December 2020

Wilderness

New Zealand’s magazine of the outdoors

Wilderness2 min read
Pedal POWER
THERE’S A WONDERFUL tramping paradox I’ve come to appreciate more with the passing of each track marker – that of the bottomless to-do list. It’s a contradiction that’s allowed Wilderness to publish trips for nearly 30 years, and seasoned trampers to
Wilderness1 min read
Wilderness NZ
EDITOR Alistair Hall [email protected] DEPUTY EDITOR Matthew Cattin [email protected] ART AND DESIGN Pelin Hall [email protected] ROVING EDITOR Shaun Barnett [email protected] ADVERTISING
Wilderness3 min read
Pigeon Post
I am 13-years-old and am an avid reader of Wilderness, just like the rest of my family. The stories, reviews, and photos are excellent. However, when reading the November issue, there was something that didn’t sit right with me or my family. The Trai
Wilderness1 min read
Letter Of The Month
I wish to commend Wilderness on the open-minded article, ‘A trip on the wild side’ (Web-exclusive, September 15) I note a correspondent was concerned that this article was harmful and should not have been published (Pigeon Post, November 2020). I wis
Wilderness1 min read
Your Trips, YOUR PIX
Get your photo published here to receive a Light My Fire ‘Re-kit’ Cup/Straw/Spork made from environmentally-friendly bioplastic and worth $20. Learn more about LMF at e.ampro.co.nz. Last Weekend submission criteria can be found at wildernessmag.co.nz
Wilderness1 min read
Awards Success For Wilderness
WILDERNESS HAS again been honoured at the annual magazine industry media awards. In a year that has seen several magazines close doors or change ownership, Wilderness has held steady and though it is operating in extremely challenging times the magaz
Wilderness2 min read
News From Wilderness Online
A summary of web-exclusive stories published at wildernessmag.co.nz The season for walking Te Araroa Trail has kicked off and for the first time, Kiwis outnumber international walkers as they set off from Cape Reinga to Bluff. Te Araroa executive dir
Wilderness2 min read
Scientists Hope To Indigenise Species Names
THE KIWI IS New Zealand’s national bird, found nowhere else in the world – so why does it go by the scientific name Apteryx? It’s a question that puzzles Auckland professor of biogeography Len Gillman, who has co-authored a paper challenging taxonomi
Wilderness1 min read
Taranaki Eyes Future Great Ride
A COMMUNITY-LED trust has set its sights on developing a Great Ride in Taranaki. “There is a big empty space where Taranaki sits on the map,” Taranaki Trail Trust trustee Charlotte Littlewood said. “When you think about what the Otago Rail Trail has
Wilderness3 min read
Why Your Favourite Tramping Gear Might Not Be Available This Christmas
OUTDOOR GEAR retailers and distributors are advising trampers to buy their gear early this summer or risk missing out as unprecedented demand, production issues and freight delays have created shortages. It comes as more people are heading outdoors i
Wilderness3 min readAutomotive
One For The Record Books
MACGREGOR JONES likes a challenge. When a slip stopped the 17-year-old and his family from riding the newly-opened Paparoa Track last year, he decided to unicycle the length of it when they rebooked last October. The Year 12 Waimea College student sa
Wilderness3 min read
Is Pouakai Tarn An Asset Or A Liability?
THE OUTRAGEOUSLY POPULAR Pouakai Tarn, in Egmont National Park, might be the most disappointing natural landmark in New Zealand. I recently walked the Pouakai Circuit over three days and was blessed with a clear, golden afternoon at Pouakai Hut, so f
Wilderness4 min read
Good Progress For Paparoa Great Spots
IT’S NOT JUST GREAT WALK TRAMPERS AND BIKERS COMING TO BLACKBALL, GREAT SPOTTED KIWI ARE ALSO JOINING THE PARTY. “There weren’t any roroa down here 10 years ago, we didn’t expect them to come to town,” Jo Halley says, referring to the kiwi calls they
Wilderness5 min read
10 of THE BEST PA SITES IN NEW ZEALAND
THE ANATOMY OF a pā is similar wherever you go. Sites were chosen atop hills or on headlands, the obvious advantage being an early sighting of approaching foes allowed time to prepare for combat. This selection of the most spectacularly-located and b
Wilderness2 min read
Up With The Sun
THERE’S SOMETHING for every tramper at the wonderfully accessible Sunrise Hut. For beginners, it’s a chance to safely spend a night in the mountains, for experts it’s a diving board to the Ruahine tops, and for all visitors, it’s one of the North Isl
Wilderness2 min read
See more ... Dragonflies
WE’RE USED TO thinking of birds like the karearea or mammals like the stoat as super predators. Efficient killers with incredible senses that have no mercy when their prey comes within reach. However, neither of these animals can match an insect with
Wilderness1 min read
A spectacular PERCH
OUR TRIP TO Waimakariri Falls Hut was a diversion from a planned Three Passes trip. We’d spent the night at Carrington Hut, after walking four hours up the Waimakariri River from Klondyke Corner. From there, a knee-deep crossing of the White River th
Wilderness3 min read
Overnight On The Paparoa Range
BUCKLAND PEAKS Hut is one of only a handful of huts in the Paparoa Range. While it makes a good day trip, it’s the perfect location for an overnight tramp, allowing you to explore the massive granite playground beyond the hut. The track begins with a
Wilderness2 min read
From Redwoods to BLUE RANGE
BLUE RANGE HUT offers good views over the brutal Tararua backcountry but makes for an easy weekend destination less than three-hours’ walk from the road end. But don’t let the 4km distance fool you. With a vertical gain of 640m, it’s tougher than you
Wilderness2 min read
Something For Everyone
THE TRIP TO Cascade Hut takes you deep into the beautiful and unspoilt Kaimanawa Forest Park. It begins by following the scenic Hinemaiaia Track, crosses a swingbridge and then follows the Hinemaiaia Stream, passing several idyllic and tempting swimm
Wilderness2 min read
East To West Across THE RICHMONDS
GREAT PLEASURE and satisfaction are to be taken from walking over a dividing range. The Pelorus Track leads up its eponymous river valley and over the Bryant Range before dropping into the Aniseed Valley on Nelson’s side. The Te Hoiere/Pelorus River
Wilderness5 min readEarth Sciences
A Quest For GRANDEUR
Our motives for spending time outdoors come in many shapes and forms. Sometimes it can be an intimate experience. Finding pleasure in the details of little things: marvelling at a field of wildflowers or the smooth rock of a deep canyon wall. Often w
Wilderness5 min readEarth Sciences
Cooking Up A Ridgeline Feast
The wispy mist clung to the grass, to the tin hut, to the grooves of the mountains that towered around us. It gently floated as the rising sun seared holes through it. I was confident the sun would succeed. It had to. Because today was an important d
Wilderness4 min read
Slow JOURNEYS
TRAVELLING TO OUR destination by car we tend to whizz through small towns and countryside that appear to have nothing to offer. Signposts point to sights that we know nothing of and because they’re seen too late we don’t bother turning back. Travelli
Wilderness2 min read
Cycle Trail Logistics
Bikes: Bikes, including e-bikes, are available for hire from trail providers. If you’re happy to carry all that you require for the trip, panniers can also sometimes be hired otherwise local operators can shuttle your luggage between accommodation, u
Wilderness4 min readEarth Sciences
Fantastic Rides That Bring Great Memories
MY PARTNER DITTE and I have ridden most of the cycle trails and pinch ourselves every ride – how lucky we are to be in the middle of a golden age of cycling and cycle trail development on a scale never before dreamt of. No ride is the same and I’ve h
Wilderness2 min read
From BOOTS to BIKES
WHEN FREELANCE author Sarah Bennett talks about tramping, it’s in the past tense. Like a no-good ex, her tramping ship has sailed, loaded with her heavy pack and boots. Her new love interest of cycling is an ‘unstoppable force’. “I’m never going to t
Wilderness3 min readAutomotive
Happy family BIKE RIDING
CLUNKY BIKES, big crashes, biting off more than you can chew… there are so many ways your family biking dream can be derailed. But follow these expert tips and you’ll get the kids rolling, help them stay on track, and keep the wheels on whether you’r
Wilderness6 min read
The 22 GREAT RIDES
From the Bay of Islands to the Hokianga Harbour, Pou Herenga Tai is an excellent trail for beginners. The relaxing route follows a mixture of rail trail, cycle paths, boardwalk and country roads, and although it’s possible to complete in a day, rider
Wilderness1 min readAutomotive
How Difficult Are The Rides?
Before committing to a cycle trail, make sure you’re up for the challenge. Suitable for riders of all ages and abilities. Tracks will be smooth and wide, and inclines will be gentle. E-bikes, touring bikes, hybrid bikes and children’s bikes are gener
Wilderness4 min readAutomotive
CHOOSING A BIKE For Your Cycle Trail Adventure
BIKEPACKING IS a great way to explore the country, but the longer you spend in the saddle, the more important your bike choice becomes. Your bike, especially the handlebar grips and saddle, need to be chosen and set up to suit one person only: you. T
Wilderness2 min read
Essential Gear For GREAT RIDES
THERE IS A longstanding tradition among British expedition planners that apart from the absolute essentials, you should take only one small ‘comfort item’. For Kiwi cyclist extraordinaire, Louise Sutherland, that item was a bottle of nail polish. Mor
Wilderness2 min readComputers
A Great App-ortunity
GETTING LOST on a trail rarely amounts to much good, but for cartographer Gary Patterson, it sparked a life changing idea. After becoming disoriented on the Alps 2 Ocean trail, he realised there was a gap in the market for a Great Rides app, so over
Wilderness2 min read
Pedal Or Power?
THOUGH NOT all cycle trails are suitable for e-bikes, the technology is working wonders for cycling accessibility. “I tramped mightily for decades, but now I’ve got bad joints like a lot of us have and my energy capacity isn’t the same,” says e-bike
Wilderness2 min read
Cycle Trail Preparation
THE TIME YOU can spend riding a cycle trail will depend on how much time you spend preparing. It will also determine just how much you enjoy your chosen cycle trail. If you’re just starting out with the easier graded Great Rides, you don’t need to pu
Wilderness2 min read
A Beginner’s Guide To Bush Tea
BUSH TEA is just what it sounds like – a tea brewed with plants collected from the bush. There are many good reasons to drink bush tea. For starters, it’s free and you don’t have to worry about carrying it in your pack. It’s also better for the envir
Wilderness1 min readAutomotive
Gear To Improve Your Ride
A quick-fix tyre inflator that can be used as a standalone CO2 inflator or added to any Klic hand pump. www.rouleurcycles.co.nz Designed for wet weather riding and made from Pertex Shield Air fabric with a nano-spun air-permeable lining. Low profile
Wilderness2 min readTechnology & Engineering
Check Your Sources
JUST LIKE a journalist might check their sources before publishing a story, a tramper should double-check all information on the route and conditions for an upcoming trip. Track information: Information on tramping routes and huts on conservation la
Wilderness2 min readFashion
Keeping Clean In The Outdoors
If you’re tramping for more than a few days, do yourself (and your hut mates) a favour and take a trail shower. Though you’ll struggle to get perfectly clean, any washing you can manage in the backcountry will improve your mood, increase your chances
Wilderness1 min readRegional & Ethnic
Veggie Fried Noodles
THIS IS A great meal to make when you don’t mind carrying fresh veggies. I like to use the vermicelli noodles made from mung beans which add extra protein, but you can also use the wide-style rice noodles, udon or even two-minute noodles if you prefe
Wilderness2 min read
All I want FOR CHRISTMAS
“I am planning a few overnight hikes with my nine-year-old daughter this summer and because I’ll be carrying most of the gear I’m looking to buy the SynMat UL. A good night's sleep is crucial after a long day on the trail and I know this mat provides
Wilderness3 min read
A Wilderness Christmas
Environmentally-friendly and high-performing rain jacket made with PFC-free recycled nylon with patented dry-touch finish. Features a DriClime-lined chin guard, fully seam taped, attached adjustable roll-away hood, pit-zips, pack-friendly pockets. 28
Wilderness3 min read
Broken I N
Details: $99.99, 263g Used by: Trips and family-features writer Jo ‘snuggles’ Stilwell Used for: 12 months THIS IS ONE of my newer pieces of kit and I must admit to scepticism when I saw it claimed to add 11°C of warmth for just 263g. But because
Wilderness4 min read
Powerful Gas Stoves
All stoves were tested under the same conditions and for doing the same tasks. They were used to boil water at sea level and at 1000m altitude in Tongariro National Park in temperatures ranging from 13℃ to 19℃. The stoves were also used to cook a ris
Wilderness2 min read
WHAT’S IN MY PACK Michelle Green
Last summer, Michelle Green completed the North Island section of Te Araroa and is now embarking on the South Island leg. She films and publishes her TA journey on the Long White Gypsy YouTube channel. Striving for what she calls 'Kiwi lightweight',
Wilderness3 min read
Bringing Family Ancestry To The Table
Why did you write Tableland? I wrote it for a myriad of reasons, but it was a labour of love – there’s no money in publishing in New Zealand. I’ve done it as a service to the community, and to put everything into one comprehensive volume. What insp
Wilderness2 min readSports & Recreation
Summer Sport Sandals
Most sandals designed for use around water will have a free-draining and quick-drying upper made from a synthetic fabric or webbing straps. It’s common for uppers to fully enclose the foot to provide more protection. Sandals require a thumb-width of

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