Jobs, community and social engagement, ecological restoration, health, wellbeing and huge local pride are emerging positives of Ngā Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trails. On some trails, those involved…
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The road from Christchurch up the east coast to Blenheim and Picton is one of the country’s busiest. Winding through the Hunderlee Hills most drivers wouldn’t notice an innocuous…
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With a fast car and a fine weekend, there is no telling the beautiful sites you could see on New Zealand roads. The same diversity which makes it the…
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Over the past 30 years, DARCHE has become one of the best known and loved camping brands in Australia, after its founder, Darren O’Dwyer, started with an original dome swag...
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I came spitting out of a little chute between two boulders and landed with a huge splash, grinning ear to ear and gripping my paddle tight. I cruised to…
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100 years of boot making – but one boot stands out above all others Lowa is celebrating a remarkable milestone this year: 100 years of manufacturing outdoor footwear. The…
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“Where are you going?” I ask my partner in front, on his first experience of tramping in the New Zealand backcountry, as he veers off the barely discernible track. …
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When publisher David Hall decided to start a new outdoor magazine in 1991, he had little idea that he was embarking on the longest-running title of his career, or…
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Walk1200km is the country’s biggest walking challenge, and this year there are medals for every participant and more chances to win prizes from our partners. 3.3km x 365 =…
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The awa (river) The van driven by Hayden Potaka, Unique Whanganui River Experience director, picks me up outside the Whanganui War Memorial Centre on a breezy Saturday morning. It’s…
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The awa (river) The van driven by Hayden Potaka, Unique Whanganui River Experience director, picks me up outside the Whanganui War Memorial Centre on a breezy Saturday morning. It’s…
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A round-up of news from the wild. WorkSafe New Zealand is calling for the removal of unsafe rock cairns from conservation land due to safety concerns about falling rocks. …
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During autumn you’re likely to spot interesting fungi growing in the bush. By Athena Rhodes Werewere kōkako The werewere kōkako, Entoloma Hochstetteri, is on the $50 note. It’s quite…
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It’s after dark in Torea Bay. We are relaxing on the lawn outside Outward Bound’s Te Kainga cottage, where we are staying overnight. Or not, as it turns out.…
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It’s 4.30pm on Friday when Alice Brice leaves Sharplin Falls car park to jog to Pinnacles Hut. The track sidles beside a creek and Brice emerges on the tops…
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It was 1987. I was in my first year at Massey University in Palmerston North, and U2’s album The Joshua Tree was taking the world by storm. I loved…
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Most trampers know the feeling of limping into the office on a Monday morning, sleep-deprived and sore after a weekend well-enjoyed in the backcountry. “And you did that for fun? During...
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Wilderness Reader Panel Can you help make Wilderness better by participating in semi-regular reader surveys? Please enter your name and email address below. Join the panel! Thank...
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Barry Shepherd Taupo Police SAR, 36 years For 36 years, Barry Shepherd has been helping lost and injured trampers on the Central Plateau, one of the busiest search and…
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Patagonia Long-Sleeved Capilene Cool Daily Graphic Shirt $99.99 This is Patagonia’s most versatile technical top, built for use on trail or water. It’s quick-drying, with HeiQ Pure odour control,…
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MSR Mini-Groundhog stakes $69.99 (six pack) Used by: Features writer Hazel Phillips Used for: 12 months A tent peg is a peg is a peg – right? Surely one doesn’t deserve…
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On the West Coast, mountain biking is going off. Riders are pedalling into the three big wilderness trails already in the region, while, months before it even opened, bookings…
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From stocking fillers to essential outdoor kit, books and artwork, the 2023 Wilderness guide to Christmas has something for everyone. WoolAid Outdoor Multipack $14.99These award-winning hyperfine merino wool plasters…
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Spend enough time in backcountry huts and you’re bound to meet some interesting people. Rob Gerard shares some of his hut tales Worst night ever in a hut We arrived at D’Urville…
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Welcome to the Wilderness Weekly Poll, where we gauge your opinions on outdoor stuff. Don’t forget, sign up to our Wilderness Weekly newsletter to get the results of this week’s poll…
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Increasingly women are at the forefront of fresh expeditions and first crossings. Penzy Dinsdale traversed the length of the Southern Alps and Tanya Bottomley the 45th parallel, while Tarsh…
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A futurist games four possible scenarios for New Zealand’s tourism industry in a world that has (and hasn’t) managed to get a hold of Covid-19. The silver lining of…
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Welcome to the inaugural Wilderness 100 – an annual list of the best trips in the country. As you’d expect with such a list, we’ve applied careful thought and discussion,...
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A wrap of the biggest stories and best writing about the outdoors from New Zealand and around the world. Over the summer of 2021, Richard Hartfield completed a two-month…
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Oturere Hut on the Tongariro Northern Circuit has reached the end of its life and is to be replaced in the summer of 2024/25, or later. DOC Tongariro district…
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Over the past 30 years, DARCHE has become one of the best known and loved camping brands in Australia, after its founder, Darren O’Dwyer, started with an original dome swag...
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Iron-infused rocks create unique red landscapes where plant life struggles and boots are torn asunder. Where Te Araroa Trail passes through the southwest corner of the Richmond Range towards…
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Four magnificent and accessible wild coastal walks, each within reach of a significant city. When trampers think of wild coastlines, what usually comes first to mind are those on our most…
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The gannet colony at Muriwai is a favourite spot for bird watchers, but whether by accident or design not everyone is respectful of the birds. This guide to ethically…
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I was on the highest point of the Tararua Range – 1571m Mitre / Pukeamoamo. The wind had eased and swirling clouds bathed in dramatic evening light silently cleared.…
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“Two more of these and I’ll be dead,” he said. Christmas Village Hut, August 1995 – my brother’s 25th. I thought he meant tequila but he was riffing off…
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Six great reasons to subscribe! Save – get 12 issues for the price of nine with an annual Print+Website subscription Receive special offers and discounts through our Wildcard membership programme...
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Shuffling down the side of the track on Te Mata Peak, past broken branches scattered by Cyclone Gabrielle, Mike Lusk points to a mass of green grass. It takes…
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Short walks on Otago’s Peninsula promise unique wildlife encounters and scenery, writes David Barnes Otago Peninsula has had high praise from some eco-knights. Sir David Bellamy said it…
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Complete the crossword and rearrange the letters in the blue squares to spell out the hidden solution. Send your answer, name and address, by August 20, to: wildernessword@lifestylepublishing.co.nz. All…
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Will you join me and thousands of others in walking 1200km over 12 months? Whether you’re a subscriber, and tramp every other weekend, or have bought Wilderness for the…
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It’s been a classic track for decades: Taranaki’s Around the Mountain Circuit is one of those trails that sooner or later is on the ‘to do’ list of most…
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Heel pain is a common ailment for trampers, especially after long days on the trail. Physio Samantha Sutton explains how to deal with it Heel pain is common and…
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Multi-day packs are big enough to hold food and gear for several days (including a tent if required), and have harnesses and padding designed to ensure heavy loads can…
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Gear editor Mark Watson provides a round-up of the new and interesting products he’s discovered lately. Macpac expand inclusive sizing range Macpac is expanding its clothing range in inclusive…
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Three mapping, navigation and route-recording apps to help you plan your next adventure. Read Part I of this review, titled ‘Which navigation app should you use?’ NZ Topo50 Offline…
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‘They’re full of tourists … not the real backcountry … they’re just highways … the huts are like hotels …’ You’ve probably heard all the above comments. You may…
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When traversing glaciated terrain, falling into a deep blue crevasse would be your worst nightmare. While exploring the Tasman Glacier, I practised some crevasse rescue techniques. Now I just need to…
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Get your photo published here to receive a meal from Real Meals worth $17. Learn more about Real Meals at www.realmeals.co.nz. Last Weekend submission criteria can be found here. Support Wilderness…
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Fancy a figure eight of red-ribbon single-track offering fabulous views, even flow and a descent with an historic bent? It’s found right in the epicentre of the Queenstown Lakes…
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Former park ranger turned tourism sustainability consultant Dave Bamford reckons the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is one of the country’s leading examples of tourism done badly. The crossing is rated…
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When a tramper became dizzy and began vomiting while walking Te Araroa Trail, help initially came from the other side of the world. By Tomáš Černák Last year, I…
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Hazel Phillips explores a range of tramping snacks that aren’t your usual fare and reaches a higher plane of culinary delights. A one thousand calorie snack. It’s either something that…
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It’s been a classic track for decades: Taranaki’s Around the Mountain Circuit is one of those trails that sooner or later is on the ‘to do’ list of most…
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When it comes to getting enough sleep in a front country hut, you really have to just hope for the best I like nothing more than to wrap myself…
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Your votes and been counted, and the 2019 Wilderness Reader’s Choice Outdoor Awards have come down to the wire. But there can only be one winner in each category,…
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Here’s a selection of finalists: Support Wilderness Since 1991, Wilderness has had one simple goal: to help Kiwis 'See more, do more, live more' of New Zealand. If you…
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Tramping in general, and tramping photography in particular, seem to attract people with a certain mindset. We are lovers of extra elbow room, and a mountain shared can feel…
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Want to win gear like our letter of the month winner? Send your letter to the editor: editor@lifestylepublishing.co.nz. Letter of the month Bananas over gear On the topic of storing…
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Ever wondered where are the favourite spots of those who know the backcountry better than anyone? We’ve canvassed DOC rangers around the country for their must-do, must-see tracks, valleys,…
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A school holiday tramping programme helps kids gain confidence and skills from their grandparents. The snowstorm was gathering intensity and the decision was made to close Mt Ruapehu. As…
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Rakiura/Stewart Island is the land of glowing skies and dark blue water. It is a wild and unforgiving place with a coastline of golden sand and granite beaches, crashing…
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Looking out the window of the ski club lodge on Mt Ruapehu’s Whakapapa side, I eyed up a route I’d been ‘finger tramping’ on the topo map for a…
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Rain can be a real spoiler for a tramp. But how much rain will it take to affect your trip? We all check the weather before heading out for…
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Poles Set your poles at the right height, so that the elbow is at 90-degrees when standing flat for going uphill, lengthen slightly for downhill. If using a three…
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Subscribe to Wilderness in December or January, and you’ll be entered into the draw to win a share of more than $5300 of the world’s best outdoor gear from MSR...
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Tired of cramped campgrounds and keen to foster a more symbiotic relationship with the landscape? Here’s the Wilderness guide to wild camping. By David Caudwell Have you ever been…
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We were inspired by Geoff Chapple’s book Te Araroa: The New Zealand Trail, and began our walk in 2002. My wife Susan and I, now into our late seventies,…
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January: River tubing, Tararua Forest Park Imagine a fine, warm day, the sun glinting off the rapids, the walls of a bush-clad gorge rising above, and your feet pointed…
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Naturalist Robert Vennell loves the outdoors so much that even trying to pin him down for an interview is like trying to glimpse an elusive forest-dwelling species. When he is…
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Whether using paper maps or digital, navigating with a compass or tracking with GPS, understanding how to read contour lines on topographic maps is an essential backcountry skill. 1.…
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Trail running is much like tramping. Both involve tracks, dirt roads and off-track travel. The big difference is that trail running is done at a quicker pace. So what…
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January: River tubing, Tararua Forest Park Imagine a fine, warm day, the sun glinting off the rapids, the walls of a bush-clad gorge rising above, and your feet pointed…
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Turangi offers a unique walking weekend experience that combines solitude and exploration of the town’s unique thermal attractions Discovering hidden gems in New Zealand’s diverse landscape is one of…
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Larryn Rae is a landscape and astro-photographer based in Wānaka. He’s especially well known for his distinct nightscape images. “Most of my personal adventures involve New Zealand’s breathtaking landscapes,…
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It’s one of New Zealand’s hardest day trips and training for Taranaki Maunga’s 2518m summit is not to be underestimated. It’s a 6.3km hike to the top, and it’s…
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Rathkeale College Tramping Club isn’t averse to risk-taking in the outdoors There’s a crucial ingredient in every tramping trip that goes beyond gear, food, and navigation devices. It’s trust,…
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No matter how much effort we put into planning a wilderness trip, circumstances can conspire against us. But a willingness to adapt can sometimes lead to a satisfying and successful outcome. By…
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Desiccated coconut is a good alternative to milk powder and, when combined with oats and seeds, makes a tasty, sweet and filling breakfast. If you’ve run out of milk…
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Fancy a hike followed by a hangi? That’s the premise of Book A Marae, where trampers can gain a cultural experience by overnighting on remote marae. More than 20…
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Nothing compares to the feeling of bringing a missing loved one home. The closest buzz LandSAR dog handler Dave Krehic can relate it to is the first rugby try…
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Sonia Barrish is passionate about taking her kids into the backcountry. Five-year-old Bethany recently bagged her 150th hut, while one-year-old Jordan is likely to smash that record – he…
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Over the past 30 years, DARCHE has become one of the best known and loved camping brands in Australia, after its founder, Darren O’Dwyer, started with an original dome swag...
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Imagining anything like a war zone in Anchorage, or any bay in Abel Tasman National Park, is a stretch. The place is peace personified; surrounded by native forest and…
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I was a 12-year-old in 1990 when I set off with my uncles and cousin to tramp the Tararua Northern Crossing. We began just east of Levin, and the…
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Old Julia Hut, West Coast The old Julia Hut that sits at the confluence of the Julia and Mary creeks in the upper Taipo Valley was built in 1958.…
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Calling all trampers – Wilderness is looking for a freelance part-time newsletter and social media editor to begin in early March. The role is up to eight hours a week...
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You have been tramping when you fall and hurt your ankle. What should you do now? An ankle injury on the trail can make walking difficult and there’s no…
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It’s much easier to keep going happily when you know how much longer there is to go. Estimating how long it will take to reach a destination is a…
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When it comes to planning your trip food, a basic understanding of nutrition goes a long way When it comes to pre-tramp food prep, I’m more of an aimless…
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Do New Zealanders need to rethink the way they talk about predator control? Hating possums seems to be as compulsory for New Zealanders as supporting the All Blacks. From…
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The story of the great Australian mountaineer Freda du Faur, the first woman to climb Aoraki / Mt Cook. By Harry Broad They climbed to the summits of New…
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When I was young I devoted rainy days to exploring the outside world through photography. Sinking into the cushions of the family couch, I’d spend hours flipping through photo…
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Burnett and Wakamarama ranges, Kahurangi National Park These two heavily forested mountain ranges stretch from the Heaphy Track to Farewell Spit, dividing Golden Bay from the upper West Coast…
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Scott Kennedy finds out the hard way that not all dreams can be made into reality Every day I look from my living room window the ridge taunts me,…
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Wilderness tests three vacuum-insulated flasks that promise to keep drinks hot on cold winter days. How we tested For both hot water tests, we boiled water and filled each…
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Walking side by side at an incredible location, gazing into a campfire under the stars – it’s probably not surprising that many relationships originate in the backcountry. For Wynne…
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Tom Donald was lying under ferns, somewhere in Erua Forest. He’d been trying for hours to find his way out. Now it was dark, and he was trying to…
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I arrived at Arthur’s Pass with a bagful of personal trauma and a list of tramping objectives. The list was split into two columns: on the left, the stuff…
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It’s a dead-end for vehicles, but for trampers it’s just the beginning. Few towns boast such rich country for exploration: the Routeburn Track Great Walk, the Rees-Dart, Greenstone-Caples, Cascade…
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Shaken and stirred A hut isn’t the best place to get a good night’s sleep, but Sally Turnbull had a particularly restless night on the Old Ghost Road when the…
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Is there anything so stirring to bravado as a high jump into water? The rush of acceleration, the stomach’s queasy lurch, the shock of the plunge, and finally the…
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One winter, when I set out to climb and hopefully ski Mt Ruapehu’s 11 summit peaks, another interest intervened and I began tracing the history of the naming conventions…
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Calling all trampers – Wilderness is looking for a freelance part-time newsletter and social media editor to begin in early March. The role is up to eight hours a week...
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There are many unwritten rules attached to trail etiquette that foster positive experiences, lasting use of trails and protection of the environment. Here are some, written down. Right of…
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An incredible service ensures blind and low vision New Zealanders can access the outdoors in all its forms. It’s the most amazing publishing service you’ve never heard of. Each…
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On a week-long rafting trip, Mick Abbott comes to view rivers in an entirely different light Big rivers are my adversary. I’ve walked for 30km on the true left…
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Jollie Brook Circuit, Lake Sumner Forest Park After seeing The Hobbit, my Dad and I were aching to get back into Middle Earth’s majestic backcountry. With our fitness levels at...
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Australia is big, with incredible diversity from beaches to mountains, forests to deserts. Here are six top multi-day tramps worth travelling for. Support Wilderness Since 1991, Wilderness has had…
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The Tararua Mountain Race is considered by mountain runners as one of New Zealand’s hardest trail runs. The event goes from Kaitoke to Otaki Forks across the inhospitable tops…
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A job in the outdoors doesn’t have to be something you do until you find a ‘real’ job. Rewarding career paths exist for those who want a lifetime outside…
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American pro skier Chris Davenport is a busy guy. When he’s not climbing one of Colorado’s highest peaks or carving lines down the steepest slopes of the European Alps, he’s spending...
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A decadent treat that uses the natural sweetness of kumara and the goodness of goji berries. Profile Makes 16 truffles Cook time 30min Prep time 10min Cost $10-$15 Ingredients…
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Things I learned recently about Ruapehu: A plane crashed on the Mangatoetoenui Glacier in 1952, and took 31 years to reappear, 600m from its crash site; the aforementioned Mangatoetoenui…
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We’ve all got a bucket list – those trips we want to tick off before we clock out – but what’s on yours might not be on ours. So…
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A day ride on the newest addition to the cycle trail network reveals jaw-dropping views and an adventurous ride for all abilities. By Kerensa Clark With the opening of…
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It’s extremely difficult – if not impossible – to accurately describe your location on a map unless you use a grid reference. Heather Grady explains how Our maps have…
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David Caudwell plunges into the mangled slopes of the Douglas Range to discover how disorientation, despair and anger can be used not only to forge stronger paths on the…
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Avalanche fatalities in New Zealand are low compared to many other nations, but experts here say that is more down to luck than anything else Ending up in a…
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The story of New Zealand’s leading woman mountaineer By Pat Deavoll Craig Potton Publishing $40.00 In many areas of life, the achievements of women often don’t get the same…
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Support Wilderness Since 1991, Wilderness has had one simple goal: to help Kiwis 'See more, do more, live more' of New Zealand. If you value our mission, please consider…
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It’s always a good time to launch an armchair expedition and travel through the pages of a classic adventure tale. Six adventurers share the book that inspires them into the wilderness.…
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From abseiling down waterfalls to cliff jumping into deep blue pools, canyoning offers an experience few have tried PERCHED ON MASSIVE boulders amongst pools of sparkling waters at the top of Sleeping…
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If you like living on the edge, you must try New Zealand’s scariest tramps Words and images by Shaun Barnett, Geoff Spearpoint, Richard Davies and Mark Watson Waterfall Face,…
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I feel cold as raindrops seep through my hair onto my neck and, with icy fingers, I grip my hiking poles tighter. I’m watching the sun flare red with…
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Could there be a better hut in the country than Asbestos Cottage in which to sit around an open fire in a manuka armchair strung with potato sacks, unfurl…
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Forget the rugby, and the cricket, the real test is between which country wins the battle of the tramps. Ex-pat Kiwi Ricky French, with admirable lack of bias, weighs…
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Description: Small thorny shrubs growing between 1-3m tall, flowers are white to pink about 5cm in diameter with yellow centres and multiple stamen. They bloom in the spring, and…
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Waiau River Trail, Bay of Plenty “Sometimes it’s so quiet, my ears ring,” says Kerry Snowden as we paddle the Waiau River, just 45-minutes drive north from my home…
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You are at a river which you want to cross; it’s been decided it’s safe to cross and where to cross. But how should the crossing be done? If…
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Taking care of your body after a long tramp is as important as the preparation before. After all, for those of us with the bug, there is always another…
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Subscribe to Wilderness in December or January, and you’ll be entered into the draw to win a share of more than $5300 of the world’s best outdoor gear from MSR...
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Welcome to the Wilderness Deal Finder, where we showcase the best gear deals offered by our Wildcard partners. Check out the deals below…. Peak to Plateau Ladakh Crew Sock…
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Hundreds of daddy longlegs blanketed the outside of a backpacker’s tent in Alaska, a video posted by the park shows in frightening detail.
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You got this,” I tell myself, as I plunge my paddle into the murky brown water. We are five minutes into our three-day canoe trip down the Whanganui River…
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Mt Taranaki’s Lake Dive Hut has been destroyed by a fire, DOC has confirmed. It’s thought the hut burnt down over the weekend, though the cause remains unknown at…
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