In the August 2021 issue…

Features

16 The sky-high rescue club
The exclusive Haast Club is open only to those who have been rescued by helicopter

20 Menstruation in the mountains
Getting your period on a tramping trip can be anything from annoying to a disaster

38 Hut hopping along the Taramakau tops
A long weekend trip in Arthur’s Pass National Park that includes four-bunk bivvies, tarns and open tops

48 Track to the future
The art of building tracks has come a long way since the days of picks and shovels

54 Hard as ice
What do you do when you’re just 50m from the summit and conditions on the trail suddenly worsen?

62 Miracle makeovers
All around the country huts and tracks are being given a new lease on life thanks to the Backcountry Trust

Waypoints and Trips

24 See more… Fraemohs huts
Private companies Fraemohs and Lockwood once competed to create the best hut

26 Charm amongst ancient landforms
Larrikins Creek Hut, Kahurangi National Park

28 Fresh take on an old lake
Lou’s Lookout, Te Urewera

30 Omanawanui Track, Waitakere Ranges Regional Park
This track on Auckland’s west coast may be the most impressive in the Waitakere Ranges

32 Blyth Hut, Tongariro National Park
An overnight trip to Blyth Hut ticks all the family tramping boxes

33 MacLennan Hut, Catlins Conservation Park
Journey through the ancient rainforest of the Catlins

34 Mt Isobel, Hanmer Forest Park
A day trip to the highest summit overlooking Hanmer Springs

35 Mataihuka Walkway, Wellington
A two-hour walk offering spectacular coastal views

36 Roberts Point Track, Westland Tai Poutini National Park
For the closest view of Franz Josef Glacier, walk this five-hour return track

44 Golden opportunity
Project Rameka in Golden Bay has produced an incredible riding experience

Skills

66 Navigation: Check the weather, then plan the trip

67 An illustrated guide to wood stove fires

68 Fitness: Better balance through strength and agility

69 Cuisine: Orange steamed brownie cups

70 A new focus on the old rules of self-arrest

Gear

58 Father’s Day Gift Guide
The best outdoor gifts for outdoor dads

72 Smartphones vs GPS devices
The pros and cons of smartphones and GPS devices and how to use them in the wilderness

74 Wild review
Patagonia’s latest R1 mid-layer and an environmentally-friendly jacket from The North Face

76 What’s in my pack
Outdoor retail manager and Te Araroa Trail veteran Mary Drenth

77 Broken in
Wilderness staff and gear reviewers test their kit for you

Regulars

4 Editorial

6 Pigeon post
Letters to the editor

8 Last weekend
What did you get up to last weekend?

10 Walkshorts
News from the wild

14 Wild people
Author Nic Low on how tramping might have evolved had the Crown honoured its land deals with Ngai Tahu

74 Track Chat
French filmmaker Dylan Moron has made a documentary chronicling the people and places of Te Araroa Trail