A wrap of the biggest stories and best writing about the outdoors from New Zealand and around the world.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) says that huts on the Great Walks are booked at over 93 per cent capacity this summer. But for trampers who have been dragging their feet, there’s still a chance to make a Great Walk this summer, if you know where to look.
If you’re willing to bring a tent, that opens up a lot more options for walkers. Popular walks like the Abel Tasman Coastal Track and the Kepler both have many spots available. Walks like the Heaphy Track and the Whanganui River trip also have plenty of space to cater for latecomers.
Another late re-addition to the network is the Lake Waikaremoana Trail. The 11-month-long closure for storm repairs following Cyclone Gabrielle is now complete. The Lake Waikaremoana Trail reopens today, January 10.
Read the full story from the NZ Herald and check what spots are still available on the Great Walks on the booking website.
Yellowstone’s latest “touron”: James Bond
“Touron” is a derogatory term combining the words “Tourist” with “Moron” to describe any person who, while on vacation, commits an act of stupidity. And according to Backpacker, the latest to claim the title is actor Pierce Brosnan.
The actor faces a court date after the National Park Service cited him for leaving the boardwalk around a popular—and dangerous—geothermal spring. Brosnan faces a mandatory court appearance on January 23.
America’s oldest national park has earned a reputation as a hotbed of tourist rulebreaking in recent years, with videos making the rounds on accounts like TouronsofYellowstone. However, staying on the marked footpaths in Yellowstone National Park is no joke. At least 22 people have passed away from burns received in Yellowstone’s springs and geysers.
Former mayor walks New Zealand’s ultimate hike – Te Araroa
In November Wilderness covered RNZ’s of former Wellington mayor, Kerry Prendergast, walking the TA. Now RNZ is reporting that her successor, Celia Wade-Brown, has also walked the TA.
Celia Wade-Brown, Wellington’s mayor for six years until 2016 and now a trustee of the Te Araroa Trust, took on the hiking challenge shortly after hanging up her mayoral chain.
Wade-Brown said the track is surprisingly accessible to a wide range of hikers. “You don’t have to be a super-fit 25-year-old,” she said.
Along with clear lakes, rolling hills, mountain-top views, and clear night sky, Wade-Brown said the small towns and their inhabitants along the way were a highlight.
Daily distances had varied, with about one rest day a week. “If it’s flat or through farmland, you can do 30 or more kilometres a day. If it’s really tricky steep stuff, sometimes it’s less than 10km.”
She has since completed classic Kiwi trails like the Heaphy Track, and the old Ghost Road, as well as cycling tours. She has a strong interest in promoting walking and hiking and is a founding member of the Wairarapa Walking Festival.
Construction starts on Kawarau Gorge Trail
The new Kawarau Gorge Trail has officially commenced, linking Queenstown to Cromwell along 32 kilometres of awe-inspiring and often challenging terrain through the Kawarau Gorge.
Construction will proceed at full throttle from early January 2024, and it is expected the construction phase will take two years.
Southern Lakes Trails Chair, Aaron Halstead is delighted to see the construction commence. “The Kawarau Gorge Trail has been years in the planning and to see it come to fruition is fantastic. We are grateful to the landowners who we’ve worked with over these years to grant us access for the development and building of the trail.”
The Kawarau Gorge Trail is a pivotal component of a game-changing project that connects the five Great Rides in the Otago region, creating a 530km of continuous trail network across Queenstown, Central Otago and connecting through to Waihola near Dunedin. Read the full story from Trail Hub.
Fire near Diamond Harbour sees four hikers stranded on rocks
Last week coastguard volunteers rescued four people from rocks after they became trapped by a fire on a seaside Christchurch reserve.
Firefighters were called to the 100 sq m fire on Stoddart Point, which includes a large reserve and the Diamond Harbour Wharf, Fenz southern shift manager Bailey Wells said.
Coastguard Canterbury volunteer and master-in-charge onboard the Canterbury Rescue, Rueben Cowan, said the crew had to “skilfully” manoeuvre the vessel through the rocky terrain to rescue the group.
“We [used] our fire pump during the [rescue], minimising potential risks to our vessel, crew, and the four individuals.” Photographs show the fire burning, spewing smoke from the bushy area and the charred landscape remaining after the inferno was put out.
Stoddart Point Reserve meets Lyttleton Harbour by way of a steep cliff, popular with tourists and day-trippers from Christchurch. The area, on Banks Peninsula, has many hiking tracks. Read the full story from the NZ Herald.
