WildernessNovember 2018的目錄

DOC IS PROPOSING a more hands-on approach to managing national parks which may change how Kiwis experience these places forever. The department is consulting on draft management plans for Aoraki/ Mt Cook and Westland Tai Poutini national parks to manage a swathe of new challenges. Both parks are facing unprecedented growth, catering for close to a million people a year. Climate change is also forcing a rethink around how people experience the country’s highest peaks. How DOC addresses these issues is likely to influence the plans for Fiord-land and Mt Aspiring national parks, which are overdue to be reviewed. Here’s what trampers need to know. MT COOK/AORAKI NATIONAL PARK The biggest change proposed is a park and ride for visitors heading to Mt Cook Village. With nearly a million people…

ONE COLD DAY at Whakapapa Village, 20 years ago, I watched a group of local iwi perform a spirited haka while beyond Ngauruhoe sulked under cloud. A hungry wind bit as the voices chanted, bare feet thumped, challenges were issued, and it was not from the cool temperature that I shivered. Later, representatives of several iwi from around Aotearoa presented rocks from their rohe, which were interned under a local stone. The celebration marked Tongariro National Park gaining dual cultural and natural World Heritage Area status. Tongariro already had natural status, when in 1990 it became the country’s first World Heritage Area, in recognition of its dynamic volcanic environment – part of the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’. That day in November 1998, however, the ceremony acknowledged the area’s cultural significance…

THE WORD ‘bog’ evokes ideas of a wet, dark and uninviting place. And Bog Inn Hut doesn’t sound entirely comfortable. But I had been wanting to visit this rustic hut close to Taupo for a while, and, to add more dankness to the whole trip, I chose to do it on a weekend near the shortest day of the year. The 7km access road to Waihora Lagoon car park is signposted from Western Bays Road (SH32), west of Lake Taupo, and is in relatively good condition. Waihora Lagoon sits on a short track from the car park and is well worth the detour. When we visited, the viewing platform was under water. Starting near the car park, the Waihora Track follows an old logging road for the first 45 minutes…

The mountain grandeur on the Rees-Dart is dramatic: the valleys are vast, the huts are historical, and if you’re seeking solitude, a smattering of rock bivouacs and riverside campsites are on offer. After a huge landslide closed the track for three years, DOC reopened this classic in 2017. This 60km circuit was once the nearby Routeburn’s poor cousin; the great walk you did when the Great Walk was booked out. However, its popularity has seen it become a destination in its own right. The Rees-Dart sports spectacular scenery that rivals its next-door neighbour and deserves its spot on your holiday bucket list. 1 Muddy Creek A 4WD road crosses leasehold land along easy river flats. Follow marker poles across a boggy section beyond Arthurs Creek. A short grassy trail leads…

LET’S FACE IT, tramping is not a particularly action-packed activity. When taking tramping pictures, your subject’s natural state of being is walking. And while there is nothing wrong with someone walking through a beautiful landscape, a lack of variety in subject activity puts your tramping story at risk of being dull. The following activities will add interest to your photos and drama to your tale. SPICE UP YOUR WALKING SHOTS While a plain walking shot is an accurate representation of how trampers spend their time, a few simple tricks can make it so much better. Watch out for things your subject can interact with, like a tree to duck under, a stream to jump across, or a rock to push off. It’s all about connecting your subject to the environment…

1 MEXICAN MASH Mash one ripe avocado with a squeeze of lemon juice, quarter teaspoon garlic powder and season with salt and pepper. Fry a small onion and add 400g of refried beans and three tablespoons of tomato paste. Place a good dollop of mash in your bowl topped with bean mix and guacamole. To serve, sprinkle with a little chilli powder, grated cheese and corn chips. 2 MINCE MASH Rehydrate one small packet of dehydrated veggies and set aside. Fry an onion in a tablespoon of oil and then add 200g mince (use veggie mince if vegetarian) and three tablespoons of tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until browned and cooked through. Add veggies and cook for three minutes. Serve on top of mash with tomato…

“NOTHING CAN EVER PREPARE YOU,” says Julie Stacey. The 45-year-old walked the 3000km Te Araroa Trail last season. A former marathon runner, Stacey spent about five months training, running 5km every day in her lunch break, tramping up mountains in her weekends, and even walking around Hamilton with a heavy pack at 5am each morning. “I would look really silly, but I had never done overnight hiking before and nothing gets you pack-fit like wearing a pack,” she says. Despite her preparations, she found the first two weeks a huge challenge. “Ninety Mile Beach is just a killer,” she says. “You’re just walking along the beach day after day.” Te Araroa veteran Stuart Bilby says the first 1000km are the crux. “Starting from Cape Reinga is a killer,” Bilby says.…

Neill Simpson’s first tramp changed his life. Arriving at Tongariro National Park on a Friday evening, the frosted landscape sparkled under the moonlight; Mt Ngauruhoe grumbled, belching out red-hot rocks which rolled down its symmetrical flank. The year was 1954, he was 21, Ngauruhoe was erupting. “It was such a memorable evening, I’ll never forget it,” Simpson says. “We stayed at Mangatepopo Hut and I remember waking up to the hut shaking as Ngauruhoe rumbled away.” Sixty-four years later, he’s still going. His last multi-day tramp was in June when he walked the Rakiura Great Walk on Stewart Island at age 85. “It was pretty good, but I’m a bit slow going up hill these days.” He is one of hundreds of trampers who defy the ageing process and tramp…

Guy points Guylines provide added support to the tent, particularly in strong winds. They will help the tent maintain its shape and prevent poles from snapping. There should be multiple guy points spaced around the tent though in order to keep weight down, many manufacturers supply insufficient guylines. If that’s the case in your chosen model, buy some spares. Poles The more poles you have, the sturdier, and heavier, the tent will be. Many tents come with a single pole with a ‘hub’ that has extra pole lengths branching from it. Poles are flexible and designed to bend, though are prone to breaking if used incorrectly or not properly supported with guylines. PEGS Aluminium pegs are shaped to hold in soft soil and snow. As with guylines, the manufacturer will…

A RECENT ONLINE booking trial at Brewster Hut in Mt Aspiring National Park found at least half of hut users may have been dodging hut fees. Last summer, DOC trialled a booking system at Brewster and Siberia huts in a bid to manage the growing number of hut users. At Brewster, the number of people paying hut fees more than doubled after the booking system was introduced, going from 505 in 2016/17 to 1153 in 2017/18. However, the amount of sewage flown out from the hut remained the same, suggesting rampant fee dodging by past users. Unlike Brewster, Siberia Hut usually has a warden during peak times, so the booking trial had little impact on people paying hut fees. “Compliance in bookable, well-used huts and campsites is high and, while…

LYING 90KM from Auckland as the kaka flies, Great Barrier Island/Aotea might seem like a logical destination for local trampers. But few venture there. The main hurdle to visiting seems to be that most North Island trampers think if they have to fly or boat to their destination, it may as well be to the South Island. That’s a shame because Aotea boasts excellent birdlife (the island has never had possums or stoats), some fascinating history, good tracks and also this modern, comfortable hut. Trampers can reach Mt Heale Hut on a variety of tracks, but Palmers Track provides the best approach because it has the advantage of beginning at 320m on Aotea Road. The well-graded track soon leads to a boot-cleaning station (used to avoid spreading kauri dieback disease),…

CELESTIAL. SUBLIME. GODLIKE. Dramatic terms yes, but no exaggeration when describing the sun’s evening rays pouring out from behind the Scarlett Range. This alone was reward enough for the toil required to reach our campsite beside a little tarn nestled in a hollow at 1320m on Biggs Tops. But to enjoy the full magnificence of this lofty place required camping, because, given the right weather, sunrise is just as impressive as sunset. It should be no surprise that Biggs Tops offers magnificent views, because it sits right at the southern end of the Luna Ridge system, offering unimpeded views from the north-east to the south-west. Biggs Tops is a high point surrounded by rivers. Wangapeka Saddle, sitting at 1010m to the south-east, is the key. Not only is this where…

PROPRIOCEPTION IS your ability to feel how your body is positioned relative to space and the other parts of your body as you move. It makes it possible to walk through the hut in the dark or touch your finger to your nose with your eyes closed. When you lose your balance, proprioception helps your body make adjustments so you can either regain your balance or get ready to fall. You don’t have to practise falling to improve your proprioception. If you close your eyes in a stable position, you can make small changes in your body to control your stability. Try this experiment: Start in an easy yoga pose (pictured) and then close your eyes. Closing your eyes will challenge your balance. You will have to feel your body’s…

SINCE 1990, the paradise shelduck (putangitangi) population has increased dramatically and it can now be found around sports fields and other open grassed areas within urban environments. CONSERVATION STATUS Endemic species classified as ‘not threatened’. FEATURES Paradise shelducks are between a large duck and small goose in size with males averaging around 1700g and the female 1400g. The male is uniformly dark grey or black with an occasional green iridescence on the head, while the female has a chestnut-coloured body with a white head and upper neck. Both have dark grey/black legs and feet. CALL The male gives a two-syllable goose-like honk when alarmed or in flight. The female has a much more rapid and persistent call that is higher in pitch and more piercing. Nesting Shelducks pair during the…

Many of those who identify as longdistance hikers will at one time or another suffer from post-trail blues. That feeling of emptiness that creeps up at the completion of a major adventure. The realisation that an amazing, life-changing experience has come to an end. I found myself buffeted by a bout of post-hike melancholy when I finished the Pacific Crest Trail in 2017. Naturally, I took to the internet to look for answers. I found I wasn’t alone. Kristin Nesse Thue was suffering similar withdrawals after completing the Te Araroa Trail in February this year. A month later, safely back home in Norway, she reached out to the TA Facebook group, ‘Post Trail blues: how did you guys deal with getting off the trail? I feel like the mental resilience…

INNER To trap warm air, there will be little in the way of mesh fabric here. Ventilation Small windows and vents with Velcro or zip closure will allow condensation-reducing airflow. When possible, a through-breeze can be created by opening the door and windows. Most vestibule doors can open from the top – useful if snow has accumulated around the base of the tent. POLES Lightweight aluminium poles are the standard. Tunnel tents generally have one crossover near the ceiling, while dome tents with two or three poles offer increased strength against wind and snow loadings. SIZE CHOOSE A TENT FOR THE SIZE OF YOUR PARTY – FOUR SEASON TENTS ARE HEAVY DUE TO THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEY ARE USED, BUT DEAD SPACE IS WASTED SPACE. STORAGE Pockets and suspended…

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THE HISTORIC Hooker Hut will be rebuilt in Hooker Valley in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park next year, opening up a new overnight experience in the park. The 12 bunk hut was removed from the Hooker Valley in 2015 as it risked falling down the crumbling moraine wall. DOC Aoraki/Mt Cook operations manager Brent Swanson said the hut has been in storage in Twizel and DOC planned to re-install it near the Hooker Valley Track. Swanson said the hut could be installed about 30 minutes walk off the Hooker Valley Track, between the Mueller Glacier lake and Hooker Lake. “I think it will create a good experience for everybody,” Swanson said. The hut was built in 1910, when materials were taken up the Hooker Glacier via pack horse. Since then,…

A SECTION OF the Pouakai Crossing will remain closed for summer following a massive slip in February. The crossing has become increasingly popular after Lonely Planet said it was a must-do experience and it has been called ‘the next Tongariro Alpine Crossing’. The slip has closed the Holly Hut Track, but trampers are still able to walk the crossing via a detour which adds an hour or two to the trek. DOC senior ranger Dave Rogers said the slip was unstable and DOC was still investigating whether the track can be repaired or if it will need to be rerouted. “There’s still debris perched up high above the track, so it’s too risky to open for summer,” Rogers said. “It’s not going to be a simple fix.” DOC is conducting…

GODLEY HUT is a gem. Built pile-less in 1934, directly onto a slightly elevated rocky shelf at 1100m, it looks out to the terminal lake of the Maud and Grey glaciers. The Maud icefall fills the hut’s northern window. On my only visit to Godley Hut, our climbing party took shelter there while we waited for the weather to clear. It proved a reliable refuge from a raw and powerful alpine environment. It’s not large – just eight bunks. Structural timber, now more than 80 years old, gives a historic feel. The hut was officially opened by AP Harper and GE Mannering, two of New Zealand’s alpine greats and both founding members and ex-presidents of the New Zealand Alpine Club. The hut was to be retired in 2005, but maintenance…

IF IT HAS BEEN more than a year since your last tramp, like it had been for me, the three hour hike to Field Hut is the perfect way to restore your confidence. Cross the Waiotauru footbridge at Ō taki Forks and wind your way uphill on the well-formed Fields Track. After about 30 minutes, just before entering the bush, turn and admire the valley below for a few moments – it will be the last chance to catch your breath before the trail steepens. Immediately on entering the shadowy forest, there is a breathtaking stretch of kamahi and beech forest. Look up and take it all in. From here, the track is studded with rocks and tree roots, which makes it hard going in places – I’d rest with…

I’M WRITING THIS FIVE DAYS after a climber slipped and fell into Crater Lake on Mt Ruapehu. Magesh Jagadeesan, a 32-year-old climber who was well-equipped, experienced, and much-loved by many people, sadly lost his life. On September 22, I was in a group that reached the col between Paretetaitonga and Dome to find a helicopter carrying out rescue efforts. As we watched, thinking it was a live person being pulled out, a man slipped off Dome, lost his ice axe and slid right past me. I wasn’t quick enough to grab him, but another of my group charged over in case he didn’t stop in time. He had already lost his pack, and he was lucky to come to a halt on a flat part of the col. I later…

HAVING TO LUG out the smelly bag of group rubbish is an all too familiar part of tramping. It often feels like a chore, but with some forward planning it’s anything but. My friends and I only carry out a small ziplock bag of food scraps, despite cooking fresh group dinners. Leaving the forest as you found it gets easier if you reassess your relationship with trash, taking a load off the environment and your back. Three years ago, I participated in plastic-free July. Afterwards, I realised I couldn’t go back to my wasteful ways. One of my first big zero-waste challenges was figuring out what to take tramping. The vast majority of tramping rubbish is related to food – be it scraps, or the seemingly endless layers of unnecessary…

First we just heard rustling in the bushes. Then a loud call. We stopped and listened. Suddenly, poking from the tussock was a bright red beak, and then quietly, gracefully a large blue-green bird stepped, knees high, out onto the track. Being able to see a takahē – the bird that ‘came back from extinction’ – on the Heaphy Track in September was a highlight of the trip. It was also something that by rights should not have happened. Takahē (Notornis mantelli) were once widespread in the South Island, but after the arrival of mammalian predators, their numbers declined rapidly to the point where, by the end of the 19th century, the species was considered extinct. A flightless grazer, it is similar to its more prolific cousin the pukeko, but…

Before you buy View the tent pitched – it may be your regular campground doesn’t provide sites big enough to accommodate it. You’ll also want to check it offers enough space for your family, especially on days when the weather makes going outside impossible. Fabric The most expensive models will be made from canvas which can resist harsh UV light and heavy downpours. Nylon fabric is cheaper and lighter but may not have the life expectancy of a canvas tent. Floors THESE NEED TO BE SUPER TOUGH AND SHOULD offer a 10,000mm waterhead rating. WINDOWS These are typically clear PVC and can be opened to promote airflow. Most have a mosquito-proof privacy mesh backing to keep bugs out and allow you to change without passersby seeing in. Some windows can…