The results are in for the Wilderness 2019 reader survey, and it’s allowed us to learn a lot about our most important asset – our readers.

As we expected, results show readers to be quite an active bunch, with nearly 10 per cent getting out for a tramp weekly, and a quarter getting out a few times a month.

We are pleased to report that Wilderness helps them do it too – with 89 per cent of respondents saying they use the magazine to help them plan trips.

As for New Zealand’s longest tramp, a whopping 58 per cent would like to walk the Te Araroa Trail, and an impressive two per cent has already walked it.
Fiordland was voted the readers’ favourite national park, raking in one-fifth of the votes. It was followed by Kahurangi National Park on 15 per cent and Tongariro National Park on 13 per cent.

Coffee was the favourite backcountry drink, with 58 per cent of respondents saying they indulge in a hot cuppa at the hut. Tea followed closely behind (56 per cent), and wine edged out whisky and beer as the favourite alcoholic beverage.

DOC’s hut rates got the seal of approval from readers, with 69 per cent feeling hut prices are ‘just right’. Ten per cent feel they are too expensive, and 11 per cent reckon they’re too cheap.

Regardless, 80 per cent always pay to stay the night in a hut, and 12 per cent pay ‘most times’.

Just over two per cent admitted they hardly ever pay, and less than one per cent never pay.

Peter Bowker and Dale Harris won the two MSR Whisperlite Stoves that were offered as a prize for participating in the survey.