On Tuesday 28 July, the new Aoraki/Mount Cook suspension bridge is set to open. It is the longest in New Zealand and replaces the much smaller bridge which closed last April after rainfall and storms caused riverbank erosion.
Construction of the new bridge began in August 2025, and since then mother nature has thrown everything at the building team. Working in a sub-alpine environment, the Abseil Access team and contractors battled 180 km winds and multiple unseasonal snowfalls.
“Building something of this scale in such extreme conditions is no small achievement, and I am incredibly proud of what our contractors, partners and staff have achieved together. They have created a safer, more resilient crossing that will enhance the visitor experience for generations to come. I hope we haven’t put them off bridge building!” Aoraki/Mount Cook District Operations Manager Sally Jones says.
The bridge will be open to the public from 3pm on Tuesday, July 28th, following a private event and a blessing from mana whenua. Read more from DOC.
NZMFF community grants open for applications
Following another successful NZ Mountain Film & Book Festival, the NZ Mountain Film Festival Charitable Trust has opened applications for its annual Community Grant Scheme, made possible through the generosity of festival audiences, sponsors and supporters.
This year’s silent auction raised $7,815, with additional funding to come from the festival’s National Tour, helping the Trust continue its mission of supporting outdoor adventure, conservation and community initiatives throughout New Zealand.
Applications are now open for projects that:
Festival Founder Mark Sedon said giving back to the community has always been at the heart of the festival.
“The films may be what people come to see, but one of the things we’re most proud of is being able to reinvest back into the outdoor community. Every ticket purchased, auction bid and National Tour screening helps fund projects that inspire people to get outside, protect our environment and make adventure more accessible.”
Applications close 31 August, with grants typically ranging from $500 to $1,000.
Dehy meals for dogs?
Outdoor food brand, Puppackr, makes dehydrated backpacking meals for your four-legged hiking companions. The pouches come in different sizes for different-sized dogs and use real ingredients, just like human backpacking meals. They cost about the same as well.
But isn’t standard kibble just dehydrated dog food? According to founder Jenny Phillips, not at all. The idea for the company was born out of necessity. Her own dog, Chopper, is an extremely picky eater when he’s in the backcountry. Try as she might, she couldn’t find any dog food he would eat on the trail. “When I first started backpacking with him, the food wound up being such a barrier.”
So, Phillips created her own solution. She based the original Puppackr recipe on the vet-recommended “bland diet,” and started dehydrating chicken, rice, and pumpkin at home. It worked. Just like that, Chopper started eating on backpacking trips, and Phillips realised her solution could help other dogs, too. After support from other dog owners, Puppackr meals hit the market in March of this year. Read more from Backpacker.
Police warn Instagram-worthy picture of Taranaki Maunga not worth the risk
Police are warning tourists snapping an Instagram-worthy picture of Taranaki Maunga on a rural road near New Plymouth isn’t worth the risk of losing your life.
Senior Sergeant Matt Prendergast said motorists have reported almost hitting people who have stopped on Kent Road – some were even lying down on the road – to get photos of Taranaki Maunga.
A quick search on the popular social media site Instagram reveals dozens of pictures of people posing on the road – which had a 100 km/h speed limit – with the impressive vista of the mountain looming in the background.
Senior Sergeant Prendergast said the area was marked and signposted “no stopping”, and in parts drivers have limited visibility due to corners and humps in the road.
However, in a comment on the Manawatu, Taranaki, Whanganui Police Facebook page, one user reckoned drivers should factor the photographers in.
“Just slow down. On a great day you know they are going to be there. You can just try to be kind and patient.” Read more from RNZ.
Puketapu Loop repaired and ready to ride
The entire Puketapu Loop is now connected and ready to ride, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has announced.
A formal opening was held earlier this month on what was the most damaged section following Cyclone Gabrielle, along the Tūtaekurī River corridor near Waiohiki Marae, where a new stop bank was recently completed.
Hawke’s Bay Trails Great Ride Manager and Council Regional Cycle Network Coordinator, Vicki Butterworth says it has taken a massive effort by many stakeholders to get to this point.
“We are very grateful that, as a Great Ride, we were eligible to access the Extreme Weather Event Fund from MBIE. This has ensured that the $2.2 million in repairs has not been funded by local councils, taking the burden off ratepayers.”
Initially, around 30% of the network was so badly damaged it had to close. It took months to fully assess the extent of the damage and identify solutions. Council Chair, Sophie Siers said, “To see it restored and reopened is an opportunity to celebrate both the resilience of communities and the good things that can come from people working together for the benefit of many.” Read more from Inside Government.
US Forest Service employees zip-tied, held at gunpoint in California
The two Forest Service employees were conducting routine seasonal fieldwork in California’s Shasta-Trinity National Forest when they were taken into a privately owned trailer, zip-tied and held at gunpoint, U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz said during a news conference.
One of the suspects, Joseph Charles Henrichsen, 49, told authorities he had firearms and ammunition and wanted to speak with the FBI, Siskiyou County Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue said.
Negotiations began around 4:20 p.m. and continued until early the next morning, FBI Sacramento acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Tosh said. The first employee was released around 1:35 a.m., followed by the second about 15 minutes later. Both returned home after being assessed, and officials said they had received no reports of injuries.
Around 2:30 a.m., Joseph Charles Henrichsen and his adult son, Phoenix Henrichsen, surrendered to authorities, LaRue said in a Friday afternoon news conference. Joseph Henrichsen was carrying an AR-15-style rifle and knives when he surrendered and had claimed to possess grenades, Tosh said. Read more from SFGate.
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