If you are time poor or can’t secure a booking for the full Routeburn Track, an out-and-back hike to Harris Saddle makes a spectacular day out. Starting from the Routeburn Shelter car park, head west along the wide, well-graded track to cross the Route Burn. From here it’s a gentle ascent, just 200m over the next 7.5km, through […]
About the author
Justin Sprecher
Wilderness newsletter editor and contributor Justin Sprecher is a tramper, thru-hiker and trail runner with a passion for wild backcountry. He has been writing and photographing for outdoor publications for more than a decade and holds a degree in film studies and communications from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His writing has featured in publications in New Zealand and North America and his films have screened at festivals worldwide.
The 2026 Wilderness Outdoor Photographer of the Year competition
A tale of adventure and tragedy
Mt Peel, Kahurangi National Park
25 huts to visit in 2025
A lofty location for Brass Monkey
Subscribe!
Each issue of Wilderness celebrates Aotearoa’s great outdoors — written and photographed with care, not algorithms.Subscribe and help keep our wild stories alive.
