Innehållsförteckning för December 2025 från Wilderness

IN THIS ISSUE we celebrate the amazing achievement that is the Old Ghost Road. The route was first surveyed in the 1880s, but construction was abandoned until 2007 when Marion Boatwright, who then owned Rough and Tumble Lodge, discovered the original survey map. That sparked a dream to create a walking trail to connect the settlements of Lyell and Seddonville. From one man’s vision the dream spread to encompass first a community, then the imagination of volunteers and even the nation. Over 100,000 people have walked or biked the trail in the 10 years since it was completed in December 2015. Though half are trampers, it is also considered a world-class mountain biking experience and attracts bikepackers from around the world. Its success is something to be celebrated, so starting…

Recording interviews with his laptop perched on an ironing board in his accommodation in Fiji, Jonty Crane is celebrating tramping in New Zealand with his new podcast, ‘The Tramping Life’. “I fell in love with podcasts about a year ago and was surprised by how few covered tramping,” Crane said. “Suva is a pretty sleepy place, and this has given me time to create ‘The Tramping Life’. It has also been a way to stay connected with home while dreaming about future trips.” Crane said he was inspired to start the podcast as a way to give back to the tramping community. When he first moved to New Zealand from the UK in his late twenties, he had little tramping experience. His first multi-day tramp, the Routeburn Track, had him…

#microchallenge22: Traverse a boardwalk Partner prize: Bridgedale Midweight Merino Performance Fit socks winner! #microchallenge23: Ramble beside the river Partner prize: A $100 voucher to spend at Further Faster! #microchallenge24: Signs of spring Partner prize: A $100 Yum breakfast hamper! 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!…

RUNNING THE TRAIL In April 2021, three weeks after winning my age group in the NZ Ironman, I ran the OGR in two days from Seddonville. Fresh from that success I thought I was a rockstar, but I can tell you, at the end of the first day heading up to Ghost Lake Hut in the dark, I did not resemble one. I could see the hut lights way up there, and when I got there I could have wept. The camaraderie in the hut was really special – you don’t know who you’re going to be sleeping next to and yet it just works. People were so friendly, all that banter. That’s what makes it. And it was so good doing it with a bunch of great women. The…

STOCKING STUFFERS VICTORINOX CLIMBER $79.95 Be prepared for your next trip with this light and compact Swiss-made pocket knife. Its 14 functions are sharp, strong and intuitive, so no matter where your adventures take you, the Climber is with you all the way. 82g. www.huntingandfishing.co.nz WEST COASTERS FROM $30 Old maps upcycled into bespoke coasters and placemats are the ideal gift for map lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Ready-made or custom-made sets. www.westcoasters.co.nz. WILDERNESS SUBSCRIPTION FROM $7.95 Give your loved one something truly rare: digital respite with NZ’s best outdoor magazine by far! There’s a subscription option for every reader and budget. www.wildernessmag.co.nz CREEPERS MERINO BOOT SOCK $34 Blister-busting toe socks crafted from superfine merino for comfort and performance. Low-friction, breathable, fast-drying and temperature-regulating for fewer blisters and all-day comfort. NZ-owned.…

MSR WINDBURNER $449.99 | 432G With its enclosed radiant burner design and pressure regulator, the Windburner is a class-leading performer in windy and exposed conditions. The lock-on pot has a heat exchanger and this, combined with MSR’s award-winning Reactor design, makes for impressive boil times. It has less heat output, meaning boil time is a little slower than the Flash, but in windy conditions it’s superior. The pot has a cosy with handle and a lid with drinking and straining ports, and the package includes a 470ml bowl and canister stand. KOVEA ALPINE POT WIDE $219.99 | 587G The wide 1100ml pot of this integrated stove provides a little more cooking versatility than narrower pot designs while still being safe and easy to use in exposed or confined places. While…

Mt Hikurangi is one of our 75 Top Trampers’ Peaks. View all peaks in the list at www.wildernessmag.co.nz THE SOLITARY and commanding massif of Mt Hikurangi (1752m) is sacred to Ngāti Porou and is the first place in the world where the sunlight of a new day touches Earth. But for reasons beyond the anticipation of warm sunlight on your face after a cool climb in the early hours, it’s a compelling rite of passage for any keen tramper. Some would not consider the long farm track climb to the subalpine zone of the mountain’s upper reaches to be a classic tramp, but a trip to Hikurangi is about more than immersing oneself in untamed wilderness. Google Earth is a good place to begin to appreciate Hikurangi’s isolation from its…

BUILT IN 1948 when the land was part of Dusky Station, Baikie Hut is nestled against a grassy bank just above Twizel River. The old musterer’s hut has a hitching rail out the back, a precipitously slanting floor and an ageing wood burner to combat the draughts that work through the cracks when the wind gets up. Packed with rustic charm, it is a cosy spot to spend the night. The track to the hut starts at the DOC car park just off SH80, about 3.5km towards Mount Cook Village from the junction with SH8. A 4WD track curves around the open hillside behind the car park. The track is a public easement across private farmland, so leave gates as you find them. Follow it through fields to a gateway…

THE REAL COST OF PRIVATISATION I had been aware of ‘The Allure of Private Walks’ (November 2025), as I am an active tramper with colleagues and friends who struggle now to lug a full pack on a multiday trip but are fortunate enough to have the money to pay for private walks. I was not aware, however, of how much this private network of tracks has grown. Your 14-page feature attempted to explain some other parts of the ‘allure’. You can visit coasts and hills otherwise out of bounds. City folk see modern farming up close. We can witness the conservation efforts of certain farmers. No food or bedding to be carried. Have a hot shower, wine or beer. And while most of the private walks have eye-watering prices, we…

Each Monday we poll readers on topical outdoor issues and all things tramping-related. Here’s a summary of our latest polls. Do you think the government should keep outdoor education as part of the secondary school curriculum? Yes: 90% No: 10% Would you ever tramp a private walk? Yes, I like the idea of tramping with a bit more luxury: 39% Nope, not my thing: 26% I already have: 35% What do you think of DOC’s suggestion to add all serviced huts and some standard huts to the booking system? Yes: 34% No: 6% Stop cutting budgets and fund the department properly: 60% Have you ever booked a hut and arrived to find it full and your bunk, or someone else's bunk, unavailable? Yes: 34% No: 66% Polls are published each…

Walking in nature can get you thinking about your work in surprising and helpful ways. Allowing your mind to wander while walking can spark creative ideas – even a new career direction. On the Lake Waikaremoana Track we met a preoccupied tramper. He told us he was good with numbers and his parents wanted him to become an accountant. He wasn’t too happy about the idea. We asked what he wanted to do. “Walking out here, I’m constantly thinking about carving. I guess I really want to be a carver,” he replied. “What about an accountant who carves?” Fran suggested. He hadn’t thought of it before. He brightened, and seemed to have renewed energy as he continued on his way. Tramping offers opportunities to learn about the variety of work…

ALISON MARSH Why Walk 1200km? I had a major ski accident two years ago in which I broke my leg and ankle and tore the meniscus in both knees. I already had a displaced vertebra, so I was a mess. Walk1200km has played a major part in my rehab. Looking back, I’m chuffed with how far I’ve come. Where? Local rural walks, and hikes in the Canterbury high country. How? Around 4km a day – sometimes more, sometimes less. With? Solo, with friends and family, and sometimes with Lachie, my new four-legged hiking buddy. Benefits? I’m fitter and stronger and have a new sense of purpose and achievement. Tips? Be consistent. Even a short distance counts. FAYE SHADROCK Why Walk1200km? I had a hip replacement in November 2022. The challenge…

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. #microchallenge28: FIND THE MIDDLE GROUND Get creative and plan a walk to the middle of something – the North Island, New Zealand (pictured!), a park or the halfway point to somewhere. Take a photo, tell us where you are and what it’s like! #microchallenge28 Partner prize: A Big Agnes Impassable 20 pack worth $360! #microchallenge29: YOUR OLDEST PIECE OF KIT IN REGULAR USE Share a photo of the oldest piece of kit that you still use regularly and tell us why it’s so awesome. Thanks to participant Beth…

RAB EXION 48 $529.95, 1640G, 48L (M) $499.95, 1550G, 45L (W) OVERVIEW This thoughtfully designed pack has an adjustable back length via the V-Trax carry system, and a harness padded with perforated thermoformed foam and ventilating mesh. Hydroshield-coated 330D and 600D polyester fabrics are used in the main body, which has both top throat and zip entry. It features three large overflow pockets, hip belt and lid pockets, compression straps and dual ice axe and hiking pole attachments. The pack is hydration compatible for a 3l bladder. PERFORMANCE The back length is quick and easy to adjust: simply lift a single hook-and-loop harness anchor, slide the shoulder yoke to the required position and re-fix. The back panel doesn’t breathe as well as suspended air-space designs, but it narrows towards the…

Hailing from a very flat part of Australia, Emma Shuttle moved to New Zealand in 2023. She has worked in the outdoor industry for the past eight years, first as a hiking guide and outdoor education instructor, then in mountain biking tourism, triathlon and trail running. Now she’s at MD Outdoors in Nelson. “I have fallen in love with the alpine tops, rolling tussock and cornflake forests of New Zealand,” she says. Her work as a guide taught her how to keep pack weight to a minimum, a skill she shares with trampers through packing workshops at MD Outdoors. “I am pretty practised at cutting the chaff!” PACK I’ve been through a few (from a giant canvas One Planet to an ultralight Gossamer Gear), and have landed on the Osprey…

THE START of the track is just after the entrance to the Bendigo Historic Reserve, with parking at Logantown, 200m from the trailhead. The walk begins with a gentle incline along the Matilda Battery Track. A glance to the left shows remnants of the area's gold mining history. The Bendigo quartz reef was once the richest in Otago. Take care and supervise children as there are old, deep mining shafts in the area. Leaving the ruins behind, turn right off the Matilda Battery Track and after 60m take the left path and drop into a gully. Another 1.5km on, after a stile, the track forks and the loop begins. Going clockwise introduces an undulating path that’s mostly downhill in the latter half of the loop; anti-clockwise puts a steady ascent…

FROM Ruakākā Beach car park, a climb up the dune boardwalk reveals the full sweep of Bream Bay. With Bream Head to the north and Paepae-o-Tu/Bream Tail headland marking its southern end, the bay is guarded by the Hen and Chickens Islands and Tuturu Sail Rock. There is 6km of uninterrupted beach walking ahead. Before setting off southward, check the tide table. A high tide and a strong nor’easter will see you pushed up against the dunes on soft sand and at risk of disturbing nesting birdlife, including dotterels, oystercatchers and terns. At low tide the wide beach is hard underfoot and easy going. You may share this part of the trip with the occasional Te Araroa walker, as it is part of the TA. At 3.5km a pair of…

Get your photo published here to receive a meal from Real Meals worth $18. Last Weekend submission criteria can be found at wildernessmag.co.nz. LEARN MORE ABOUT REAL MEALS AT www.realmeals.co.nz.…

1 Choose your pack carefully Some canvas packs with extra pockets and straps can weigh up to 3000g before you’ve even loaded anything in. If you’re upgrading, look for models made with lighter materials and fewer pockets and zips. 2 Choose a down sleeping bag Down bags offer the best insulation for the least weight. They also pack down smaller than synthetic sleeping bags. 3 Re-evaluate clothing 'essentials' After each trip, note which items of clothing don’t see the light of day and leave them at home next time. It’s okay to be a little smelly and re-wear the same top and shorts. One idea is to pack just one set of core clothing beyond what you’re wearing so you have dry gear if you get wet. 4 Limit the…

PSTYLE $24.99 A simple-to-use device that allows women, non-binary folk and trans men to pee while standing and without undressing. www.furtherfaster.co.nz BUSHLINE APPLE CINNAMON PORRIDGE $11.99 With clean, wholefood ingredients that will keep you strong until your next meal. www.yumnz.co.nz BACK COUNTRY CUISINE ROAST CHICKEN FROM $12.99 Just add boiling water to enjoy freeze-dried chicken and vegetables in gravy. Served with creamy mashed potato and stuffing. www.backcountrycuisine.co.nz AKU ROCKET GTX $389.99 A blend of trail runner-like agility with hiking shoe protection and durability. www.gearshop.co.nz BRIDGEDALE TRAIL-RUN ULTRALIGHT T2 MERINO SPORT LOW $42.99 A low-cut sock that keeps feet dry and comfortable during warm weather walks. www.nz.bridgedale.com BIG AGNES DITCH RIDER 32 $379.99 A large-capacity day pack with contoured shoulder straps and a foam-padded hip belt. www.bigagnes.nz…

IN THE HIGH HILLS above Central Otago, there’s a moment when the world seems to fall away and time unfolds. The wind scours the golden tussock as shadows from a shifting sky ripple across an undulating sweep of land. In Oteake Conservation Park you can almost hear the ring of shovels, the creak of timber carts and the muffled voices of goldminers chasing fortune on windblown ridges. We came seeking solitude, stories and the stark beauty of Otago’s high country. On a three-day circuit we traced a roughly 50km loop through old gold workings and past three characterful backcountry huts. The 67,000ha Oteake Conservation Park is a sprawling, mountainous area incorporating the St Bathans, Ewe, Hawkdun, Ida and St Marys ranges. Gold was found in the 1860s at Guffies Creek…

The Old Ghost Road takes all sorts, and all sorts love it. It is a gentle journey through history and sheer landscape drama. The 85km trail ranges into mossy beech forests, past podocarp giants and small wetlands, over tussock ridgelines framed by granite spires, and alongside clear mountain rivers where whio thrive. Views extend across the mountains and plateaux of Kahurangi National Park. The trail follows old miners’ dray roads or purpose-built dual-use biking and walking trails, so the gradient is never steep. It’s exhilarating. It’s healing. For my first trip, friends booked us in for four nights. Isn’t that a bit slow, I asked. No, they replied, we want to enjoy it. I’ve been back a number of times since and always stay four nights. Does this mean that…

FIRST LOOK REVIEW OVERVIEW This affordable, lightweight jacket is constructed with recycled Pertex Shield Revolve 2.5-layer fabric with a 20,000mm waterproof rating. For its price and weight, it has a sufficient feature set, including a fixed hood with peripheral cord adjustment, pack and harness-friendly water-resistant pockets, pit zips and a drawcord at the waist. PERFORMANCE The relaxed but functional fit of this jacket leaves plenty of room for clothing layers underneath. It allows good mobility for fast-paced walking and tricky terrain, and the hood has tramping-standard features, such as an easy-to-use cinch-cord, a reasonable brim and good head coverage. I was impressed with the DWR coating, which, while new, shed water like a duck’s back, but the single flap coverings on the pit zips can be prone to leak in…

HARNESS The harness keeps the pack stable and – when fitted correctly – transfers weight onto your hips. It may be adjustable or fixed. A fixed harness usually comes in several sizes to ensure correct fit. A suspended ‘trampoline’ mesh or ventilated foam back panel promotes airflow and provides back support. EXTERNAL STORAGE Compression straps, gear loops, stash pockets and daisy chains allow you to carry tents, walking poles, ice tools, clothing and other equipment outside the pack. CAPACITY Multi-day packs have capacities from 50l. As other tramping gear becomes lighter and more compact, most users will find they can make do with a 50–65l pack for a multi-day trip. Packs are either single or double compartment, with the lower compartment usually for a sleeping bag. Numerous pockets provide ample…

STARTING at the Umukarikari Track car park, head up into dense native beech to begin this rewarding trek. The well-marked trail is steady but not too steep: over the first 4km it climbs a cruisy 600m. Bellbirds and tūī are common along the path as you progress upwards. At the 1300m mark the track punches above the bushline. Just off the track here are a few nice spots for tents. Look back over your shoulder for your first views of Mt Ruapehu. Just another 100m from here is a sheltered spot for a break. The views over the next 2km to Sharp Cone (1481m) get better with each step on the open and gently undulating alpine tops. On a clear day, off-track travel requires little effort. Tacking on a summit…

FROM THE CAR PARK, take Kellys Track to the left of the DOC sign, parallel to Kellys Creek. The track to the right is a short loop that finishes near the car park toilet. About 100m up the track there is a narrow and fast-flowing stream. The crossing is straightforward after a dry spell but may be impassable after heavy rain. Beyond the stream the track enters native bush and wastes no time in beginning the steep climb up the south side of Kellys Hill. The track is clearly marked and easy to follow, but the steepness, ever-present moisture underfoot and tree roots demand concentration. The majority of the climb is completed in just 1.5km and has an average gradient of around 30 per cent, so it can feel long.…