Innehållsförteckning för January 2016 från Wilderness

The shining cuckoo (also known as bronze cuckoo) is a migratory bird that spends the New Zealand winters in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, returning here only to breed over the summer months. This species is a ‘brood parasite’ in that they lay their eggs, in November, singly, in nests of grey warblers. The young cuckoos are hatched and raised by the warblers and are dependent on them until several weeks after fledging. Either a very smart bird or a rather devious one, depending on which way you look at it. The distinct, recognisable feature of the cuckoo is its iridescent dark green back and wings. It also has lovely dark green horizontal bands on a white chest. The first indication that one is nearby is usually a loud,…

For those looking for a special side trip off the Routeburn Track that offers a pristine environment and an uncrowded location a world away from the busy Great Walk, an overnight stay at Lake Wilson, passing through an area known as the Valley of the Trolls, comes highly recommended. The Valley of the Trolls is reached from Harris Saddle by tracing around the western side of Lake Harris via a goat track. The valley is a fragile swampy area so you’ll need to be careful as you pick your way through the swampy tarns. At the head of the valley, the outlet of Lake Wilson descends as a waterfall down a deep gut in the wall. A variety of unmarked routes provide access to Lake Wilson depending on your experience…

There are few landscapes in the world that are more evocative and iconic than the South Island high country – the broad, brown tussock-studded ranges and plains east of the Southern Alps and stretching almost the length of the Mainland, from Southland to Marlborough. Whether it’s in the car driving through a landscape like the Mackenzie Basin or being out tramping on the hills or valleys themselves, the vast open spaces, the horizons and the sense of history in huts and even structures like old fences cannot fail to captivate. But this landscape is changing. Through the tenure review process, managed by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), high country properties are being split between conservation and productive land uses. Much of the high country – some eight per cent or…

1 - KAWEKA FLATS BIVOUAC Kaweka Forest Park In country as precipitous and rugged as the Kaweka Range, there are limited options for family tramping. Happily, one accessible option suitable for school-age children is the track to Kaweka Flats Bivouac. The biv occupies a grassy clearing among manuka, overlooking the craggy main Kaweka Range. Reached after a fairly easy two-hour walk, the track passes through surprisingly lush forest and fords a couple of small streams. The only hard section is the final short climb to where the flats proper begin. The biv has space for three at a squeeze and nice camping spots nearby for larger parties. Kids might enjoy a side-trip to visit the nearby Iron Whare – the oldest hut in the range – which dates back to…

While almost all the peaks in New Zealand have been climbed and significant white water rivers descended, cave exploration is in its infancy. Kieran McKay is one of New Zealand’s leading cavers and has made significant contributions to the sport. Perhaps the greatest of these was his role in the Stormy Pot-Nettlebed cave connection. In 2011, Kieran applied for funding from Sport NZ and received a grant to search for the deepest cave in New Zealand. Members of the expedition spent two months camping on Mt Arthur, a mountain notorious for bad weather. The expedition got off to a bad start; within days of beginning, a storm ravaged their campsite, destroying gear and tents. The group moved into a drippy biv and continued to search for cave entrances high on…

In a world where more conflicting information than we could possibly dissect in one lifetime is catapulted at us from all angles, how can we hope to separate fact from fiction? Many of our key environmental issues – 1080 and climate change to name two – have helpful (and unhelpful) hands steering us in so many directions it’s bemusing, especially given the complex nature of such issues. Alison Ballance spends much of her life trawling through scientific research and speaking to the most informed minds, to give the public a clear picture of what science tells us about these issues in a language Joe Bloggs will understand. She says there has been a revolution in the past 10-15 years in how scientists present their work to the masses. “There’s a…

Lydia Bradey is a mountaineer in the true sense of the word. There are those who go into the mountains because it’s the place they’ve found as an outlet for their athleticism. They don't necessarily love, or have an affinity with the alpine world, it’s where they go to climb technically difficult routes. They tend to burn-out in a few years because they find the mountains too dangerous, or they become bored with them. Lydia has the mountaineer’s love of the mountain environment; someone who takes the good with the bad. Not that the 54-year-old goes into the mountains to lounge around. She believes there’s nothing more satisfying than being with a good climbing partner and being physically challenged, pushed to the limit of human endurance. She is blessed with…

It was an unlikely start to an international sporting career: the back of a bus on a youth-at-risk day trip. The bus was grinding gears over Takaka Hill and a tutor mentioned a race, the Kahurangi Challenge, which finished with a bike ride over this super-steep hill. From the back of the bus, a 17-year-old announced he could do that, to which the tutor asked: “What’s stopping you?” And the rest is history. Last November, Nelson’s Nathan Fa’avae, now 43, returned from Brazil with his fourth adventure racing world title and called time on an extraordinary 26-year career. We first noticed him at the 1991 Coast to Coast – the 17-year-old rookie with a mile-wide grin leading across the mountain run before climbing into a home-made kayak to eventually finish…

The Manawatu River existed long before the Tararua Ranges, now south of the river, or the Ruahine Ranges, now to the north. So, as the ranges rose, the unrelenting river carved the gorge. The gorge walk offer an accessible nature experience the whole family can enjoy. The track is mostly through bush, offering shade on a hot day. The Gorge Track is not a circuit, so there are a few logistics to sort out at the beginning and end. Walking in either direction is fine and it’s only 10km. Either end involves a fairly steep initial section, which then levels out a couple of hundred metres above the gorge. There are plenty of places to stop along the well graded, mostly smooth trail; and five lookouts offer nice views into…

We had low expectations for our trip to Mid Waiohine Hut. It’s not well used and at one time had a reputation for being a bit of a dive. We planned to visit, simply to say we had bagged it, but it turned out to be a far nicer trip than expected. There are a couple of ways to reach the hut, with the easiest and quickest being over Mt Holdsworth. We started on Friday night, walking to Powell Hut by torchlight. The track is well maintained, making travel, even at night, an easy two hours. With most of the climbing already done, it didn’t take long to reach the summit of Mt Holdsworth the next morning. With glorious weather, we were treated to spectacular views in all directions. We…

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ROUND THE MOUNTAIN TRICK ALTHOUGH WE HAVE walked the Round the Mountain Track in Tongariro National Park a number of times over the years, the Wilderness article, Perfect Circles (November 2015), encouraged us to do it again. On previous occasions, whether going up or down, the section of the Ohakune Mountain Road has been undertaken grudgingly and severely dented our enthusiasm for a repeat visit. But a moment of inspiration on our most recent visit – heading clockwise from Whakapapa – led us to an alternative that avoided this. Although it was a short deviation it was very enjoyable and gave us a sense of adventure that the road trip certainly wouldn’t have engendered. We turned right onto the track turn-off to Blyth Hut. From the hut, the map shows…

As rivers pose one of the most formidable obstacles in the backcountry, trampers must treat them with due respect. In colonial times, death by drowning was so common it became known as ‘the New Zealand death’. So people built bridges. It’s often forgotten now, but the New Zealand Forest Service and Department of Lands & Survey hut-building era of the 1950s to 1970s coincided with a huge backcountry bridge-construction effort. Bridges changed the nature of backcountry tramping almost as much as huts, by allowing many trips to occur in bad weather without the risk of becoming stranded by flooded rivers. Both government departments built a range of bridges, including walk-wires. Where a river was too wide or expensive to span using a conventional footbridge, they sometimes chose to construct a…

I recently stayed at the popular Rangiwahia Hut in Ruahine Forest Park while being vehicle-mover for a group heading into the Oroua River Valley. My time there gave rise to some observations and reflections on the backcountry hut experience. A few hours after we had settled in we were joined by 10 college students doing the obligatory overnighter in a hut for their Duke of Edinburgh award. With the optimism of youth, or perhaps lack of knowledge or planning, they had no sleeping mats and found only two bunks left. Some discussion ensued and sleeping arrangements sorted out. Our group came up with sleeping mats, the students were given pointers on how to fit four bodies on two mattresses, and some resourceful lads erected a makeshift bivvy with plastic and…

It’s mid-October, just after lambing season, when Andy Thompson and I pull into a gravel car park at Gebbies Pass. We’re within an hour’s drive of Christchurch and soon we’re walking, pine needles underfoot. Our conversation flows amid an orchestra of bleating lambs. I first heard about the ‘Spine of the Lizard’ project last February via an online video (the name has since changed to Summit Walkway). Suky Thompson, the manager of the Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust and no relation to Andy, gave a presentation about it at an earthquake recovery meeting in Christchurch. From my office-bound vantage, the idea of walking the length of a lizard, from Gebbies Pass to the Hilltop Tavern, right on my city’s doorstep, seemed appealing. So in late October, I embarked on an…

Four years ago, Nick Allen could only travel in a mobility scooter. Having been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) aged just 25, he could no longer walk on anything other than a flat surface, and even then only for a couple of minutes. Mentally, he’d accepted the inevitable downhill slide. His doctor had told him physical exertion would only make things worse. A keen tramper and climber in his teens, Nick’s childhood dreams of alpine climbing and Himalayan ascents were over, so he thought. “I thought it was a death sentence and there was no point in trying because my life was over,” recalls Nick, now 30. “I was in denial and didn’t want responsibility for a solution.” MS affects the central nervous system and can cause – among other…

Most trampers know of Craig Pot-ton through his photography. The cover of Images of a Limestone Landscape (written by Andy Dennis), showing a Fox River reflection, has become one of the best-known nature photographs ever taken in New Zealand. Another timeless image shows a Milford Sound waterfall blowing halfway back up a cliff. Craig’s photography makes you think about nature differently. Although much of his work features big landscapes, he’s equally adept with tiny details such as rocks or sand patterns, and has made an art form of chaotic and gloomy forest interiors. Visually powerful as his images are, it’s the underlying conservation message that gives his work real depth. Craig believes implicitly in the importance of nature, and for more than 40 years has worked with groups like the…

It’s hard to pin down exactly what changes an entire culture. But there’s a fair argument to suggest two keen trampers operating under the radar have done more than their bit to change the mindset of DOC. Two decades ago, the department felt it too risky to allow volunteers to fix overgrown tracks and dishevelled huts. DOC feared it would be responsible if something went wrong so, by and large, people left them to it. Not Frank King and Honora Renwick. You may have seen these names crop up in hut books, particularly in the Canterbury and West Coast regions. To say they’re keen trampers is an understatement. Since the early 1990s, the pair have been on more than 700 trips together, spending, in total, more than four years in…

When the public were told they wouldn’t be allowed to use an access road into a popular recreation area while a private company undertook construction work on public land, Erik Bradshaw made sure he stood up and was counted, in protest. His efforts to rally others to the cause and stir up public sentiment saw him labelled a ‘vigilante’; a description that didn’t bother him too much. Erik, and others in the Queenstown outdoor community, were stirred into action when DOC allowed NZ Ski, which operates the Remarkables and Coronet Peak ski fields, to close the road to the Remarkables Conservation Area while a new base building was being constructed last year. Erik believed the decision to be morally and legally wrong. “The thing that bothered me was that it’s…

Most people will only know Falls Creek from the impressive waterfall that fringes the Milford Road, but the route starting beside it offers excellent opportunities to explore classic Fiordland backcountry without the crowds found on more popular tracks such as Gertrude Saddle. A promising afternoon forecast meant we started at a relaxed 2pm. The track followed the creek steeply upwards as it climbed towards the hanging valley, crossing over slippery rock faces and gnarled roots. Glimpses into the Falls Creek cataract gave us a chance to surreptitiously wipe sweat off our brows. After 45 minutes of steady climbing, the track reached the valley and levelled out. The silver beech forest was unusually diverse, filled with lush lancewood and coprosmas. Every now and then we would pass through ‘orchards’ of shield…

Lying strategically in the hinterland of the central West Coast, just south of Lake Kaniere, the Browning Range, and its off-shoot Whitehorn Spur, are a mecca for trampers, ridge-rovers, hut-baggers, and adventurers. Not only is access to the range and tops made relatively easy by the presence of excellent tracks, but there are numerous huts around the range flanks and fascinating country to explore – be that in a weekend or a longer time frame when limitless opportunities await. Although fully west of the Main Divide, the range’s compact nature makes it an excellent location for trips in this part of Westland. There are no major summits here, with the highest just exceeding 1900m. Nor are there many named peaks, but there are great ridge trips and fine alpine tarns…

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Don’t forget your camera on your trips this summer because there are some fantastic prizes available in this year’s photo competition. The overall top prize from all categories will be a Pentax GX8 with a 12-35mm F2.8 weather sealed lens worth $2850. There will also be a prize for each of the following four categories: OUT THERE For the photos that make you go ‘wow’. These can be taken from/ of mountain or bush and can be a view to savour, can feature trampers, climbers, kayakers, bikers – anyone enjoying New Zealand’s wilderness. THE PRIZE: KEEN Durand Mid WP tramping boots HUTS AND CAMPING Celebrate the unique-ness of hut life and location, or share the perfect camping spot. THE PRIZE: The North Face Triarch 2 tent WILDLIFE Whether it’s birds,…

In clear weather, the Tararuas offer lovely views and, arguably, some of the best can be enjoyed between Mt Hector and Elder Hut, which sits just above the bush line at 1110m. From its cute little deck, or from the clearing just above the hut, are expansive views, especially to the west. The hut has just four bunks and visitors can arrive at any time – as I discovered when three intrepid souls walked through the door at 2am. If you can tolerate the down-and-up slog required to carry on from Elder Hut, past the bush-enclosed Renata Hut (670m) and over Kapakapanui (1102m), it’s rather satisfying to gaze back and relive your journey along Renata Ridge, around the Dress Circle from Mt Hector and all the way back to Otaki…

On paper, it looked like an impossible brief. Find a tramp suitable for kids and adults; some experienced, some novice. Strike a balance between adventure and comfort, excitement and relaxation. As adult trampers we often just throw ourselves into the elements and deal with whatever comes at us. With kids it’s different. You are responsible for shaping their early impression of tramping. And first impressions last. So, challenging and interesting for adults and easy enough for kids, but not so easy they’d get bored. It must be no longer than three days and include spacious, comfortable huts. A loop would be good. The tracks must be easy to follow and free of excess bog or dangerous, exposed ridgelines. A mixture of bush, tussock and mountain tops would be ideal. It…

For explorer Tara Mulvany, no corner of the globe is too remote. In fact, the fewer people there are, the more likely she’ll be paddling past. In 2014, she became the first woman to circumnavigate the three main islands of New Zealand by kayak. But she didn’t stop there, completing a five-week circumnavigation of Canada’s Vancouver Island in 2014. And last year she braved icy waters, solitude and – most threateningly – polar bears, to be the first to circumnavigate the archipelago of Svalbard, with fellow Kiwi Jaime Sharp and Norwegian Per Gustav Porsanger. To give you an idea of how far north Svalbard is, it’s part of Norway but almost 1000km north of the mainland. Think glaciers to sea level, reindeer, frozen tundra and polar bears. The trip was…

When I began tramping in the mid-1980s, few tramping guidebooks existed, and there was certainly no internet to provide endless information. Mark Pickering’s 75 Tramps in New Zealand (later expanded to 101 Tramps) opened my eyes to the extent of possibilities beyond my local ranges. His second book, The Hills (1988) was a tribute to New Zealand’s bush, mountains and rivers, as well as our backcountry lore. Originally from England, Mark emigrated to New Zealand in the 1970s, and served his tramping apprenticeship in the Tararua Ranges – which didn’t seem to put him off! He worked as a printer, but after shifting to Canterbury began a second career as a tramping guidebook author, and later, backcountry historian. His excellent 2004 book A Tramper’s Journey, is the closest we have…

It’s like the neglected child of our environment. While the state of our birdlife and forests are at least on the government’s radar, the condition of our rivers is a far murkier story, says Mike Joy. Mike says the state of lowland rivers is getting progressively worse. He describes the latest legislation as “the biggest backward step on freshwater protection possibly ever in this country”. He says successive governments are to blame, but none worse than the current government. “They believe in property rights and the idea of doubling agricultural production, but aren’t thinking how this might affect the environment. “There’s a lot of PR and spin – they don’t want people to know what’s going on.” Mike says the major contributor is intensive farming. He says that milk production…

With a forecast of torrential rain on the West Coast I needed somewhere east of the Divide, relatively sheltered from the predicted gale-force winds, and, as I was going solo, no large rivers to cross. Scrutinising my maps of the Canterbury Foothills, I spied a biv I had never heard of: Bob’s Camp Biv, in Mt Thomas Conservation Area. From the Wooded Gully picnic area and car park there are three different options to gain the ridge leading to the biv. The Summit Track climbs steeply through pine forest and traverses the tussock summit of Mt Thomas (1023m), while the Wooded Gully Track zigzags its way to the ridge, following a stream as it climbs gently through beech forest. Then there’s the Ridge Track, my track of choice. Finding the…

This can lead to infuriating – sometimes hilarious – situations. What normally takes a couple of minutes can turn into an ordeal lasting half-an-hour or longer. Nylon can end up a kilometre away and stuck halfway up a tree, while clipping the fly down can be as tricky as trying to catch a swarm of bees. The following tips provide the best chance of maintaining your sanity when preparing your home for a blustery night in the hills. 1 Have heavy gear close by to weigh down the tent 2 Have tent pegs in your pocket, ready for use 3 Get the tent poles fully set up and keep them close-by 4 Pull out the tent and position the narrowest part facing the wind 5 Stand upwind holding the corners…