Sommaire pour November 2019 de Wilderness

EARLIER THIS YEAR, I received a string of letters from readers sharing dismay at their experience of the Lake Waikaremoana Track. Unreliable water taxis and shuttle services, huts and tracks in disrepair. In short, not the ‘Great Walk’ experience they were expecting. Even before these letters began arriving in my inbox, Wilderness had been trying to talk to Tūhoe to get an update on when a closed section of track on the walk, which had been damaged by a landslip, would be reopened. It was a frustrating and ultimately fruitless exercise as no-one at Tūhoe was able or willing to comment. For those unaware of the current state of play in Te Urewera, DOC no longer manages Te Urewera or the Lake Waikaremoana Track. That role has fallen to Tūhoe…

DOC BOOKING SYSTEM UPDATE SEES PRICE SPIKE DOC HAS OPENED the summer season with updates to their online booking system and price increases for some of the backcountry’s most popular huts. Ten DOC campgrounds and five huts – including Liverpool, Aspiring and Woolshed Creek huts – have been added to the online booking system and 15 huts have increased in price. DOC Booking Services manager Ross Shearer said the booking system increases safety by giving visitors the assurance of a bunk. “It ensures people are not pushing it to reach their destination early and taking unnecessary risks to do so,” he said. The huts will remain open and unlocked to all, and shelter in a storm is “guaranteed'', Shearer said. “Safety is our number one priority – if you're out…

ON A GRASSY knoll high above Karekare Beach, you could spread out a blanket and stare up at the stars, amazingly clear on some nights. During the day, the knoll was a great spot to have a bit of lunch and luxuriate in the sweeping view down Auckland’s west coast, past Paratahi Island to the Pararaha Valley and onto the sand bars off Whatipu. A fence was put up around the edge of the knoll about a decade ago, somewhat denting the connection to nature. Now Auckland Council has gone a step further and gravelled the approach and fenced virtually all the knoll. The connection to the natural world is lost – to me at least. The gravel arrived as part of a major upgrade of Comans Track – one…

MOMENTS. That’s all it can take to descend into danger. A missed marker, upside down map, or a wrong turn – it’s unfair how benign a catalyst of catastrophe can be, but getting lost can happen to even the most experienced. The rise of cellphones and PLBs have made it easier than ever for lost trampers to find their way out of danger, but what can you do if you can’t call for help? According to Mountain Safety Council’s tramping incident report A Walk in the Park?, an average of 10 trampers a week are involved in a search and rescue incident. Pete Whalley and his partner Erica Smith weren’t prepared for an overnight tramp when they set out for a day walk in the Waiohine Gorge in Tararua Forest…

“I’M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE to make it into Ikawatea,” came the scratchy radio call from Simon the chopper pilot, as we huddled in the ute. “The clag has set in and the wind is getting up.” Resigned to the inevitable, DOC ranger Pete Bird turned to me, shrugged his shoulders and said: “We call this the gauntlet.” Spring in New Zealand is a bad time to do an aerial 1080 operation, but it’s also the best time. Possums and rats are hungry and tempted by the bait. But choppers need to be able to fly safely, drop bait accurately and, at that time of year, the weather doesn’t always play ball. It can be a nightmare organising an operation. The merest chink of decent weather can mean it’s…

What’s better after a hard day’s walk than to sit with your feet up, a hot cup of tea and one of these granola bars to dunk? You can experiment with adding dried fruit or nuts to the mix for different flavour combinations. PROFILE Prep time: 10min Cook time: 10min Makes: 10-12 bars Cost: $8-10 RECIPE 2 cups rolled oats 1 cup sunflower seeds ½ cup pumpkin seeds ¼ cup chia seeds 2 tbsp hemp seeds 3 tbsp finely sliced crystallised ginger ½ tsp ground ginger ½ cup chocolate chips ⅓ cup honey ¼ cup tahini (or nut butter of choice) METHOD Preheat the oven to 180℃. Place the oats, sunflower and pumpkin seeds on a tray and put in the oven for 5min until lightly toasted. Remove from the…

1- Big Agnes Fly Creek Carbon HV2 $1979.99 Semi freestanding with single-door and vestibule, single-pole, stay dry side-access vestibule, oversized ceiling pocket, media pockets, colour-coded webbing and buckles, guylines and tensioners. Fly Dyneema polyethylene Inner Ripstop nylon Floor Dyneema polyethylene Poles 1, Easton carbon fibre Ceiling height 101cm Area 2.6m², vestibule 0.65m² Weight 652g. www.gearshop.co.nz 2- MSR Hubba Hubba NX $999.99 Two vestibules and stay-dry entrances, unified pole and hub system for maximum interior space, multi-pitch design, colour-coded adjustable stakeout loops, adjustable vestibule for ventilation, rainfly vent. Fly 20D ripstop nylon Xtreme Shield coated, 1200mm Inner 15D nylon micromesh, 20D ripstop nylon Floor 30D ripstop nylon, Xtreme Shield coated, 3000mm Poles 1, Easton Syclone Ceiling height 100cm Area 2.7m², vestibules 1.62m² Weight 1760g. www.ampro.co.nz 3-…

Why did you feel the TA was a good fit for the album release? Michelle: Honestly, it’s not! This is by far the most ambitious thing we’ve ever organised. We really wanted to combine our passions of music and tramping, and the album was a way to make it more financially feasible for us. We really love performing in smaller rural locations as the crowds are always so warm, responsive and hospitable. Te Araroa eschews New Zealand’s major cities in favour of some really scenic towns which means we get to perform in all the nooks and crannies that would get overlooked on your average tour. What tramping experience do you both have? Mickey: Michelle started multi-day tramping five years ago. In 2017, she completed the Australian Alps Walking Track…

FOR TWO MONTHS, solo sea kayaker Scott Donaldson’s colour palette consisted almost entirely of blues and greys. During his record-setting crossing of the Tasman Sea, his most consistent company were two tropical fish, dubbed Ringo and Donk for their habit of bashing their scaly heads against his hull. Some days saw fleets of dolphins and lazy albatross glide across his path, or stroppy sharks following his paddle strokes. And some days it was just Donaldson, alone on the Tasman Sea with his thoughts. “The biggest challenge for anybody is that sensory deprivation – the lack of input,” Donaldson says. “It’s a key difference between going solo in the bush and having a stint at sea. “I was good for a week, then two weeks, but by week three it started…

I GAIN great satisfaction searching names on topomap.co.nz, because it throws up all sorts of places I’ve never heard of. Type in ‘corner’ for example, and four pages of names pop up. Most of them, it turns out, are various road intersections on the Canterbury Plains, of little interest to trampers. But in the backcountry a smattering of interesting places appear with ‘corner’ in the title. Here are seven. 1 RUAHINE CORNER, RUAHINE FOREST PARK, Hawke’s Bay Ruahine Corner occupies the northwestern part of Ruahine Forest Park, and it’s a magnificent place. Rolling red tussocklands border a sharp line of pahautea forest, and there’s a comfortable six-bunk hut perched with views towards the north. Approaches are possible from several directions, most of which will take at least…

While you are walking it’s important to look, listen, feel and smell your surroundings. What is happening on your left, your right, in front and behind you? Being aware of these factors aids navigation and helps you backtrack if you lose your bearings. SLOPE OF THE GROUND Is the ground rising, dropping or flat ahead, behind, left or right? Initially you may find that in the bush it just looks like trees but with time you will be able to make out changes in slope through the trees. DIRECTION OF TRAVEL Which direction are you moving in relation to the sun, landmarks, water flow, or your compass bearing. Notice changes as you go, is this a minor wiggle or a change in general direction? GROUND FEATURES UNDERFOOT Is the ground…

CONSERVATION STATUS Endemic species classified as ‘nationally vulnerable’. FEATURES The hihi is a medium-sized songbird recognisable by its very upright, almost wren-like cocked tail. Males and females differ, with males having a black head with white ear tufts, a bright yellow neck and shoulder band with a distinctive and obvious white wing-bar. The rest of the body is a grey/brown colour. Females are greyish-brown all over, apart from the white wing bar. Juvenile birds are similar in all aspects to the female. The hihi’s bill is black, slender and down-curved, like that of most other honey eating species. Adults reach about 18cm in length and weigh 30-36g. DIET Hihi feed on nectar, fruit and invertebrates. Until only recently, it was thought the stitchbird belonged to the family of honey (nectar)…

1- Hilleberg Enan $1282 Single pole construction, multi-pitch design, linked inner and fly for simultaneous pitching, single entrance and vestibule, interior pockets, multiple guy attachment points, mesh doors and panels at head and foot. Fly Kerlon 1000 Inner Nylon and mesh Floor 70D nylon, 15,000mm Poles 1, 9mm DAC NSL Ceiling height 93cm Area 1.7m², vestibule 0.8m² Weight 1200g. www.motomox.co.nz. 2- Mont Moondance 1 $749.95 Freestanding, multi-pitch design, factory-taped seams, internal vestibule, internal-access roof vent, non-directional pole hubs (can face either direction), two guy cords, eight pegs, tub floor. Fly 30D rip-stop nylon, 2000mm Inner 20D rip-stop nylon, No-See-Um mesh Floor 40D nylon, 10,000mm+ Poles 2, DAC Featherlite NSL Ceiling height 95cm Area 2.3m², vestibules 0.73m² Weight 1500g. www.mont.com.au 3- Macpac Sololight $599.99 Multi-Pitch…

Bushcraft Essentials Bushbox LF $123 / 470g By Alistair Hall Features: This stove can burn multiple fuel types – wood, charcoal, firestarters and liquid fuel in a Trangia burner. The stove folds flat and fits inside a compact pouch. Two trivets can be used as pot supports and to move the hot stove and to tip ash out without burning yourself. There is a folding base to catch ash and a folding grate on which to place wood. A separate removable grate can be inserted halfway up the stove to provide a platform for Esbit fire starters and liquid fuels. 4/5 Construction: Made in Germany from stainless steel, the stove feels solid and every bit as heavy as its 450g. There are several simple steel hinges that work…

Get your photo published here to receive a double pack of BPA-free, biobased plastic Sporks worth $13. Learn more about Sporks at ampro.co.nz. Last Weekend submission criteria can be found at wildernessmag.co.nz…

I WASN’T SOLD ON sleeping bag liners until I slipped into a silken dream of my own for the first time. Since then, my no-frills liner has become an indispensable part of my sleeping kit, and I’ve come to use it more than my down sleeping bag due to its versatility across four seasons. In summer, I use it camping in the humid far north with my unzipped sleeping bag thrown over like a blanket, and in winter it adds a valuable layer when the mercury takes a dive. In tropical Tonga, it kept nocturnal nasties from biting, while adding the perfect amount of insulation. To naysayers, a liner is a luxury item that adds unnecessary weight to your pack. To converts, liners are a versatile piece of kit, adding…

AS A YOUNG DAD, Tūhoe’s Tamati Kruger spent months living off-grid with his family deep in Te Urewera. They lived in a rough slab hut and foraged and hunted off the land. He even delivered his son there. Years later, when Kruger tussled with former prime minister John Key on the need to include the care and management of Te Urewera in Tūhoe’s Treaty settlement, and then successfully negotiated the world-first legislation that granted Te Urewera personhood status, Kruger took his special relationship with the bush a step further. Now, Kruger and the people of Tūhoe want others to follow their lead. They want visitors to Te Urewera – and the popular wilderness hot-spot of Lake Waikaremoana – to completely rethink the way they understand and use the place and…

1996. That was the year we started. Facebook and Google didn’t exist. There was no Netflix, Twitter, Instagram or Uber. Sean Fitzpatrick was the captain of the All Blacks and Jim Bolger was the Prime Minister (although Winston Peters was deputy). I’d seen a video of an ‘old’ guy at work celebrating his 50th birthday on a tramping trip with a group of fellow geriatrics. Something called the Cascade Saddle. I’d never been tramping; in fact, I’d never had much time for the great outdoors, but even I had to admit it looked spectacular. How hard could it be, I thought. I was 35 and not unfit. For reasons now lost in the mists of time, my suggestion of a tramp was eagerly embraced by my best friend and a…

Access and vestibules Double entrance tents typically have two vestibules for storing gear and provide convenient access to the tent whilst avoiding trampling over your companions. They also allow more airflow and ventilation options than single entrance tents. Guy points Guylines provide added support, 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. Fly The fly creates an insulating air layer between it and the inner. It will be made from ripstop nylon or polyester fabric with some fly fabric weights being as light as 20 denier. All flys…

Vertical walls, D-shaped doors, two vestibules, free-standing, lamp shade pocket, seam taped vented fly, seam-taped catenary cut floor, colour-coded poles, interior pockets, jingle-free zipper pulls. Fly 20D ripstop polyester,1200mm Inner 40-denier polyester mesh Floor 30D nylon, 2000mm Poles 3, DAC Press-Fit Ceiling height 117cm Area 3m², vestibules 1.39m² Weight 2850g. www.marmotnz.co.nz Kiwi Camping Ruru 4 $399 Four person Marmot Tungsten 3P $599 Three person Double entrances and vestibules, tripegging system, roof loft door storage, tri-tensioners, speed clips, accessory pockets, fire retardant and SPF50 UV coating.Three-year warranty. Fly 75D, 185T polyester, 4000mm Floor Poly-Oxford, 4000mm Poles Colour-coded aluminium Ceiling height 115cm Area 5.3m², vestibules 4.8m² Weight 5200g. www.kiwicamping.co.nz Kiwi Camping Weka 3 $349 Three person Double entrances and vestibules, tri-pegging system, roof loft door storage, tri-tensioners, speed clips,…

Earth sea sky Merino Beanie $59.90 Used by: Roving editor Shaun ‘two hats’ Barnett Used for: Eight years VERDICT: A NICE BIT OF SMART KIT THAT KEEPS ME WARM AT A COLD CAMP, OR IN THE HUT. I’m always attracted to Earth Sea Sky gear because it’s made in New Zealand. Headwear is important for comfort and survival, and I always carry two – a lightweight balaclava that can be used in really nasty conditions to fend off a face-assaulting blizzard, and a beanie I can keep dry for use in the hut or camp. My lava-coloured Earth Sea Sky beanie is made of merino, so is comfortable, doesn’t get smelly, and looks smart even after years of use. Kathmandu Pegasus Hybrid $399.98 Used by: Cold-sleeping former deputy editor George…