Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2021 i Wilderness

BUILD IT and they will come. That’s what Geoff Chapple, the man who almost single-handedly took the idea of a length-of-the-country trail and turned it into a reality, said in an article he wrote for this magazine in 2016. He was helping Wilderness celebrate its 25th anniversary (yes, readers, that means this year is our 30th) by reflecting on some of the momentous changes seen in the outdoors over the years. There have been few more momentous developments than the Te Araroa Trail and Chapple mentioned how on a visit to Top Wairoa Hut, in the back blocks of Mt Richmond Forest Park and reached on a difficult track, he had seen the number of TA walkers increase from just nine in 2010 to 75 in 2014. When he visited…

A NEW PHASE of construction has begun on the Taranaki Crossing. The work will see new sections of boardwalk installed between Pouakai Hut and Pouakai Tarns, and across the Ahukawakawa wetland. The boardwalk will replace the existing track, which is deteriorating. DOC’s Gareth Hopkins said work is progressing well, and a significant stretch of the boardwalk has been completed on the Ahukawakawa wetland. Greg Hafoka, managing director for Milton and Harward Construction Limited said recruiting local people has been a focus of the project. “When we tendered for this work, we undertook to try and recruit local iwi members to provide work opportunities for unemployed people, as well as adding to their skills,” he said. “We are especially excited to have these iwi members on our team because caring for…

“ROY, I DO NOT THINK I COULD CLIMB ROLLESTON ANYMORE, HE SAYS, PERHAPS WITH A HINT OF REGRET.” AT 86, Pat Barcham is technically ‘old’ but in many respects he appears ‘young’. A frequent walking companion of mine, one regular jaunt follows the Harry Ell Trail on Christchurch’s Port Hills from Victoria Park to the Sign of the Kiwi cafe where we spend an hour yarning over coffee. The there and back walk takes about two hours and my doctor says the hour spent yarning over coffee is as good for our health as the walking. A regular stop is the Hillary table, so named because I met the famous Everest summiter there when he was signing certificates of walkers participating in a ‘Get Christchurch Active Day’. It’s here that…

THE TRACK BEGINS from Roy's Peak car park, which has been known to be full before 10am in peak season, so an early start is advised (there is a smaller, quieter car park on the Cardrona Valley roadside where the track can be walked in reverse). A steep and winding 4WD trail zigzags relentlessly through farmland – supporting plenty of farm animals – before eventually reaching the tussock tops. The tough ascent is consistently rewarded by the surrounding breathtaking views of Lake Wanaka, however, this view remains unchanged for a couple of hours of climbing. When the ridgetop is reached, the spectacular landscape of Lake Wanaka, its islands and the rolling mountains of Mt Aspiring National Park open up, including Tititea/Mt Aspiring itself. At this point, a drop-down toilet can…

OUTDOORS WITH KIDS There is much to like and enjoy in the March 2021 issue. The food section was a great idea and I especially liked Jo Stilwell’s ‘Food for kids’. There’s plenty of useful information and it’s a nice chatty read. In our experience, it always amazed me how grand a piece of stale bread and Marmite tasted when I was really hungry. Matthew Cattin’s intro on ‘Highways to the trails’ is a fine start to a travel piece. But I got the chills reading Judit Angeli’s piece on taking a toddler on a road trip. Are we readers left to contemplate they actually leave the child alone in the campervan to go swimming? It’s fantastic that people introduce their children to different experiences such as a road trip…

AFTER WAITING all summer for a dangerous slip to move on its own accord, engineers are now exploring options to reopen the road to Ōtaki Forks, a key entry point to Tararua Forest Park. But don’t expect access to the Southern Crossing and other popular tracks any day soon. In November 2020, the notorious Blue Bluff, close to the road end, was deemed unstable and closed, with engineers opting to wait for nature to take its course and the slip to clear. Kapiti Coast District Council access and transport manager Glen O’Connor said the council is now reviewing that option and has commissioned a geotechnical survey of the slip, expected to be completed before winter. “Depending on the survey results, we will need to come up with design options, and…

A year of staying in New Zealand seems to have prompted far greater interest in the Wilderness photo competition than ever before. For the first time, we received almost 1000 entries. After carefully examining each entry, our now square-eyed judges have found the winners and a tiny sample of the many worthy runners-up. Thank you to all who entered, and special thanks to our sponsor Panasonic which has supplied three incredible camera prizes to our winning photographers. BEFORE WE SHOW YOU THE WINNERS, HERE’S A SELECTION OF THE BEST OF THE REST: Huts and camping WINNER JUDGES’ COMMENTS Alistair Hall: Shane’s image is instantly engaging and it always makes me smile when I look at it. I love how bright and colourful it is and that the kids are genuinely…

AT THE HEAD of Dusky Sound lies a mysterious loch that holds more than a few stories. The loch formed after an 1826 earthquake caused an enormous landslide to block the Seaforth River. In the process, the loch swallowed a substantial stand of beech trees that can still be seen today, half-submerged and giving the loch an eerie feel. In 1903, when jobs were scarce, a group of 50 West Coast miners were sent to carve a track from Lake Manapouri to Supper Cove. Their tools are still where they abandoned them next to Loch Maree. Loch Maree Hut is perched just above the loch at the junction of the Dusky and Supper Cove tracks. If approaching from Lake Roe Hut, expect a steep 1000m descent before having to ford…

FROM TUNNEL GULLY, a five-minute walk along Tane’s Track leads through an enclave of mature native podocarp forest. In early summer, scarlet rātā blossoms pepper the dark green forest. The track skips across the Remutaka Cycle Trail before reaching the upper car park and an open lawn. Head towards the far end of the lawn where there are two options for the ascent: the gated 4WD service road, or this route with a signposted path for the Mt Climie firebreak. The firebreak soon gains a junction on the ridge and a left turn before carrying on up the hill. After a bit of grunt, there’s a 4WD service road for, well, more grunt. All up, it’s around 6km to South Climie, with around 650m of vertical gain. The first half,…

FROM THE NORTHERN car park at the Opepe Scenic Reserve, begin on the Opepe Northern Track, heading in a clockwise direction. The trail is immediately immersed in mature native bush and it can feel like stepping back in time as you crane your neck to take in the stately tōtara, miro, mataī and kahikatea. It’s a beautiful section of forest that has miraculously survived felling, fires and the Taupō eruption of 186AD. At the southern end of the loop, a side track leads to a clearing where a monument and white wooden grave markers commemorate the deaths of soldiers killed in an uprising by Te Kooti’s forces in 1869. On June 7 that year, a small contingent of Armed Constabulary were surprised by an advance party of Māori. Nine soldiers…

Grade 2-3 Distance 18.2km each way Time 4-6hr Grade 2 Distance 11.6km each way Time 3-5hr Grade 3 Distance 11.6km each way Time 2-4hr AOTEA LIES at the outer reaches of the 1.2m/ha Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. A map of the Island reveals two very important things: there are no straight roads and little flat land amongst the bush-clad corrugations. Surprisingly, there are no hungry possums, stoats, weasels, ferrets, hedgehogs, deer, wallabies or goats. But it does have a varied and long history, dating back more than 800 years when Māori settled the island. Whaling began in the 1790s, copper was discovered in the 1840s and gold and silver in the 1890s, but it was the logging of the massive kauri forests between 1880 and 1930 that changed the landscape…

Wet weather jackets are tested for waterproofness and breathability. The results of the tests are usually displayed on the product’s sales literature. Air permeability refers to super-breathable garments that allow air to actually move through the fabric. Water-resistance: The amount of water pressure (in millimetres) a fabric sample can withstand before leakage occurs – e.g. 20,000mm. Breathability: The amount of water vapour (in grams) that can pass through a square metre of fabric during a 24-hour period. e.g. 20,000g/m2. Air permeability: Only found on new-model jackets that use fabric constructed in a technique known as nanospinning. These garments are the most breathable.…

A sleeping mat’s R-value (Resistance-value) measures its effectiveness at resisting heat loss. The higher the R-value, the warmer a mattress will be. The international ASTM F3340-18 standard ensures mattresses are tested in the same way to achieve consistent R-values across brands. It makes it easier for consumers to properly compare and judge the warmth of various mattresses. Here’s a basic guide to give you an idea of what to expect from each R-value: R1-R2: For summer use when day and nighttime temperatures are warm. R2-R4: Suitable for three-season use, including conditions where you might get a mild ground frost. R4-R6: All season use, including conditions where you might get a heavy ground frost. R6+: Below freezing air temperatures day and night with cold to frozen ground.…

“I felt I could bust into any scenario on the face of the earth and have my head held high.” You wrote that you felt as close to divinity as you’d ever been in Paparoa National Park – how would you describe your relationship with the land? In the early stages, I was overwhelmed by the scale of it. There was so much ground to cover. Whole valleys and ridges that were completely alien made me feel entirely insignificant. It was so grand and wild. Mysterious and stoic. Ancient and unforgiving. Later, I’d venture out at night and explore beyond the verges of the track and slowly I began to feel more at peace. As the job progressed, I grew in confidence and began to feel as if the entire…

WITH BORDERS still closed, the 2021 NZ Mountain Film and Book Festival has announced two adventurous locals as this year’s headline speakers. Adventure kayaker Tara Mulvaney and bikepacker Mark Watson will share their wealth of experience at the festival, which is scheduled to run in Wanaka from June 25 to 29 and in Queenstown from July 1 to 3. Mulvaney is well known for her kayak circumnavigation of Zealand’s three main islands – a world first – and more recently, her solo traverse of the Southern Alps. Watson, along with his partner Hana Black, spent nearly four years bikepacking the length of the Americas – a journey cut short in Chile by Covid. “We are grateful to be able to call on such high-calibre local adventurers and authors to present…

ALSO KNOWN as Manson Cave, and marked as such on most maps, the Rawhiti Cave entrance is huge – up to 40m wide and 20m high – making it one of the largest cave openings anywhere in New Zealand. It’s filled with an especially diverse array of plant life due to long exposure to the sun which can reach into the back of the cave during winter months. The forest is beautiful. Podocarp species are prolific with rimu, matai, southern rātā, and miro well represented. In addition, there are groves of nīkau along with ferns and other understorey plants. It is quite the botanical nature walk with an otherworldly setting underscored by the total lack of any river sounds and only the sigh of the wind on some days. The…

A FIVE-MINUTE stroll through Waikawau Bay’s Pump Paddock leads to the start of the Matamataharakeke Track, clearly marked by a DOC sign. This is followed by a comprehensive cleaning station complete with spray and brushes to prevent the spread of kauri dieback. The trail, originally used by loggers and gold miners making their way from Waikawau to Kennedy Bay, begins by winding alongside a gentle stream and through native bush. The track is well-defined but narrow and riddled with tree roots. There is no gravel, leading to mud in winter, and fallen trees blocking the track may have to be navigated around. During the first 20-minutes, there are multiple stream crossings, all helped by a number of ‘crossing’ rocks. The streams are fairly shallow, but the rocks are neither flat…

It seems our most memorable tramping adventures always start with gazing at a map, wondering about routes, tracks and peaks, pondering the possibilities. Tracing my finger over the huge spread of Kahurangi mountains on the topo map, I noticed a track marked from the Wangapeka Saddle up to Nugget Knob and a track from Hurricane Hut to Pt1442, with the Matiri Range in between. Could the two be joined? With friends Ray Salisbury and Jim Davidson, we set off to find out. In blistering 30℃ heat, we hopped across the Matiri River West Branch into the shade of the bush. With hefty packs, we tip-toed through bracken, blackberry, clover and long grass – the rocky Lake Matiri Track was seriously overgrown. Past a weathered signpost, we entered Matiri Forest, where…

START SMALL: Not sure if your kids will like it? Introduce them to local or more manageable sections first. DON’T RUSH: Take breaks and rest days; it’s not a race. PLAN YOUR BUDGET: Accommodation options in the North Island can get pricey. RESEARCH: Read up on what to expect from each section and be aware that some sections may not be suitable for young children. FLEXIBILITY: Be flexible and ready to move your goalposts and expectations. Section hiking provides more flexibility with the gear needed. THINK LIKE A CHILD: Embrace the child within and keep in mind what might be enjoyable for children.…

THREE- OR 2.5-LAYER Three-layer jackets have a waterproof membrane sandwiched between a durable face fabric and a lining. They tend to be more expensive, heavier and bulkier. But this also makes them more durable, more waterproof and more breathable. Jackets with 2.5-layers include a face fabric and a waterproof membrane with a protective sheen or print overlay. These jackets are likely to be more packable than a three-layer jacket. POCKETS Tramping and alpine jackets have multiple exterior and interior pockets. The ‘handwarmer’ pockets, used to shelter hands from wind and rain, should be ‘packfriendly’ and positioned so they can be accessed while wearing a pack or harness. They are usually quite large and at least one pocket should be able to hold a map. A chest pocket with a vertical…

INFLATION Foam-filled mats are self-inflating – drawing air in as the mat regains its unrolled shape – but may require a few puffs at the end to reach the desired firmness. Synthetic and down-filled mats will come with a pump sack to ensure moisture from your breath doesn’t get inside. The easiest way to use these is to hold the pump sack 30cm from your face and blow into it, then force the air into the mattress. Air-filled models only need your lungs to inflate. FILL High-density open-cell foam, down or synthetic-insulation are the warmest mattresses. Air-filled mats are the coolest, but also the lightest. Antimicrobial treatments will prevent fungal and bacterial growth inside the mat, caused by moist breath (from inflating the mattress). Foam-filled sleeping mats are die-cut or…