the right foot with this ready-to-eat bircher breakfast. With a combination of nuts, seeds, raspberries and Nelson apples. www.yumnz.co.nz BIG AGNES DITCH RIDER 32 $379.99 A large-capacity day pack with a compression-moulded back panel, contoured shoulder straps and a foam-padded hip belt. www.bigagnes.nz AKU FLYROCK GTX $385 This waterproof shoe is for off-road adventures where traction, protection and high cushioning are required. www.gearshop.co.nz BRIDGEDALE STORMSOCK HEAVYWEIGHT $99.99 Give your feet some respite from the wind, cold and wet with this waterproof three-layer sock. www.ampro.co.nz MONTANE TERRA XT PANTS $349 Montane’s most…

QUILTS are a common sleep system for long-distance hikers, particularly in the US, and are gradually becoming more popular here. Among other benefits, they’re a great way to reduce base weight. By placing all the insulation atop the sleeper and eliminating a long zip and hood, a typical quilt weighs roughly 20–30 per cent less than a sleeping bag of equivalent warmth. But the positives don’t stop here. Quilts are more packable and are better suited to a wider range of temperatures – a versatility that would benefit any tramper walking from New Zealand’s sub-tropical north to the chillier south. They also allow you to curl up or change position without restriction. We’ve been testing the Ultralight Down Quilt from Kiwi Ultralight. This Nelson-based business was founded by Debra and…

FABRIC FLEECE JACKETS AND PULLOVERS ARE MADE FROM POLYESTER FABRIC AND SHOULD BE ANTI-PILLING. MANY GARMENTS NOW FEATURE STRETCH PANELS FOR INCREASED MOBILITY. FABRICS ARE OFTEN SOURCED FROM POST-CONSUMER WASTE AND RECYCLED PRODUCTS. EARTH SEA SKY HELIUM HI LOFT FLEECE JACKET $329 Polartec 200 Hi Loft shaggy fur fleece is durable, warm, lightweight and compressible. Microfleece collar, sides, cuffs and front panel lining, single-handed hem drawcords, internal zipped chest pocket and zipped hand-warmer pockets. Made in New Zealand. 560g (m), 480g (w). wwww.earthseasky.co.nz WEIGHT HEAVIER-WEIGHT FLEECES ARE THICKER AND WARMER AND SUITED TO VERY COLD CONDITIONS. THEY MAY HAVE REINFORCED AREAS TO BETTER COPE WITH ABRASION AND WEAR AND TEAR. LIGHTER FLEECES ARE BETTER AS A SHOULDER-SEASON GARMENT OR MIDLAYER WHERE A MORE ROBUST INSULATED JACKET OR RAINCOAT IS WORN…

What is your book about? It follows my life from a young adult to a couple of years ago. It’s written in three parts: part one is about being kidnapped in Kyrgyzstan* and how that impacted my life, part two is right after that happened when I dove into climbing because I didn’t know how to move forward, and part three is finally unpacking everything. Why did you write it? I wanted to write it for younger versions of myself. At different stages in my life it would’ve been great to have a book like this. I grew up in the 90s climbing community and it was filled with bravado. No one talked about feelings or failure or stuff like that. I wanted to show that we’re all human and…

WILDERNESS INSPIRATION FOR YOUNG AND OLD I recently caught my 14-year-old daughter Sophie reading old issues of Wilderness. I wrote to the magazine in December 2015 about getting inspiration for family tramping and Sophie was four when she did her first tramp, to Peach Cove Hut. Twenty-nine tramps later, she has done the Rees-Dart, Hollyford and St James in addition to several Great Walks. This year, she has started her Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award, and for her recent birthday she chose tramping and we took her and four friends to Pinnacles Hut in Coromandel Forest Park. It was the first tramp for a couple of them so hopefully she is passing on the tramping bug. She has dreams of us doing the Dusky Track next summer, although we might…

#microchallenge10: Become a one percenter Partner prize: Big Agnes Impassable 20 worth $360! #microchallenge11: Amazing autumn Partner prize: A $100 Yum breakfast hamper! #microchallenge12: Find a pistol stick Partner prize: Bridgedale Midweight Merino Performance Fit socks! SEEN THAT YOU’VE WON? To claim your prize, email a photo of yourself holding this issue of Wilderness to: walk1200km@lifestylepublishing.co.nz. Only registered Walk1200km participants are eligible to win, so make sure you’re registered!…

THERE IS always inherent risk when around volcanic terrain, but the odds of an actual eruption occurring while I was camping on the northern flanks of Mt Tongariro were minimal. What was certain though was the breathtaking view over golden tussock to the blue expanse of Lake Rotoaira below. Beyond, Pihanga (1326m) formed a beautiful forested barrier between this and Lake Taupō, shimmering dreamlike in the distance. Pitching my tiny tent on the footprint of the old Ketetahi Hut, I savoured the grandstand panorama as feeble winter sunlight shone on the windblown tussock. To the east the smouldering Te Maari craters rumbled. I was glad I wasn’t here at midnight on August 6, 2012 when Te Maari exploded after being dormant for a century. Rocks were propelled up to 2.3km…

INSELBERG CENTILE HOODY $640 | 390G The Centile is an advanced insulated jacket from New Zealand-based clothing brand Inselberg. It was developed in collaboration with Everest guides for optimal high-altitude performance. This is achieved by combining 850 fill-power ExpedDry water-resistant down with body-mapped synthetic insulation for moisture-prone areas and a 15D outer for durability. NEMO TENSOR EXTREME $449.95 | 554G The Tensor Extreme Mummy has a class-leading R-value of 8.5, making it the warmest ultralight mat on the market, yet it maintains a packed size to beat many three-season mats. It’s a plush 9cm thick, with four layers of thermal film sandwiched between 20D upper and durable 40D base fabrics. MSR LIGHTNING ASCENT SNOWSHOES $799.99 | 1946G The Paragon binding on MSR’s top tier snowshoe has been redesigned for greater…

THIS DIVERSE walk through forest and along rocky and sandy shores shows what can be achieved if native plants and wildlife have a safe haven in which to flourish. Expect spectacular views and surprises around almost every corner, especially of the feathered kind – takahē, petrels, gannets, toutouwai, even kiwi if you roam after dusk. Enter the pest-proof enclosure and continue to the main car park at the end of Takatu Road, where there are toilets, information and a water fountain. Turn right across the grassed area fronting the beach to reach Sanctuary Hut, where you can learn about the park, its history, and the wildlife and conservation work undertaken by Tāwharanui Open Sanctuary Society in partnership with Auckland Council. From the hut, take the short out-and-back mown path to…

Three new outdoor stores are offering exclusive Wildcard discounts to Wilderness subscribers. MD Outdoors in Nelson (mdoutdoors.co.nz), the online-only Kiwi Ultralight (kiwiultralight.co.nz) and Torchmonster (torchmonster.co.nz) will all provide a discount on purchases year-round. Every Wilderness subscriber receives the Wildcard that includes a discount code for online purchases. The card can be saved to a smartphone wallet and presented to staff for in-store purchases. See the full list of 26 Wildcard partners at wildernessmag.co.nz. The savings you make on your next gear purchase could easily cover the cost of your subscription.…

MAKING IT TOUGHER I have passed the 1200km target already but I have a personal challenge: this year I am aiming to do 10,000 steps every day, which for my short legs is approximately 6.5km. So far I have achieved it every day this calendar year. On the days I haven't felt like walking, the potential disappointment in myself for having a blank day has got me out the door, even in the dark. So the challenge is working! The great thing about Walk1200km is that we can each have a valid, unique personal goal. — Amanda Collins An ambitious goal I'm hoping to walk 2025km this year, but I'm a little bit behind! I'm walking most days, but it does take a fair bit of time. I think I…

These three fun #microchallenges will help you to appreciate your surroundings and have fun on your walks. Our favourite six #microchallenge completers receive a money-can’t-buy limited edition Walk1200km badge, and the best entry for each challenge receives a prize from our partners. #microchallenge16: Visit a sculpture in a park Find a sculpture in a public park and photograph yourself next to it. Don’t forget to share the location so others can visit it, too. #microchallenge16 Partner prize: A pair of Bridgedale Midweight Merino Performance Fit socks! #microchallenge17: Go for a night walk Night walks come easy in winter and can be an invigorating sensory delight. Walk at least 3.3km after dark and share an atmospheric photo from your nocturnal wander. #microchallenge17 Partner prize: A $100 Yum breakfast hamper! #microchallenge18: Walk…

Why is breakfast such an important meal? I believe each of us can thrive when we choose to start the day with a great breakfast. It sets us up for the whole day, helps sustain energy, reduces the lows and sugar and caffeine cravings. Eat too many quick-digesting carbs for breakfast and the result is spiked insulin levels and you’re hungry within an hour. What makes someone a breakfast expert? Studying food and its effects on our bodies has been my longtime interest and passion. When I was 17 I started racing mountain bikes, and with all the training I was eating a lot of white carbs, which gave me awful stomach aches, cravings and lows. I began connecting what I ate to how I felt and, taking it a…

Sometimes it takes the end of one plan for another to succeed. A long weekend was fast approaching, and my friends and I were desperate to get to the South Island. But a storm was brewing, soon to bring severe rain to the south. We turned our sights instead to the Kāweka Range, part of the North Island’s mountainous spine. Could we bag 10 huts on an ambitious four-day loop? We would start at The Lakes car park and join the main range, bagging Studholme Saddle Hut on the way to Back Ridge Hut, then traverse past Ballard Hut to Venison Tops Hut. On the third day we would follow the Ngaruroro River before climbing to Manson (1448m) and Manson Hut, then descend to the Ngaruroro at Kiwi Mouth Hut…

Unless stated otherwise, times shown are for a return journey to the summit and back to the start of the route. JUST AS CLIMBING ALL THESE PEAKS WILL TAKE MOST MORTALS SEVERAL YEARS, SO TOO WILL COVERAGE OF OUR CHOSEN SUMMITS. OVER THE NEXT FEW (ERM, 75!? – PLEASE DON’T HOLD US TO IT) ISSUES WE WILL PROVIDE FULL ROUTE DESCRIPTIONS FOR EACH ONE. MANY HAVE ALREADY BEEN PUBLISHED AND CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.WILDERNESSMAG.CO.NZ, WITH ROUTE NOTES, MAPS AND GPX FILES. Aotearoa New Zealand is a land of mountains. Shaped by fire and ice, the high lands are home to plants, insects and animals found nowhere else in the world. Rising sharply towards Ranginui, the Sky Father, maunga watched over the Māori world long before the arrival of Pākehā.…

THE NORTH FACE TERRA PEAK HOODED $440 / 560G (M) 530G (W) OVERVIEW The synthetic-fill Terra Peak has a baffled 20D Pertex Quantum shell insulated with Thermo-Ball fibre. Both materials are 100 per cent recycled. It has a helmet-compatible hood, stretch underarm gussets, an internal draught flap and stretch cuffs and hem. The hand-warmer and internal pockets are generous. The jacket can be stowed in the internal pocket (carabiner loop included). PERFORMANCE The North Face’s proprietary ThermoBall fill provides lofty baffles with a cosiness similar to a down jacket, but is heavier and bulkier to pack. Hydrophobic treatment of down improves its water resistance, but it still doesn’t insulate as well as ThermoBall when wet. This is a better jacket to be in if you’re caught in rain or sustained…

MATERIAL THEY ARE LIGHTWEIGHT AND QUICK-DRYING AND WICK MOISTURE AWAY FROM THE SKIN. ELASTANE BLENDS ARE COMMON AND HELP TO ENSURE A TIGHTER, MORE COMFORTABLE FIT WITHOUT RESTRICTING MOVEMENT. INSELBERG HEDRON PANTS $310 These climbing pants have a four-way stretch double-weave fabric for abrasion resistance, a moisture-wicking polyester lining, articulated knees and seat, gusseted crotch, zipped hand pockets, a harness-friendly thigh pocket and integrated belt. 405g. www.inselberg.com POCKETS MULTIPLE POCKETS ARE COMMON, INCLUDING HAND-WARMER POCKETS, REAR DROP-IN POCKETS AND LARGER THIGH POCKETS. SOME WILL BE ZIPPED TO KEEP ITEMS SECURE. EARTH SEA SKY KATIPO SOFT SHELL PANTS $299 These durable, water-repellent pants have an abrasion-resistant nylon outer and a soft, warm polyester lining. They feature four-way stretch, wind resistance, articulated knees, gusseted crotch for unrestricted movement, zipped hand warmer pockets,…

THE MOST DIRECT route to Rotomaninitua Lake Angelus is from the Mt Robert car park, 10min drive southwest of St Arnaud. From here, Pinchgut Track gains height steadily through the forest using switchbacks that skirt the edge of a gigantic eroded scar. Top out on the grassy crest of Pourangahau Mt Robert (1421m) where there are sensational views of Lake Rotoiti, 800m below. Look out for kea nesting nearby. A short distance along the broad ridgetop is Relax Shelter, a simple emergency hut maintained by Nelson Ski Club. Beyond the junction with Paddy’s Track, a sign warns of potential risks ahead. If the weather is worsening, this ‘decision point’ is the prudent place to turn around. Severe winds and poor visibility are common, and several hikers have come to grief…

KARIOI TRACK starts opposite Te Toto Gorge. The gorge is an ancient amphitheatre over the Tasman Sea that’s well worth a look. Remnants of 18th century Māori gardens and karaka groves are to be found here. The track follows a reasonably steep fenceline up to bush that marks the end of the farmland. This boundary also signals your entering Pirongia Forest Park. Now, the fun begins as you pick your way over Karioi’s ancient basalt spurs. Ladders – then chains – add to the antics as you climb higher. You’re on Karioi’s ramparts, take ‘em in your stride! After 2km and no more than 90 minutes, a side track at Pt706 leads to a lookout. You’re now nearly 500m above Whaanga Road and the lookout offers fine views over Whaingaroa…

THE PAKIHI TRACK is a shared walkway and mountain-bike track, so look out for Opotiki-bound cyclists. Ignore the bridge near the car park as it leads to private property, and follow the DOC signs to remain on the true left of Pakihi Stream. Head south along the benched trail beside the stream. There are multiple options for cooling off, and eel and trout may be spotted in the clear waters. Many minor watercourses cross the trail, sometimes with small waterfalls, and the forest is lush with ferns and nīkau palms. Native birds abound, including kārearea, toutouwai, kererū and whio. After 8km the 32m Pakihi Stream suspension bridge provides airy views of the river below. Pakihi Hut is about 1km further on. The compact six-bunker is maintained by Nga Tapuwae o…

THIS 11.5KM easy hike or grade 2 cycle trail weaves through regenerating podocarps and virgin lowland forest, following the Lake Brunner/Moana shoreline to the DOC campsite at Bain Bay. The ambitious community project, led by Lake Brunner Scenic Trail Trust, will eventually finish at Mitchells on the southwest shore, 3.5km on. From Moana Community Hall opposite Hotel Lake Brunner, head to the lake via the railway overbridge. Follow the lakeside road west from the yacht club to the boat ramp at the outlet of the Arnold River. Alternatively, leave your car here. It is also possible to take the train from Christchurch and get off next to the yacht club before midday. Cross the Arnold River at the swingbridge and follow the pathway that skirts the lake’s edge past a…

Wild Walks Aotearoa author and passionate tramping advocate, Hannah-Rose Watt. Hannah-Rose Watt is an author, tramper and chronic over-packer of unnecessary items. (She’s been known to carry a chocolate cake and a board game into the mountains.) You’ll usually find her waist-deep in mud or battling sideways rain on some ill-advised misery mission. Here’s what she takes for a standard overnight or multi-day trip that dabbles in alpine territory. SLEEP SYSTEM I sleep as chilly as a lizard in a southerly, so I use the Sea to Summit Flame IV sleeping bag year-round and add their Thermolite Reactor liner when needed. My side-sleeper-approved system combines the foam Exped FlexMat with the Sea to Summit Ultralight inflatable mat and Aeros pillow. The foam mat doubles for cloud-watching on spiky terrain. PACK…