Pigeon Post, October 2013
Letter of the month: More tips for family adventures Thanks for the family focus in the August 2013 issue. I really enjoyed the article ‘Through the ages’ for the glimpse it...
Meghan Walker
How to carry your PLB
Wilderness asked Mike Hill from the Rescue Coordination Centre for his advice on where to carry your personal locator beacon (PLB). He suggests to place your PLB either in a zipped pocket of your trousers...
How to tie a bowline knot
The bowline knot is a straightforward, secure loop that’s useful for tying a tarp or hammock to a tree. It’s also useful in a rescue situation, looping rope around a...
How much fuel is left in the canister?
This conundrum has left many a multiday tramper pondering whether a morning coffee is wise, given the risk of cold dehy meals for the rest of the trip. Of course,...
15 of NZ's best backcountry lakes
Often the highlight of a great trip in the hills, backcountry lakes provide idyllic camping spots, bracing dips and scenery second to none. We take you to 15 of the...
Walkshorts, December 2015
Climb, Fix, Fell A party of four climbers had a memorable – and active – Labour Weekend, topping out on Mt Arrowsmith, 2781m, making repairs to Cameron Hut and felling...
Pigeon Post, December 2015
Letter of the month: The power of Wilderness With a four-year-old daughter and a one-year-old son, opportunities for my husband and I to get out tramping have been limited in recent...
Meet the Warden: Pinnacles Hut's Pete Hall
First-time packing guide
For those new to tramping, it can be tough to figure out what you need to pack – and what you don’t – on an overnight or multi-day trip. Meghan...
Make fire with reading glasses
If you’ve got to the age when reading glasses are a part of your life, you have a handy little trick to impress your smug, better-sighted tramping counterparts who have...
Live for the outdoors
Meghan Walker looks at the impact made by philanthropic trampers and mountaineers who have fostered outdoor recreation long after their deaths Michael Taylor lived for the outdoors. Former president and...
Wilderness Outdoor Awards 2016 Nominees
Wilderness readers have spoken, and the nominations have been compiled into a stellar list for this year’s Outdoor Awards. Each nominee was chosen from a lengthy list of entries, whittled...
Should DOC have greater powers?
A bill that would give 260 DOC rangers greater power to protect endangered wildlife is now open for public comment. The Wildlife (Powers) Amendment Bill will grant rangers additional powers...
More helis, more headaches
DOC is increasing the daily limit of helicopter landings from 14 to 80 on the Ngapunatoru Plateau at the head of Tutoko Valley in Fiordland National Park. It’s a development...
Dart Track to reopen in November
DOC has announced its plan to reopen the Dart Track later this year. The popular track has been closed since January 2015 after flooding caused a large slip on the...
Soper Tent Camp now open in Kahurangi NP
A group of volunteers and DOC workers have finished work on the Soper Shelter tent Camp in Kahurangi National Park. With its wooden frame and canvas walls, the camp is...
The good life
Foraging for food isn’t about looking through rubbish bins, it’s about finding organic and healthy fruit, herbs and even roadkill in wild and urban environments. Meghan Walker goes in search...
Just add water
Absolute Wilderness co-founder Andrew MacDonald is taking backcountry cuisine back to basics, one ingredient at a time. One of the most magical parts of tramping is the moment you prop...
Book early for Great Walks
It’s already time to start planning next summer’s Great Walks: 2016/2017 bookings for the country’s most popular tramps open the first week of May. Bookings for the Whanganui Journey, Routeburn...
Amphibious explorers
If you’ve ever gazed longingly at a swiftly moving river while on a long and arduous tramp and thought there must be an easier way down the trail, you’re in...
Hut Life: Pinnacles Hut, Coromandel Forest Park
Wilderness takes you to the largest hut in New Zealand, the Pinnacles Hut in the Coromandel Forest Park. We spent one night in the 80-bunk lodge, chatting to trampers and...
Sounds from the trail
An overnight trip to Pinnacles Hut – many a tramper’s first time hut experience – is the perfect introduction to our new podcast series, Sounds from the Trail This month,...
Walking with a purpose
Kelly Purdie is walking 4500km around the South Island, educating people about Juvenile Parkinson’s Disease along the way. Wilderness catches up with her at kilometre 1385 For Kelly Purdie, walking 4500km...
Green Party calls for increased funding for DOC
The Green Party has challenged the National government to increase funding for the Department of Conservation. According to the Parliamentary Library, funding for the department has dropped consistently over the...
Green Party insists that DOC structures need attention
In an ongoing effort to draw attention to mismanaged conservation funding, the Green Party has released a report that shows a lengthy list of DOC structures that are unsafe or...
Avalanche safety tips for snowy slopes
If the snowy tops are tempting this winter, it’s a good idea to become well-versed in the ways of avalanche safety. The Mountain Safety Council has teamed up with Epic...
Hut Life: Panekire Hut, Lake Waikaremoana
Our second Hut Life story is from Panekire Hut, perched high above Lake Waikaremoana in the Te Ureweras. When Wilderness visited the 36-bunk hut, it was a beehive of activity,...
Waikaremoana walkabout
Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk, Te Urewera When trying to make a last-minute booking for a Great Walk over a long weekend, one has to be flexible. But with its plethora...
Then along came a helicopter
Even as DOC plans to increase helicopter flights to the Ngapunatoru Ice Plateau from 10 to 80 a day, the intrusion of these loud flying machines in backcountry areas is already...
The young and the restless
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, and...
Beacon and sausages
After falling down a ravine with a pack full of snarlers, Don Stevens was plucked from the Tararuas in the nick of time thanks to a new high-flying satellite network....
Mountain Film Festival kicks off in Wanaka July 1
The 14th annual New Zealand Mountain Film Festival is just around the corner, set to bring together a group of inspirational mountaineers, climbers, authors and filmmakers for one week in...
Pathways to Adventure
A group of trampers, hunters, mountain bikers, and environmentalists converged for a Federated Mountain Clubs workshop in the Kaimai Ranges to discuss how to improve their local stomping grounds.
Improved online mapping system allows for better trip planning
It’s now even easier to explore New Zealand’s backcountry, with an improved online mapping system that allows for personalised route-planning. Designed by the New Zealand Walking Access Commission, the Walking...
Otaki Gorge Road has reopened
Otaki Gorge Road has reopened after a long and messy bout of slips and instability in the area. The road in the Tararua Forest Park was closed due to concerns...
Guide or teach? It’s your choice
Most who opt for a career in the outdoors go down one of two roads of employment; either education or adventure tourism. Whether you choose, a career in education or...
Escape the office
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 Sash...
How a walk in the wild can clear your head
Going for a tramp makes us feel great, so it’s little wonder mental health professionals are turning to the outdoors as a way to treat patients The Japanese call it...
Kiwi backs First Nation tribes
A zoologist-turned-filmmaker gives the world a glimpse into the pristine northern Canada backcountry, where conservation efforts and the mining industry are at odds When Simon Lucas set out into the...
Hut Life: Anchorage Hut, Abel Tasman National Park
Hear stories from trampers, kayakers and day-trippers at the beachfront Anchorage Hut in Abel Tasman National Park.
Ambitious predator plan needs stars to align
The Department of Conservation has announced an ambitious plan to make New Zealand predator-free by 2050. The development of a public-private partnership company, Predator Free New Zealand Limited, with $28m...
Rock wren population on the rise
The elusive rock wren/tuke population in Fiordland is bouncing back thanks to a successful ongoing predator trapping programme. The Southland Section of the New Zealand Alpine Club’s (SSNZAC) trapping project...
Aerial images show devastation from kauri dieback
The Ministry of Primary Industries has just released aerial drone images of trees in Waipoua Forest displaying signs of kauri dieback disease. Jay Harkness, the communications spokesperson from the Kauri...
Battle for our Birds sets its sights on Fiordland
DOC’s Battle for our Birds project is now getting underway in Fiordland. The pest control programme, which involves a combination of aerial 1080 and predator traps, will commence in Arthur...
Win tickets to Auckland premiere of Paddle for the North
We have another double pass to give away for the Auckland premiere of Paddle for the North, showing at the Mercury Theatre on Friday, August 26. To enter to win,...
Sole searching
Do you really need heavy, high–top boots for all your tramps? Wilderness readers share their opinion These days, trampers are spoiled for choice when it comes to footwear. There are a...
Mischief in the mountains
Once considered a pest to be eradicated, kea are now nationally endangered. Meghan Walker finds out how conservationists are taking steps to save the inquisitive alpine parrot Kea are cheeky....
Racing the ranges
Tackling the Tararua’s S-K route is already a feat in itself, but could you do the 80km journey in less than a day? High in the Tararua Forest Park, there’s...
Enjoying the journey
Not long ago, Nick Allen had limited mobility and could only get around with the help of a wheelchair. Now, he’s climbing peaks in the Himalayas and redefining what it...
Suburban wilderness wins
A developer’s plan to build 750 new houses in Okura has been dashed after strong public outcry There’s an oasis of bush on the North Shore. Nestled between suburban neighborhoods,...
Free book celebrates Nature Heritage Fund’s 25th anniversary
The Nature Heritage Fund turns 25 this year. The fund, designed to help landowners, government and communities safeguard their local ecosystems, has granted protection for 1.3 per cent of land...
Toboggan tramping with the kids
Walkshorts, Wild Families, Free Articles
If the thrill of tramping through crispy white snow isn’t enough to get the kids excited for a winter tramping trip, how about taking a toboggan to spice things up?...
Rescue of Czech woman highlights importance of tramping safety measures
The recent rescue of the Czech woman from the Routeburn Track has raised awareness about tourism safety in the New Zealand outdoors. Pavlina Pizova survived a month in the hut...
Family, career, and the pursuit of powder: an interview with pro skier Chris Davenport
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...
Popular Glenorchy peak closed to public access
The popular Mount Alfred Track near Glenorchy has been closed to public access. Mount Alfred/Ari (1375m) is part of the Earnslaw Station, a 6000ha section of pastoral land leased by...
Mt Alfred guiding company plans to offer conservation-based walks
The company that has gained the exclusive concession for guiding on Mt Alfred/Ari says it wants to use the area to promote conservation and environmental stewardship through guided walks. The...
Franz Josef gondola could phase out heli flights
If you’ve ever been to Franz Josef Glacier in the peak of tourist season, you’ll recall the throngs of visitors on the trail and nearly constant buzz of helicopters overhead....
A dark Heron
We timed our trip to Cameron Hut to coincide with winter’s first big snow. Before tackling the track, we camped a night at Lake Heron under perfectly clear skies. –...
5 backpack hacks
It’s one of the most important pieces of gear you’ll haul up the mountain, and should be treated with respect. Here are a few tips on how to care for...
Identity crisis
Two hugely successful film trilogies have changed how New Zealanders identify with themselves and the outdoors. By Meghan Walker What was New Zealand before it was Middle-earth? Back in the...
The bird lady
Known as ‘The Bird Lady’, Sylvia Durrant has been nursing sick and injured birds for three decades. Cat bites, concussions and broken legs: these are just a few of the ailments...
Suburban wilderness wins
A developer’s plan to build 750 new houses in Okura has been dashed after strong public outcry There’s an oasis of bush on Auckland’s North Shore. Nestled between suburban neighborhoods,...
DOC calls police over 1080 threats
There’s growing concern over safety for conservation workers as activists plan to observe Anti 1080 Day on Saturday, October 8. Dr William Rolleston, president of Federated Farmers, says anyone who...
Clean-up underway in Whirinaki Conservation Park
Heavy snowfall from winter storms has done a number on Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park. Several tracks were damaged, making access to tracks and huts difficult. DOC has 16 current...
Hydro scheme will ‘alter character’ of Waitaha River
DOC is accepting submissions for comment on a proposed hydro scheme on the Waitaha River, near Harihari on the West Coast of the South Island. Westpower Ltd, a power company...
Adventure, post, like
Are adrenalin-inducing sports and summit selfies objectifying nature and feeding our egos, or helping create a new generation of conservation-minded outdoors people? From an early age, Craig Potton had a...
Making waves, cleaning beaches
From the Galapagos to Great Barrier Island, Sustainable Coastlines co-founder Sam Judd is cleaning up beaches and waterways with help from surprising places It was a shark bite that changed...
Great Walk fees aren’t coming… yet
In an off-the-cuff Q&A session, Department of Conservation director-general Lou Sanson floated the idea of imposing additional Great Walk fees to help alleviate the pressure the tracks have come under...
Pop-up parking lots for Tongariro Alpine Crossing
If you’ve been waiting for the next public holiday to tick the Tongariro Alpine Crossing off your bucket list, you might have to take public transportation to get to and...
Weigh in on proposed changes to topo maps
There are changes in the works for paper maps, and Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) wants your input. With more people turning to digital maps, LINZ is considering changing the...
DOC urges caution in the backcountry following South Island earthquakes
Update (16 Nov): DOC says that overall, most of its facilities appear to have escaped damage from the Kaikoura earthquakes, apart from some tracks nearer to the epicentre. Rangers are...
How to obtain a bearing from a map
This five-step process will help you determine your direction of travel. 1. Find your location on the map using visual cues such as hills, valleys, or waterway 2. Use the compass...
Bushcraft 101
Taking it back to basics, Meghan Walker signs up for a bushcraft course to learn the A-B-Cs of tramping I have a confession to make. Even though I’m A) in...
The business of being outdoors
From blister protection to rooftop camping and social networking for outdoor enthusiasts, these young entrepreneurs are making their marks in the outdoors industry. The first time Beth Eastell and Joel Hedges saw a...
Walking the Long Pathway
Te Araroa Trail, Wild People, Free Articles
Wilderness meets a crop of this year’s aspirant Te Araroa Trail walkers The Te Aaroa Trail officially opened five years ago, and since then, almost 800 peope have attempted the...
DOC confirms two huts destroyed in quakes
Last week’s earthquakes have destroyed two backcountry huts and damaged others in the northern South Island. DOC reports that Barratts Hut and Barratts Bivvy in the Kaikoura region were swept...
Two dead on Tararua tramp
The tramping community is mystified over the deaths of two men in Tararua Forest Park. According to police, the men, ages 32 and 39, were on an overnight tramp to...
Kaikoura man felt quakes while on solo tramp
While most people were at home in their beds when the 7.8-magnitude quake hit on the northern South Island, Andy Milne was asleep in his bivvy sack on Kowhai Saddle,...
The North Face turns 50 years young
The North Face is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year; the outdoor outfitters company, started by American adventurer Doug Tompkins, opened its doors in 1966 in San Francisco. Despite humble...
Popular Ruahine huts on new booking system
Two popular huts in Hawke’s Bay are adopting a new bunk-booking system to help cope with the increasingly busy summer months. The 13-bunk Rangiwahia Hut and 20-bunk Sunrise Hut in...
Volunteers give West Coast hut a spring clean
A group of volunteers has spruced up a little old hut on the West Coast in preparation for the upcoming summer months. The Buller Tramping Club spent a weekend working...
Wildboy takes on New Zealand’s wildest island
Brando ‘Wildboy’ Yelavich has returned from a 30-day solo tramp around Stewart Island. Yelavich, who is known for his walk around the coastlines of both the North and South islands,...
Into the bush to belong
In multicultural Auckland, where refugee students rub shoulders with immigrants and other ethnic minorities, the Duke of Edinburgh Hillary Award helps people from diverse backgrounds assimilate into New Zealand society....
Dirty and sandblasted
We check in with those walking Te Araroa Trail this season and find the mud of Raetea Forest a challenge for everyone Bettina Grotschel, 34, Germany Start date: October 14...
The missing link
A crowdfunding campaign has helped save a vital slice of regenerating wetland in Auckland THE MATUKU Link is not pristine, insists John Staniland. Rather, it’s the result of many decades of...
Te Araroa trail magic at its finest
Christmas came early for one Te Araroa hiker. When Canadian Jen Hanlon arrived in Auckland, she got the news that every traveller dreads: her luggage was missing. Hanlon had lost...
Beacon usage rose in 2016
The number of people who are carrying and activating rescue beacons is on the rise. There were 230 land-based beacon activations in 2016, 152 of which necessitated rescues. Nationwide, the...
Southland parks now open for regular heli landings
A helicopter company has been given a concession to land in two backcountry Southland parks. Te Anau Helicopter Services will be allowed to land at specific huts in the Takitimu...
Gorge-ous descents
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 God...
A lifetime of summits
Penny Webster has finished her 37-year mission to bag all of New Zealand’s 3000m peaks Despite climbing 24 of New Zealand’s 3000m peaks, mountain climber Penny Webster still calls herself...
Time for a rest stop
We check in with those walking Te Araroa Trail this season and find rest is on everyone’s minds Maria Weinmann, 43, Germany, and David Kleber, 50, USA Start date: November...
Canterbury Hut gets a spruce up
A group of Canterbury volunteers have given the Curtis Memorial Hut a makeover. Mike Lagan of Geraldine received funding from the Outdoor Recreation Consortium to make some improvements to the...
Tough job painting Canterbury huts
Two huts in the Canterbury region have a new coat of paint, thanks to volunteers from the New Zealand Alpine Club and DOC. A group of eight painted Tarn and...
Wanted: South Island kokako - preferably alive
If you can prove the South Island kokako is still out there, you could be looking at a $5000 reward. The South Island Kokako Charitable Trust is offering the reward...
Lifesize moa and light show proposal for Oparara Arches
In an effort to enhance and promote the Oparara Basin on the West Coast, DOC is considering a design plan which may include building a walkway, creating a light show...
Trail to Cathedral Cove sealed
Walkshorts, Web exclusive, Free Articles
The busy trail to the Coromandel’s Cathedral Cove has become a much faster undertaking, with the entire 2.5km track now sealed. The Department of Conservation chose to pave the walkway...
Numerous tracks closed as Port Hills fire spreads
Walkshorts, Web exclusive, Free Articles
UPDATE: In a midday press conference, Prime Minister Bill English said experts were describing the Port Hills fire as “contained but not controlled”. According to the Christchurch City Council, he said there had...
Outdoor recreation group wants tourist levy to pay for parks
Walkshorts, Web exclusive, Free Articles
An outdoor recreation advocacy group is promoting the proposal that a tourist levy be enacted to help pay for conservation. Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations of New Zealand (CORANZ) co-chairman...
Personal locator beacons
For those who regularly head into the backcountry, a personal locator beacon (PLB) is an essential item Where to buy Most outdoors stores will sell PLBs, and a few will...
No tramper left behind
From ad hoc hiking groups formed online to decades-old tramping buddies, a look at how leadership can make or break a tramping trip. There’s a phenomenon in tramping that Noel...
Into the south
Te Araroa Trail, Free Articles
Our Te Araroa hikers embrace the beauty, ruggedness, and unpredictable weather of the South Island. Bettina Grotschel, 34, Germany Start date: October 14 Bettina Grotschel is in the heart of the South Island,...
Spicing up the trail
With his rest stop full of lollies and fruit, Sam Pepper is one of the most popular trail angels on the Te Araroa Trail. For the Peppers, the summer months...
Dart Track reopens after three-year closure
After several years of being closed, the Dart section of the Rees-Dart circuit has reopened. The Dart Track closed in January 2014 after a landslide blocked a significant portion of...
Alpine hut gets some TLC
Walkshorts, Web exclusive, Free Articles
Tasman Saddle Hut is getting some much-needed maintenance. DOC workers have taken advantage of a fine weather window to get crews and supplies for renovations to the high-altitude hut in...
Snow poles aid rescues on Mt Taranaki
Walkshorts, Web exclusive, Free Articles
It’s now easier to rescue people on Mt Egmont/Taranaki: DOC has installed 107 snow poles to help search and rescue teams find people. Egmont National Park senior ranger Dave Rogers...
One in three dodge hut fees in Egmont NP
A few DOC offices around the country are using a clever method for collecting information about hut use. Known as occupancy calendars, they are bright yellow notices posted in huts,...
How to achieve a comfortable carrying capacity
We’ve all been there: you’ve packed the night before your trip and when you lift your pack to check its weight, a heavy feeling of dread rests on your shoulders...
A hidden gem
Saved from the axe over 50 years ago, Herbert Forest is one of the last native forests of north-east Otago. In the 1960s, a small act of defiance saved what...
Guardians of the estate
Often under a scrutinous eye, DOC handles an extraordinary number of decisions about the conservation estate. Meghan Walker looks at how these decisions are made, and if there’s a need for greater...
Green with envy
Meghan Walker tackles the Greenstone-Caples Track and finds it a cruisy and idyllic alternative to the nearby Great Walks Unless you plan your tramping holidays half a year in advance, it’s...
Young guns
Teens in Tauranga are learning search and rescue skills to help diversify an aging volunteer base. There’s a trend among search and rescue volunteers. They tend to be mostly male and over...
Bittersweet departures
Te Araroa Trail, Free Articles
Our first TA walker reaches Bluff, while others have to pull out early Bettina Grotschel, 35, Germany Start date: October 14 Bettina Grotschel has finished the trail, celebrating after 133...
Pepper’s rest stop gets sweeter
About 200 Te Araroa walkers stopped at trail angel Sam Pepper’s famous rest stop this season. The Peppers set up a small booth stocked with refreshments and lollies to help...
Clubbing together to gain skills
Two years after the Mountain Safety Council quit providing skills courses, tramping clubs and alternative providers have stepped into the breach. Meghan Walker looks at the options For Dunedinite Tania...
Outside of time
What would it be like to throw away your watch, sell your belongings and move into the wilderness, full-time? Miriam Lancewood talks about her off-the-grid lifestyle Seven years ago, Miriam Lancewood and...
End of the road
Three more of our Te Araroa walkers have finished their journeys; Michelle Campbell, Jack Faulkner, and William Penwell have all reached Bluff. Campbell and Faulkner ran into a dozen other...
Outdoor Appetite cookbook raises $35k for Nepal
In the spirit of inspiring people to get outside and to raise money for earthquake-damaged schools in Nepal, a group from Christchurch has put together a cookbook of outdoor meals....
Hut of the Year gets some TLC
A group of volunteers recently spent some time sprucing up Wilderness’s 2016 Hut of the Year, Ivory Lake Hut. The remote hut sits at the headwaters of the Waitaha River,...
Wheelchair access on the Hollyford Track?
A landscape architecture student from Wellington has created a redesign of the Hollyford Track to make it wheelchair accessible. Matt McKone, an avid tramper, completed the redesign for his master’s...
Cause of fatal fall to be investigated
The climbing community is shocked by the deaths of New Zealand Alpine Team members Conor Smith and Sarwan Chand, who fell during a climb on April 24 in the Darran...
NZ Alpine Club recommends private review of Darrans climbing accident
Walkshorts, Web exclusive, Free Articles
The New Zealand Alpine Club has recommended that the New Zealand Alpine Team consider an independent review of the accident that claimed the lives of team members Conor Smith and...
DOC wants input for Powell Hut rebuild
Walkshorts, Web exclusive, Free Articles
Powell Hut in Tararua Forest Park is being rebuilt next summer, and DOC wants public input on how it should be built. The 28-bunk hut is on the Mt Holdsworth-Jumbo...
A pedal too far
Features, Mountain biking, National Parks
As e-bikes gain in popularity, Meghan Walker looks at the pros and cons of allowing motorised bikes in national parks At first glance, the bike I was about to hop...
Part of the pod
Aided by unusually idyllic weather, Scott Sinton paddled 150km through Fiordland’s Doubtful Sound. About a year ago, Scott Sinton was on a boat tour in Doubtful Sound. While puttering around...
Is this bird call from the elusive South Island Kokako?
The South Island Kokako Trust has had about 50 reports of possible encounters since they announced a cash reward for the rare, possibly extinct, bird. In January, the trust announced...
Darrans accident to have independent review
The New Zealand Alpine Team plans to conduct an independent review of the accident that claimed the lives of team members Conor Smith and Sarwan Chand over Anzac weekend. Both...
Private lunch shelter proposed for Routeburn’s Lake Howden
Walkshorts, Web exclusive, Free Articles
A guided walk company wants to build a private lunch shelter on the banks of Lake Howden on the Routeburn Track Great Walk. Ultimate Hikes has applied for the concession...
Don’t forget to register your beacon
If you own a personal locator beacon (PLB), you may be breaking the law. It’s a legal requirement to register PLBs, but according to the Rescue Coordination Centre of New...
Outdoor legend Graeme Dingle earns knighthood for youth development work
Graeme Dingle, a lifetime mountaineer and leader in outdoor education, has been knighted for services to youth. Dingle, 70, known for opening the first Outdoor Pursuits Centre (OPC) in New...
Boil, or toil and trouble?
New Zealand seems to be one of the few places in the world where water can still be drunk straight out of backcountry streams, free from worry. Or can it? ...
Rat race
What if conservation was turned into a game? Kill a rat, get a point: that’s the premise of Squawk Squad’s pest control programme. For Fraser McConnell, getting people to care...
Olympic hopeful
Sarah Hay is one of New Zealand’s best rock climbers, and could be a contender for Tokyo 2020. It’s an uncommon origin story; how does one go from being a...
Major slip on new sealed Cathedral Cove walkway
The new Cathedral Cove sealed walkway has sustained a major slip following heavy rain in the Coromandel Peninsula. The walkway was sealed in late 2016 to make it an easier...
Draft Te Urewera plan focusses on ‘living system’
A draft plan has been released to help lay new groundwork for Te Urewera, the national park-turned-independent legal entity. As a result of the 2014 Te Urewera Act, which established...
Ivory Lake Hut: it’s a hard-won journey to our 'Hut of the Year’
Nominations are open for this year’s Wilderness Outdoor Awards; click here to nominate your favourite hut, brand, retailer, or outdoor hero. Last year, Wilderness named Ivory Lake Hut ‘Hut of...
Pigeon Post, July 2017
Letter of the month E-bikes no conundrum Anti-rationalists always seek to establish the idea that there are valid counter-arguments for every plain fact, and that to ignore such arguments is...
My land, my castle
Access to recreation on private land is on shaky ground, with landowners increasingly denying access based on perceived health and safety liabilities. Meghan Walker investigates whether those fears are justified,...
Free to roam
A new school offers a different type of education – one focussed on outdoor play. It’s 11am on a Monday morning at a little school next to the bushy Clevedon...
Club needs new owners for Ruapehu lodge
The Auckland Tramping Club is looking for new ownership of its Mt Ruapehu SnowSports Lodge. The 32-bunk lodge was built in 1948 and has been maintained and managed by the...
Te Araroa bolsters trailside businesses
The increased number of Te Araroa Trail thru-hikers has boosted local economy in trailside communities. According to Te Araroa Trust chair David McGregor, the 550 walkers over the past year...
Five tramping hacks
Impress your friends and embrace ingenuity with these handy hacks. 1. Keep your pots rust-free You know those little silica gel packs that seem to be in almost everything you buy?...
Island paradise
A five-day kayak circumnavigation of one of New Zealand’s most beautiful places, Great Barrier Island. When the first salty wave crashed over my face, soaking me thoroughly and blurring my...
2018's best personal locator beacons
For those who regularly head into the backcountry, a personal locator beacon (PLB) is an essential item. Where to buy Most outdoors stores will sell PLBs, and a few will even offer...
Cycling for change
Libby Bowles is cycling around New Zealand, inspiring children to ‘tread lighter’ and help reduce the amount of plastic entering the ocean. For the past month, Libby Bowles has been biking around the North...
Van life
I wake at dawn, roll over, and pull back the curtain just enough to see the smoke rising from a nearby campsite. It’s nearly 7am, which means it’s time to...
A paddle through timeless waters
Walkshorts, Features, Great Walks, 25th Anniversary
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 and...
Whanganui in a weekend
Whanganui River Journey, Features, Great Walks
When a friend said he wanted to do the Whanganui River Journey, but couldn’t get more than a weekend off work, my husband and I jumped at the chance to...