Kiwi Alyssa Olsen and her hiking partner, Mason Van Zeeland from the USA, spoke with ABC News about their close encounter with two grizzly bears as well as a moose on a hiking trip in Glacier National Park.

Minutes earlier, passing hikers had warned them about the presence of grizzly bears and the pair waited until they thought the bears had passed. However, not long after one grizzly bear ran past them, and a second stopped near them.

“I was kind of like, joking, and then the bear growled, and I was like, ‘Oh no, this ain’t happy times anymore,'” Olsen said. Van Zeeland shared a video of the encounter on Instagram , and in the clip, Olsen can be heard saying, “We’re going to die. We’re actually gonna die. Holy heck!”

After one bear made eye contact with him, Van Zeeland said that’s when he used the bear spray he was carrying.

“It definitely looked at us and then that’s when I let out a little spray and it turned the other way and ran off into the woods by the lake,” Van Zeeland said. They turned around to head back to the trailhead when one of the bears crossed their path again. After scaring it away, they next ran into a moose on the trail.

The pair said they’re doing fine since the incident, but hope their experience can remind others to do research before heading out into bear country and to always carry bear spray.

New AI-hiking exoskeletons offer 30km of hiking support

Hypershell’s new X Series exoskeletons use AI-driven motion control to give you a little extra spring in your step, offering walking and hiking assistance across different terrain, ranges, and support levels.

Consumer exoskeletons have moved beyond the realm of sci-fi demos and medical devices, with companies positioning them as outdoor mobility tools for hikers, active older users, and professionals who spend long days on their feet.

HyperIntuition, Hypershell’s AI predictive movement-syncing software, and features varied power outputs and terrain-focused modes for demanding environments. Rather than just adding power, it focuses on reducing your metabolic effort by matching the hiker’s intent.

The three Hypershell models are weatherproof, weigh just under 2kg and have a hiking range of 17.5 to 30km between charges.

Pricing starts at NZD $1700. The series is available now in several regions, including the US, Canada, China, and Australia, and is expected to roll out in more countries in the near future. Read more from New Atlas.

Record 274 climbers scale Everest via Nepal in one day

According to the BBC, a record number of 274 people scaled Mount Everest via Nepal on 20 May, after a late start to this year’s spring season due to a huge chunk of ice blocking the climbing route. The milestone surpassed the previous high set on 22 May 2019, when 223 climbers scaled the mountain from its southern side in Nepal.

Photographs circulating on social media showed a long line of mountaineers winding across the “death zone” – the section of the mountain that sits at least 8,000m above sea level.

Tourism to Everest has continued to surge despite a markup in permit fees. Since September last year, climbers have had to pay $25,000 NZD for a permit, up from the longstanding fee of $18,400.

And speaking of Everest, a number of climbing records were broken in May. Nepali mountain guide Kami Rita Sherpa, 56, broke his own record for the most summits of Everest, after scaling it for a 32nd time. 

That same day, 52-year-old Lhakpa Sherpa, known as the “Mountain Queen”, broke her record for the most ascents by a female climber, after her 11th Everest summit. And Russian double-leg amputee Rustam Nabiev, 34, reached the top on Thursday without the use of prosthetics.

American Tyler Andrews reportedly reached the summit of Mount Everest from Base Camp in 9 hours and 55 minutes on 28 May, setting a new fastest known time (FKT) for an oxygen-assisted ascent of the world’s tallest mountain. The previous mark was 10 hours and 56 minutes, set by Lakpa Gelu Sherpa in 2003. The time is still expected to go through formal confirmation before it is official.

Takahē released into Onetahua Farewell Spit

The release follows the recent completion of a predator-proof fence stretching across the base of the spit, supported by extensive ongoing predator control work in the area, thanks to the collaborative efforts of Manawhenua ki Mohua, Pest Free Onetahua, HealthPost Nature Trust and the community.

DOC’s Golden Bay Operations Manager Ross Trotter says it’s incredible to have takahē roaming at Onetahua. “This is a trial sanctuary site for takahē, and we’ll be closely monitoring the birds to make sure they are settling in well.”

Manawhenua ki Mohua represents three local iwi – Ngāti Tama, Te Ātiawa and Ngāti Rārua. Chair Margie Little says Manawhenua ki Mohua has brought cultural leadership, whakapapa connections to place, and the authority of kaitiakitanga to the project.

“This new location will also allow people to view this once-thought-to-be-extinct taonga species. Our hopes are that the takahē will flourish in their new home and ensure their survival for future generations in Mohua.” Read more from DOC.

DOC to reopen Graham Valley Road after long closure

Top of the South Island trampers will be pleased to hear that a badly damaged access road to one of the region’s best tramping areas should be reopened by spring.

Graham Valley Road near Motueka offers access to a popular section of Kahurangi National Park, including the track network of Mt Arthur Tablelands, the Cobb Valley region and beyond.

The steep 4WD-only road has a long history of storm damage, closures and repairs. Its latest closure was due to six slips in winter 2025, including one that dropped a road section 8m into the river.

Department of Conservation acting Motueka operations manager Helen Otley said DOC and Tasman District Council had put in a big effort to repair the road, and work was well underway with equipment on the ground and materials delivered. The road should be reopened by the end of August, “if the weather plays ball and repair work goes to plan”.

Waimea Tramping Club president Esther Sassenburg said the long closure had seriously affected the club’s planning, particularly with Cobb Valley Road also closed for repairs at times. Read more from Wilderness.

“My rookie era: In my 40s I attempted my first multi-day hike – and became a walking cliche”

Do you remember your first multi-day hike? Many of us began in our youth and strapping on a pack for a few days is second nature. But what happens when you start in midlife?

Writer Philippa Chandler, writing for the Guardian Australia, went on her first multi-day hike at the end of last year, at age 43. Below is an excerpt from her humorous account of how she fared on the trip.

“My phone pinged from an old friend: “I know this is unlikely but I’m thinking of doing this four-day hike and there are two places available. You stay in huts so there is less gear to carry. Would you like to come?”

Taking a long walk as a form of catharsis is a narrative trope – I know this having read The Salt Path, The Dictionary of Lost Words and You Are Here, books in which white women “find themselves” on long walks. I said yes and prepared to become a literal walking cliche.

Adult rookies are charming when the stakes are low. Learning the piano at 50 is cute, but nobody ever needed to be airlifted by helicopter out of a piano recital. Being a rookie hiker would require preparation if I was going to survive with my dignity intact.”