Do you think snowy tracks and the brutal cold make winter tramping an impossibility with your young kids? Garth Hume’s photo of his sons tramping in Tararua Forest Park prove otherwise.

Garth’s beautiful winter photo was taken last July as sons Connor and Tristan walked out from Powell Hut after spending a chilly -16-degree night at the 28-bunk hut.

Aged just 11 and seven, it was the boys’ first winter tramp.

“I selected Powell Hut because it was perfect to get the boys into a real alpine environment without the risk of walking for too long and too far above the bushline in treacherous weather,” says Garth. “We were mainly within the shelter of the forest and with the snow not much deeper than our ankles on the track, it was good going.

“Temperatures fell to around -16-degrees overnight, but the snow was beautiful and made up for it all.”

The carefully planned introduction to winter tramping worked – the boys loved the adventure.

“A year later, they mention the trip often as one of their greatest adventures and will be joining me again in a few weeks to do the same.”