Índex per August 2016 a Wilderness

Reading Wilderness by the warmth of a hut fire is one thing, but taking the magazine to Vanuatu to read beside a piping hot lava lake is taking things to another level entirely. Wellingtonian Brody Radford took his December issue of Wilderness on a 10-day expedition to Benbow Volcano on Ambryn Island late last year. He’s pictured just 100m from the lava lake. “It’s like looking at the sun,” said Radford of the molten lake. “You can only look at it for a couple of seconds – it’s just too hot.”…

FIND A SUBJECT Coastal shots are often largely made up of sky and water, but they also need a focal point to help draw in the eye of the viewer. This could be some foreground detail like a rock in the sea or a landscape feature such as a distant headland. Make sure the subject fills your shot so you don’t leave the viewer lost and looking around for it. ADD SOME SKY One advantage of being on the beach at sunset or sunrise is the horizon out to sea gives you a lot of sky. If you have interesting clouds, use a wide-angle lens and place your horizon lower in the photograph to capture more of the sky. CAPTURE THE WAVES Waves present a great opportunity to add a…

When the Department of Conservation was formed in 1987, building new huts was pretty low on its list of priorities. The fledgling department already had a huge number of existing huts to maintain, not to mention the demands of trying to halt the decline of our indigenous biodiversity. Continual underfunding from successive governments has hamstrung DOC in its ability to carry out its enormous range of duties, and in the early 2000s, there was considerable gnashing of teeth from the outdoor community at plans to reduce the backcountry hut network. Huts, however, got something of a reprieve when in 2002 the Labour Government announced a $359 million injection for recreational facilities. Architect and Hutt Valley Tramping Club member Ron Pynenburg got the job of designing the new DOC-era huts, with…

We all think we’re pretty smart trampers. Resourceful, wily, knowledgeable in the dark art of walking strenuously, we consider ourselves infallible, masters of rocky terrain. We sagely proffer guidance to youngsters and newcomers, imparting wisdom in the ways of the billy, the staff, the bog, the longdrop. We develop systems and techniques of our own, and believe them to be the decreed method. So it may shock you to learn that you, too, can make mistakes. Some mistakes are small, some are large. Some result in a rueful chuckle, some result in death. If you manage your mistakes correctly you may have the basis for a great tale, for mistakes make stories come alive. Who wants to read about the trip that went perfectly? So while it may be true…

The Japanese call it shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing. In Norwegian, it’s friluftsliv; ‘living in tune with nature’. The Dutch, on the other hand, say, uitwaaien; which means ‘to walk in the wind’. In their essence, each of these words refers to the healing power of nature; that soothing clarity that descends upon every outdoors-person when stepping out of the city and into the wilderness. You likely felt it on your last tramp: the combination of fresh air, bird song, and exercise just made you feel good. There’s a growing body of research that shows what happens to us when we get outside: stress levels go down, and we think more clearly. A Japanese study led by Yoshifumi Miyazaki from Chiba University found that for a group of 60-year-olds, just two…

Whether you choose, a career in education or adventure tourism, it seems there are plenty of opportunities. The former might land you a gig at Outward Bound or teaching outdoor education at a secondary school or a polytech, while the latter might mean a lifetime of trips down the Whanganui River or countless climbs up the famous peaks of the Southern Alps. Asher March is at the bittersweet end of his three-year tenure at Outward Bound. A self-proclaimed ‘all-rounder’, his interests include rock climbing, kayaking, mountaineering and bush-craft. His outdoor pursuits began in his early 20s with rock climbing, then outdoor education studies at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, later earning a diploma from Aoraki Polytechnic in outdoor management. He then took a job as a sea-kayak guide in…

The Cooks Cove Walkway is a pleasant walk with wide views of Eastland scenery and has the added interest of being the site where Captain James Cook first spent time ashore in New Zealand. Cook sailed along the coast in 1769 and, hearing from locals that Opoutama Bay provided good protection behind some rocky islands which he named Mitre Rocks because of their resemblance to a Bishop’s mitre, he anchored the Endeavour in what has since been known as Cooks Cove. Cook and his crew went ashore to collect wood and water and to trade with the locals. The track to the Cove begins near Tolaga Bay wharf and crosses open farmland and light bush at first. The views are stunning, with the pastured hillsides of the Uawa Valley, dotted…

I have known clear blue skies to turn to thick mist in 15 minutes. The view of the valleys disappeared and it was difficult to see more than 20m ahead. In snow, the cloud can merge with the horizon, creating white-out where everything looks the same – even your perception of up and down is distorted. In such conditions, even the most experienced tramper can get disoriented. Plan and prepare Before you leave home, check the forecast and prepare accordingly. But you should also plan for un-forecast changes to the weather. Check your map and identify potential hazards. Have a Plan B in mind if the weather changes. Identify the points at which you turn back, go on, or take another route if the weather turns bad. Carry an emergency…

THE EXPLORER IS a mid-level headlamp with a reasonable 60 lumen output offering visibility up to 35m – good enough for walking on a defined route, but not so great if you have to search for a far-off marker or landmark. It's robust and reasonably compact with a recessed power button to reduce the chance of accidentally turning it on. Running on just one AA battery, it comes in at a barely-registered weight of 47g. Lighting options are good, with a high power LED offering two settings plus strobe, a red night-vision preserving LED and an orange LED for map-reading and which also preserves night vision. With a comprehensive IPX7 waterproof rating, it will handle the wettest conditions – even a swim in a stream. The strap is a wide…

The Federated Mountain Clubs said it was “deeply disturbed” to discover the extent of closed-door discussions between DOC and the aviation industry, which led to DOC overriding the statutory limits for aircraft landings in the Fiordland National Park Management Plan. FMC is now asking the Ombudsman to intervene. It is the second breach of a national park plan uncovered in three years. In 2015, the Ombudsman, Professor Ron Paterson, described a similar DOC decision to override limits on Routeburn Track concessionaires as ‘nonsense on stilts’. FMC President Peter Wilson described the closed-door discussions, revealed through an Official Information Act request, as “revealing, disturbing, and casting doubt on DOC’s ability and willingness to regulate the tourism industry in accordance with management plans”. Last year there were a number of private workshops…

When Simon Lucas set out into the remote and rugged backcountry of Canada’s Yukon territory with a group of mates, a few canoes and a camera, he knew he was about to have an adventure, but had no idea what would transpire. Now, nearly three years later, he’s become an internationally recognised documentary filmmaker, having been featured in film festivals around the world and here in New Zealand. Lucas, 28, grew up in Whangaparaoa and studied zoology at the University of Otago. He’s the director of Paddle for the North, a film documenting a canoe voyage through a pristine wilderness area in north-west Canada and Alaska. The film won the 2016 New Zealand Mountain Film and Book Festival Hiddleston-MacQueen award for best Kiwi-made film. Lucas first visited the Yukon six…

If you’re a Lord of the Rings fan you’ll know that Edoras is the capital of Rohan, featuring prominently in The Two Towers. Back in the land of trampers, this location is actually Mt Sunday, situated close to the head of the Rangitata River. Mt Sunday is also the gateway to Cloudy Peak (2403m), accessed after four hours of tussock sidling, manuka scrub-bashing and boulder-hopping up Cloudy Stream. Despite the relatively short hike, it’s still a rugged little journey, not travelled often given the lack of any obvious route for the most part. The grunt is worth it. The west face and southwest ridge of Cloudy Peak soar dauntingly overhead. The view back down the route is dominated by the 2500m-high peaks of the Two Thumb Range while the view…

Standing on a ledge less than a foot wide above a 176m vertical drop, 80-year-old Ray Willett could see the huge hole, but not the bottom. Having just descended the first 30m of the steep rocky cave entrance, he was still attached to a safety rope. Andrew was already there, helping other members of the group with the take-off. Under his watchful eye, Willett hooked his safety rope to the wall, reached for the main abseiling rope and clipped it onto his descender. Balancing on the narrow ledge, facing the rock wall and with his back to the abyss, he unclipped his safety rope and stepped into the darkness. Sitting in his harness, comfortably in control of his descent, Willett looked around. As he moved further away from the source…

With easy access to peaks and roadside tracks, Arthur’s Pass National Park is a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts. The park’s diversity is its overriding attraction. With striking transformations from one environment to the next over short distances, there is a plethora of weekend or multi-day excursions to cover all the bases. In the west, the park shoulders up against the Main Divide with numerous glaciated summits up to 2400m, where high passes and cols provide access to the western side of the Southern Alps. In the north, the road continues over Arthur’s Pass to Westland and the wild and rugged ranges of the West Coast. Eastwards is a remarkable region of large, seldom-visited watersheds, beautiful beech forest and kilometres of navigable ridgetops, while in the central section the road heads…

My primary backcountry interest is climbing, so I haven’t paid much attention to the 3000km Te Araroa Trail. That doesn’t mean I’m not impressed by what has been created. Now spanning the full length of New Zealand, the first section of trail – Kerikeri to Waitangi – was opened in 1995 and further work is expected into 2017 before all sections are complete. The newest section, opened in early April, did grab my attention. Since it opened, it’s been an intriguing sight driving along SH1 between Pukerua Bay and Paekakariki to spot walkers high above on the steep hillside. The Te Araroa Trust estimates some 15,000 people have already walked the track. Given all the hard work put into constructing the trail and, being so close and accessible to my…

PROFILE Makes 2 cups Prep time 10min Cook time 10-15min Cost $10 INGREDIENTS ½ tsp chili flakes ¼ tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp garam masala ¼ tsp garlic powder (or small clove minced) 2 tsp tamari or soy sauce ½ tsp honey ½ tsp apple cider vinegar 1 ½ tbsp tahini 1 cup cashew nuts ½ cup sunflower seeds ½ cup pumpkin seeds METHOD Preheat oven to 160°C and line a tray with baking paper. Place nuts and seeds in a food processor and pulse a few times until slightly broken up. In a medium-sized bowl, mix all other ingredients to form a thick paste. Add nuts and seeds and mix well so paste coats them evenly (you may need to add a little water if it’s too thick). Place…

BIG AGNES INSULATED Q-CORE SL $359.99 BIG AGNES’ Q-CORE SL is a lightly insulated mat that, at 550g, offers an R-value of 4.5. Inflated, it has the appearance and feel of a ‘car camping’ mat – it’s plush and comfortable. Softer air pressure suits a fully horizontal position, but for sitting or lounging it can be inflated a bit harder. The surface fabric is hardwearing and does not leave you paranoid about putting the mat down on rough ground, but its non-slip qualities could be better; I found myself sliding off the mat a bit on uneven terrain. The fact that the mat’s edged air chambers are thicker than those in the middle mitigates this, and makes the mat more captive to sleep on. This mat is lightly insulated, but…

This month’s Hut Life podcast is from Anchorage Hut on the Abel Tasman Coast Track. You’ll hear stories from visitors who arrived by various modes of travel; a kayaking couple from Golden Bay, two families with young kids who came via water taxi from Nelson, and a trio of trampers who opted to have their heavy bags transported by boat. For more photos and the full audio story, head to wildernessmag.co.nz.…

At around 50cm long and weighing up to 850g, the wood pigeon, or kereru, is one of our largest endemic birds. Its size and habit of roosting in prominent places such as the tops of trees and power pylons, makes it difficult to miss. Although there is some individual variation, in general, the upper parts of adult kereru are blue-green, with a lovely purple-bronze iridescence on the neck, mantle and wings. The under-parts are a contrasting white with a sharp demarcation between the white and blue-green on the upper breast. The eyes and feet are crimson while the beak is a beautiful rich red. Juveniles can be identified by having duller plumage and often the chest is a smudgy white-grey. Kereru have been recorded breeding in all months of the…

The sense of living on the edge and pushing your own comfort and experience levels are just some of the rewards of camping in winter. Yet there is no need to make it miserable – pick your weather, companions, and location to make the most of the opportunity and your skills. Always be aware of the avalanche danger in your chosen area and be prepared to relocate, or postpone the trip if conditions are not favourable. Mid-winter during a long fine spell is likely to provide more stable conditions rather than later in the season when the avalanche danger increases. So keep your eyes on the weather and be ready to go, taking adequate gear to keep warm, a strong four-season tent that will withstand both wind and snow, a…

In the late 1970s, a road linking Golden Bay with Karamea was proposed. It would create jobs, assist with tourism, and open up the north-west Nelson region. There was one little problem: it would all but destroy the historic Heaphy Track. The tramping community went into a furore at such apparently greedy, and ignorant, ecological insensitivity. Hundreds of Kiwis beat a determined path up the Aorere Valley to ‘do the Heaphy’ before it became a bitumen highway. In 1977, my father dragged me there, in my gumboots, through the primeval rainforest and knee-deep mud, overnighting in decrepit huts with resident possums for company. The road never happened. The Heaphy Highway died in its tracks, but has developed into a popular Great Walk and mountain bike trail. But now, Buller mayor…

Sash Nukada loves his job. “My motto is, if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life,” he says. As an outdoor education programme leader at the Ara Institute of Canterbury, he maintains that his field is one of the most life-enriching disciplines in school. Nukada was an avid rock climber and skier when he started studying, and earned his degree in economics. “I was good at it, but I didn’t particularly enjoy it,” he says of his studies. He began outdoor instruction in both climbing and skiing to make some money, and then realised it was his calling. “I never planned it really, I just followed my heart.” Nukada’s ‘big break’ into the outdoor industry was Outward Bound. He did a three-year stint when…

Majestic and captivating, the Takitimu Mountains, affectionately referred to by locals as the Takis, are visible and easily accessible from just about anywhere in Southland. The mountains are named after the Takitimu, one of the original waka that brought Maori to New Zealand. This impressive landform provides ample opportunities for tramping, hunting and fishing. There is a dozen small huts scattered throughout the mountain range, but to reach any of its glorious peaks you need to get off track, and that’s a deterrent for many, myself included. Although I’ve lived in Te Anau for eight years, until recently I hadn’t properly explored them. A couple of ‘nibbles’ – one from the north, when I visited Lower Princhester Hut, and one from the south on a trip to Aparima Hut –…

Stretching north from South Mavora Lake in Southland, all the way to The Divide where the Routeburn Track begins, the Livingstone Mountains form a substantial geographical barrier between the eastern boundary of Fiordland National Park and the drier regions of Southland’s mountain areas. Pockmarked with lakes, innumerable summits, small snowfields, a latticework of catchments, and bordered in the south by two large high country lakes, this range provides enormous potential for exploratory trips, traverses, modest climbs and canoeing adventures. It is remote, seldom visited, grand in scale with just a few huts, and only in its northern reaches, where it meets the Routeburn and Greenstone tracks, are you likely to encounter other trampers. Parties entering the region need to be self-reliant and well equipped. - Pat Barrett 1 Mavora Lakes…

The simple lunge pose is a good way to stretch and strengthen your legs, but with the crescent lunge you can also add balance. 1 Stand with your feet hip-width apart and step your left foot back at least one leg length. 2 Make sure your front knee is over the top of or behind your ankle. 3 Press your front foot firmly into the ground and lift your back thigh up. 4 Look about a metre in front of you at a fixed spot on the ground. Bring both hands to your front knee and lift your chest upright. 5 Bring your hands first to your hips to find your balance, then lift both arms up and relax the shoulders down away from your ears. 6 To add more…