In August 2016 we completed our AIC (Alpine Instruction Course) at Temple Basin in Arthurs Pass. I remember one morning after emerging from our snow cave high up above the ski field, we got the best views of the rising sun lighting up the mountains across the pass. The most prominent of the lot was … Read more
Atene Skyline Track For those yet to experience the Whanganui National Park but would like a taste of what the terrain offers, there is the easily accessible Atene Skyline Track. It is just 30 minutes drive from Whanganui on the Whanganui River Road. Being a near loop, it will suit many – walkers and trail … Read more
Alpha Hut was our plan B, as we could not make the Southern Crossing happen due to the closing of the Otaki Forks road. We met on Saturday bright and early at 6:30am at the train station, before driving to Kaitoke carpark (Kiwi Road end). We left around 7:45am and started walking in the beautiful … Read more
DOC promote this Great Walk as a 3-4 day tramp with two or three overnight stays (Mangatepopo, Oturere, Waihohonu Huts) for good reason. The scenery is exceptional. Alternatively, it can be walked in two days with each day at least 8 hours. However, the Northern Circuit in a day is possible. Trail runners run it … Read more
We were all ready for a weekend away and the best excuse is the opportunity to get back into nature. We arrived Friday night with a relaxing 30 minute walk to Alice Nash Memorial Heritage Hut. The advantage with reaching summer time is the long day light hours and arriving to the hut before dark. … Read more
I am not a superstitious man, but even I am loath to tempt fate by venturing out, away from civilization, on All Hallow’s Eve. On the night of Samhain, when the veil between the worlds is thinnest and the spirits of the dead are free to roam the earth, anything is possible, and good, sensible … Read more
Not a hut, not a tank, but a Turk working bee……this line from the Mountain Turk Club website intrigued me as I was hobbling around Wellington in a moon boot last February. I quickly agreed to fly south to Queenstown to assist the Mountain Turk Club building a Turk for a weekend, light relief as … Read more
‘Whio, whio’, I could hardly believe it—we had been walking for less than two hours and already my promise of sightings of the nationally vulnerable whio on this trip was coming true. I could see why the circuit we were tramping was called the Te Pua-a-Tāne Circuit—the name itself means the abundance or blossoming of … Read more
We weren’t supposed to be in the Mount Richmond Forest Park – that was Plan C. But the weather had already put paid to Plans A and B. So as we were driving up Staircase Road to the Lake Chalice carpark and a pine tree fell in slow motion across the road immediately in front … Read more
