Wilderness

Kia ora, I’m Leigh, I came on board as deputy editor in April. After almost 20 years in Australia, Covid brought my whānau and me back to New Zealand in 2021, and I’ve been rediscovering our wild places ever since. I’m an avid tramper and rock climber, and mum to a five-year-old. Until I had my son, I went tramping with whatever gear I had and didn’t worry too much about what it weighed. Carrying a toddler into the outdoors changed all that. When Ahi was two, my partner Nic and I took him on the Inland Pack Track in the Paparoa Range. I had most of our gear in my 3kg pack as well as the tent, which weighed 3.5kg. Coupled with windfall and minimal sleep, it was a…

TARARUA MAP OLDER THAN EXPECTED? The story ‘Mystery map of the Tararua Range restored’ (September 2024) piqued my interest, both as a keen Tararua tramper and due to a lifelong interest in the Earth’s magnetic field and its irregularities. In the bottom right-hand corner of the map is a compass rose. Like modern topo maps, it includes a second, magnetic north arrow which I measured to be 15O east from (true?) north – I think it is labelled N14 30E, though the text is difficult to read. Today the magnetic declination (variation) in the Tararua Range is around N22 50E, and is increasing at a rate of 5.5O/yr. Not only does the declination change with time, but the rate of change is not constant – all due to changing electric…

Get your photo published here to receive a meal from Real Meals worth $17. Last Weekend submission criteria can be found at wildernessmag.co.nz. Learn more about Real Meals at www.realmeals.co.nz.…

WALKSHORTS Land Search and Rescue has introduced a new platform to reduce risk for those who wander and go missing when walking. The platform is aimed at people with dementia, autism or other cognitive impairments that cause them to wander. The ‘Safer Walking Profile’ form pro-vides first responders with essential information to enable quick action to be taken. Individuals and caregivers can submit information on the online form found at wandersearchnz.org.nz.…

Choose a suitable trip In Aotearoa there are many places to go, huts to bag, mountains to hike and hidden spots to explore. But don’t get ahead of yourself. Start small and build skills, knowledge and fitness. This will keep you safe and ensure enjoyment. You will learn a lot on those early trips. Start with a day trip, then try an overnighter with easy terrain. The average person walks three to four kilometres per hour. Beginners should plan for around four to five hours of hiking in a day. The Wilderness website has hundreds of trips ranked from easy for beginners through to difficult for experienced hikers. Pack the essentials, and pack right Simple and sturdy boots or a good pair of grippy hiking shoes is essential. Your local…

During November, Federated Mountain Clubs (FMC) is inviting the public to visit Aotearoa’s 900+ huts, give them a spring clean and a bit of outdoorsy love. Sign up to the ‘Love our huts and track’ campaign on the FMC website and elect which huts you plan to visit. FMC will provide a phone-based form to record the hut’s ‘health check’. These health-check reports will then be used to create a draft strategy covering hut, track and bridge protection and options to strengthen this outdoors network. In 2025 the people and organisations who maintain, protect and manage the backcountry will attend a workshop to consider the future of this network.…