Wilderness May 2019

THANKS TO my colleague Matthew, I now have a wooden box in my garden housing a rat trap. Baited with peanut butter, it’s primed to come down hard on any rat that pokes its head in. Unfortunately – and to the dismay of my daughter, who checks it first thing every morning – we have yet to catch a rat. Matt, on the other hand, has caught four. It’s not a competition. In the week since we bought the trap, inspired by Matt’s story ‘Beginning the backyard battle’ which you can find on p20, my daughter has reported on our kills. It’s always the same: “It’s empty!” (Though one day she said “Ants! There are ants in the trap!” It seems they like peanut butter, too.) In truth, I don’t expect to catch…

WEED CONTROL WEBSITE NEEDED THE STORY about the hut bagging website (Walkshorts, April 2019) got me thinking about doing something similar for noxious weeds and wilding pines. I admit I have a bit of a thing about weeds in our beautiful backyard. I really don’t like them. Being a tramper for over 50 years has meant personal observation of the results of weed infestation and it’s not pretty. Recently, while on a mission to enjoy the easy tops access of Hanmer’s Jacks Pass and to knock off a few conifers while I was enjoying the exercise and view, my mind wandered to getting more people actively involved in weed control. There are now all sorts of websites where the word can be spread and progress noted. For example, there are websites for hut bagging…

GET YOUR PHOTO PUBLISHED HERE TO RECEIVE A TUB OF STORM LEATHER CREAM TO WATERPROOF, CONDITION AND SHINE YOUR TRAMPING BOOTS. Learn more about Storm at ampro.co.nz. Last Weekend submission criteria can be found at wildernessmag.co.nz…

AT 76-YEARS-OLD, Aucklander Susanne Brighouse is proof that age is no barrier to experiencing the backcountry. The keen outdoorswoman – who started tramping at 52 – plans a multi-day tramp every year with her siblings, and in March completed the seven day Five Passes route in Mt Aspiring National Park. She likened the gruelling track of more than 4000m ascent to childbirth – painful at the time, but less so in hindsight. “Looking back on it, it never seems so bad – I think you forget how painful it was, and just remember the good parts. Some people just remember the bad parts, but I remember the good,” she said. It’s hard on young knees, and Brig-house can confirm older knees are no different. “It was about 80 per cent pain, and 20 per cent…

THE MANSON NICHOLLS Memorial Hut is set to be rebuilt with an emphasis on accessibility. Located on the shore of Lake Daniell in Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve, the existing hut was completed in 1976 to commemorate three trampers who died in the area in 1974, when a landslide destroyed the Lake Daniell Fishing Club Hut. DOC works officer Cameron Jones said the new hut will be ideal for people who may not have tramped before, school groups and families, and the design will include features to improve accessibility for users of all ages. “These include having lower bench heights and basins for children, grab rails in the toilets, decks flush with hut floor level, lower heights for some of the bunks and doorways and sufficient space inside to allow people in a wheelchair…

GUIDELINES FOR backcountry ski touring have been developed as a way to change behaviour on the slopes. The Backcountry Touring Access Guidelines, established by the Federated Mountain Clubs and NZ Alpine Club, are an attempt to create a safer and more respectful environment and preserve ski field access to the backcountry. The guidelines advocate increased communication with ski patrols, taking safety precautions and respecting the environment and those within it. An FMC investigation into ski touring last year found backcountry skiers were causing problems in areas where they could use ski field infrastructure to access the backcountry. Cited behaviour included skiers ignoring signage, accessing dangerous terrain and butting heads with other skiers and mountain staff. FMC development officer Dan Clearwater, who worked on the guidelines, said a lack of common sense by a few was…