A wrap of the biggest stories and best writing about the outdoors from New Zealand and around the world.

Ten gold bracelets, 17 cigar cases, a powder compact, a comb, and a whopping 598 gold coins: The items are all part of a mysterious stash, found by chance by two hikers in the northeastern Czech Republic. The cache is worth at least $600,000, but its origin is unclear. 

The hikers, who wish to remain anonymous, were taking a shortcut through the forest in the Krkonoše Mountains — a popular hiking spot — when they saw an aluminium box sticking out of a stony wall.

After they opened it and discovered the loot, they immediately took it to the Museum of Eastern Bohemia. Miroslav Novak, the head of the archaeological department at the museum, said, “It is most likely related to the turbulent period before the start of World War II, when the Czech and Jewish population was leaving the border area, or to 1945, when the Germans were leaving.”

Oddly, there are no local coins in the mix. “Half are of Balkan origin and the other half of French origin,” Novak said. The most recent coin in the stash is from 1921. Read the full story from CNN.

Wānaka search and rescue responding to more avoidable accidents

Wānaka search and rescue teams are responding to more avoidable accidents as unprepared people venture deeper into the back country, lured partly by the influence of social media and websites.

Volunteers said they had observed more people “lost and out of their depth” in 22 rescue operations between October and March, including nine alpine cliff rescues, three swiftwater or canyon rescues and three sub-alpine or bush rescues.

Alpine cliff rescue team leader Davie Robinson said people were venturing into the backcountry without learning how to read a map and compass or properly preparing for alpine hikes.

“It’s a combination of the Insta kind of thing – people just flashing up great photographs of an alpine lake … but at the same time it’s an alpine walk, in apline terrain, with alpine hazards,” he said.

“There’s also a lot of ultra-light travel going on now, so if people have got better and better at doing stuff, they’ve tended to go lighter and lighter. It might be websites like Fastest Known Time … Strava, all those apps that are recording stuff, advertising it.” Read the full story from RNZ.

New Kiwi series aims to inspire children to go outdoors

At a time when children are spending more hours online than outdoors, a new homegrown documentary series is offering an inspiring alternative.

Kids Unplugged, the latest project from local filmmakers Anton and Kylie Steel, calls on tamariki across New Zealand to ditch their devices and rediscover the power of real-world adventure, connection, and play.

The series champions young Bay of Plenty adventurers — including the Steels’ own sons — as they choose nature over notifications and curiosity over clicks.

“This is more than a series,” says director Anton Steel. “It’s a wake-up call — a reminder that our kids need more time climbing trees than scrolling feeds. It’s part of a movement that’s happening across the globe.

The six-episode web series, set for release in spring 2025, will spotlight Bay of Plenty kid adventurers living unplugged — from conservationists and adventure sport enthusiasts to off-grid whānau preserving mātauranga Māori. It aims to inspire a nationwide shift back to hands-on, play-based childhoods.

With production beginning this winter, the team has launched a crowdfunding campaign through Boosted, seeking to raise $15,000 by mid-June. Read the full story from Sun Live.

Tramper strayed from track before fatal fall in Tararua Forest Park

A coroner has determined that tramper Terrence Ivan Elliott died from complications of blunt force trauma to his chest, most probably from an accidental fall in 2023.

He tried to make himself comfortable and was able to set off his locator beacon before  succumbing to his fatal injuries. He was found with his compass on a lanyard around his neck, lying next to his pack with his phone on top of it, and with the beacon and a radio on the ground between his legs.

Rescue Coordination Centre received notification of a beacon activation near Concertina Knob. Just after 7pm, the team found Elliott in a steep gully, unresponsive and with no signs of life.

His compass was set to a bearing of 56 degrees, which would have taken him back towards the main track.

A Mountain Safety Council (MSC) report said that Elliott would have been walking through wet shrubs and climbing over or around fallen logs while on a steep and rocky slope. The area above where he was found was extremely steep, and he could have fallen 100 metres or more. Read the full story from NZ Herald.

Work begins on new Hooker Valley Track suspension bridge

More of the popular Hooker Valley Track in Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park has reopened, as work starts on a spectacular new suspension bridge.

“We know how much this iconic walk is valued and how much people love to visit and walk it, so we’ve worked hard to keep the lower part of the track open,” Department of Conservation Aoraki/Mt Cook operations manager Sally Jones said.

Work is under way to get the Hooker Valley Track fully open. Once built, a huge new suspension bridge will span 189m across the river. It will replace an older bridge, which had to be closed last month due to riverbank erosion near the bridge supports.

Construction work will continue for the rest of this year, and it is hoped the new bridge will be open by next autumn. “It’s a huge and challenging project and will be a tourist attraction in its own right,” Ms Jones said.

The cables that will be flown in are massive, and the whole thing will be spectacular to watch. We can’t wait until it’s open.” Read the full story from the Otago Daily Times.