Winter warmers Insulated jackets reviewed
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Tramping
the Hump
Lift your game with these five life changing outdoor adventures
The three-day walk that saved a Southland town
4
crampon-free
winter trips
Trail running
The perfect day
hiking and biking Lake Waikaremoana
WIN
Coast head torches!
one of 15
The next big thing in outdoor rec?
july 2012
8 routes to download to your smart phone » Multi-day tramp through Kahurangi NP » Explore the Shaler Range in 3D » Trips in Waikato, Arthur’s Pass, the Tararuas and Canterbury
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WATERPROOF LEATHER AND BREATHABLE MESH UPPER
KEEN.DRY WATERPROOF BREATHABLE MEMBRANE KEEPS FEET DRY IN WET ENVIRONMENTS
STABILIZING TECHNOLOGY FOR COMFORT ON AND OFF THE TRAIL
KEEN.ZORB FULL LENGTH CUSHIONING FOR COMFORT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY
BRYCE STREAMLINED TRAIL SHOE FOR GLOBAL EXPLORATION 2 july 2012
Available in Men and Women.
contents
July 2012
FEATURES 29 Mud, sweat and madness What’s driving the growing popularity of trail running?
34 Build it and they
will come How the residents of Tuatapere saved their small town from oblivion by building a multi-day track
39 Lift your game You’ve done the basic training, now get out there for a life-changing adventure
46 Easy winter trips Four bonus ViewRanger trips to download directly to your mobile phone
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39 WAYPOINTS
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Subscribe to win Subscribe or resubscribe in the month of July to go in the draw to win one of 15 Coast HL7 head torches worth $79.95 each!
16 Places Musterer’s Hut, Redcliffe Station, Canterbury 19 A perfect day Fish, kayak, bike and tramp Lake Waikaremoana
21 Top 3 winter
bike rides Classic multi-day rides perfect for winter
22 See more Three places to see more edelweiss
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Wild Buyer’s Guide
46
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61 Head torches 64 Outdoor socks www.wildernessmag.co.nz
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contents
July 2012
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REGULARS 4 Big Picture Millionaire’s walkway
13 Wild Review The Suunto Ambit outdoor watch
13 Wilderness Word
6 Editorial
Enter our crossword competition to win great prizes
7 Pigeon Post
24 Off the Beaten Track
Your letters to Wilderness
8 Last weekend What did you get up to last weekend? Wilderness readers share their photos
9 Walkshorts News and events
Following in the steps of a lonely hermit on a remote tramping trip in Kahurangi National Park
70 Out There Contradictions in Denniston and Milford proposals
80 Hotshot Starry night
2 july 2012
THE MANUAL Trips, skills, health, gear
WILD TRIPS 50 Amber Col, Arthur’s Pass National Park 51 Renata Ridge, Tararua Forest Park 52 Woolshed Creek Hut, Mt Somers Conservation Area 54 Hapuakohe Walkway, Waikato
55 Wild Range Shaler Range, Arthur’s Pass National Park
58 Wild Review Four of the best lightweight insulated jackets put through their paces
59 Wild Cuisine Chia iskiate - or frog spawn to those in the know
59 Wild Skills Priorities of survival
Cover: Trail running comes of age in our story on p29. Photo: Fraser Crichton
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Your trips, your pix What did you get up to last weekend? Dave Cray and Richard Dowling improvised a game of curling on a frozen Lake Angelus in Nelson Lakes National Park
Anna and Alastair Cornelius Henshaw took their kids on a family hike to Makara gun emplacements in Wellington
Dann Kerr watched the sun set from the Around the Mountain Track on Mt Taranaki/Egmont
Sam and Alex Logan got a taste for snow in Tongariro National Park
Robert Woperis and five friends climbed Mt Richmond from Richmond Saddle Hut
Edwina Dyson strikes a pose on the Cape Foulwind Walkway near Westport
Rebekah Hicks and her daughter Caitlin tried to keep their feet dry on a trip to Hawdon Hut in Arthur’s Pass NP
Jacqui Irwin and her 15-year-old son Jed Lawless soaked their feet in the tarn near Fenella Hut in Kahurangi NP
Send your pix Send us photos showing what you did last weekend and you’ll win neat outdoor prizes. This month, all photos published get the photographer a Spork. Head to www.wildernessmag.co.nz – search ‘last weekend’ – for full submission criteria. John Hughes and friends sea kayaked the waterways of Tennyson Inlet
8 july 2012
Tina Roys boulder hopped down the Pararaha Gorge in Auckland’s Waitakere Ranges
Rosino via Flickr
Shuttle operators are to stop transporting poorly dressed trampers to the start of the TAC
Fashion second,
safety first on the TAC
P
eople planning to walk the Tongariro Alpine Crossing should leave their jeans and Chucks at home or face finding their own way to the track start, thanks to new safety rules adopted by DOC. The new rules have come because of an incident in May when a shuttle operator allowed 16 inexperienced and poorly attired trampers to attempt the TAC in the face of dangerous weather conditions. By the time the group reached the summit of Tongariro they were soaked to the skin with many of them in the early stages of hypothermia. At the time, Tongariro Alpine Crossing Transport and Guide concessionaires group (TACTAG) chairman Stu Barclay told Wilderness the concessionaires group and DOC would be working out how to prevent this from happening again and to ensure there are real consequences for operators who let such situations eventuate. Despite efforts to make people aware the TAC passes through an unpredictable and dangerous alpine environment, hundreds of visitors do the 19km tramp in street wear like jeans, sneakers, mini-skirts and, unbelievably, even high heels.
wildernessmag.co.nz quiz You’ve taken a tumble, you’re injured, disorientated and in need of help. What’s your number one priority?
This attire may fit the bill when ascending Queen Street, but doesn’t leave much between the wearer and death when the weather folds at 1800m. It seems everyone has had enough of this, because at a meeting in June between TACTAG, police and DOC, it was decided operators holding concessions for guiding and transport services for the crossing to be TACTAG members and to abide by its protocols. TACTAG has established protocols that guide operators on weather conditions and the minimum equipment for trampers. Group members have agreed to operate to these protocols, meaning they will not transport trampers to the crossing if the weather is unsuitable or walkers do not have appropriate clothing and equipment. Barclay said the group has a 12 month goal to have all TAC transport and guiding concessionaires signed up as members. “We plan to revisit the group’s safety procedures and protocols to ensure we are not simply meeting existing legal needs but setting a standard of operation above this to a level where we are confident we are meeting our moral and professional responsibilities,” said Barclay, who added that failure to follow the protocols might lead to a loss of concession. Ruapehu area police commander inspector Steve Mastrovich said police endorse the decisions made at the meeting, particularly the move to require concessionaires to belong to TACTAG. “We believe this will empower the operators to apply consistent practices on the crossing,” he said. - Josh Gale
78.4 %
First Aid - Check yourself out and take steps to prevent further injury
8.1 %
6.8 %
Clothing - I'm in shock, I need to stay warm Drink - Dehydration clouds my thinking
6.8 %
Food - I can't think straight on an empty stomach Fire - It'll keep me warm and alert rescuers to my position
The expert says: Survival trainer Stu Gilbert says there are seven survival priorities and number one on the list is first aid – if you don’t address it properly you might not be able to function well enough to carry out the six other priorities. All you tummy growlers should note food is way down the list at number seven – provided there is enough water you can go without food for up to 35 days. Get your priorities sorted by reading the story on p60.
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LEADERS
! E C N E R E F F I D A E K A M
MAKE A DIFFERENCE BECOME A VOLUNTEER We are looking for new volunteers and we want you to join our team. With youth membership on the rise for the fifth year in a row, we simply don’t have enough volunteers to keep up with the demand. Make a difference in your local community by giving us a call on 0800 SCOUTS or join us online at scouts.org.nz.
ADVENTURE PLUS!
0800 SCOUTS 28 july 2012
scouts.org.nz
Mud,
sweat and
Madness www.wildernessmag.co.nz
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Build it and they will come 34 july 2012
alistair hall
Unique among private walks, the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track passes through Fiordland National Park
Tuatapere’s future had ghost town written all over it. But then the community built the Hump Ridge Track and brought their town back from the brink. Alistair Hall discovers just what a great job they’ve done
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Cramponfree winter routes 4
bonus routes available for
exclusive download at
www.viewranger.com/wilderness
To celebrate Wilderness’ partnership with smartphone mapping app ViewRanger, Matthew Pike has pulled together four easy-peesy winter walks
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A
h, winter! The perfect excuse to put your feet up. For the next couple of months tramping is for the diehards. It’s about carrying axes and attaching spikes to your shoes. It’s about icicles hanging from your eyebrows and your pee freezing solid before it hits the ground. You need specialist skills and experience to match. Or do you? Sure this country has mountains to push anyone’s technical and physical limits, but you don’t have to hit the snow line for a true adventure and a feeling of absolute solitude. In fact, you could argue that low level hiking in winter is even better than in summer. Look at the plusses: • You’re less likely to be coated in a thick layer of sweat • You’re less likely to experience the throbbing headache of dehydration • You’re less likely to return home with a crispy nose, forehead and neck • There are fewer people. And – a point not to be understated: • There are fewer sandflies! Wherever you are in the country, you can find great crampon-free routes. We’ve chosen four examples to try this winter. All provide at least one good day’s tramping which, barring freak storms, should keep you largely free from the white stuff.
McKerrow, Rimutaka Forest Park This walk provides a view of Wellington and its harbour that you’d expect to see only from the air. The stunning vista includes Cook Strait and the South Island’s snow-topped Kaikoura ranges. But you have to earn these rewarding sights. Most of the tramp is among podocarp and beech forest where you have a sense of your place in the greater scheme of things and nothing more. And this is why it’s such a special place – you’re no further than 30 minutes’ drive from the capital, yet you couldn’t feel more removed. You can start the tramp up McKerrow from Wainuiomata, but there’s a good round walk, which you can choose to lengthen or shorten as you go, from Rimutaka Forest car park. Start by following Five-Mile Loop Track around the far side of the small hill to the left of the car park. Then turn left along Clay Ridge Track which, apart from one steep section, is a steady climb right to the top. There’s no clearing in the trees until you’re virtually at the top, but it’s well worth the wait.
View of Wellington and its harbour from close to McKerrow summit
Shortly after the clearing, a sign points left to McKerrow summit and right to Orongorongo River. Feel free to try the short walk to the summit, but you’ll have a job finding it. There’s no view and you’ll only know you’ve passed it when you start heading downhill. Instead, take the right turn at the sign and head all the way down to the good track at the bottom. Turn right here and, after a footbridge, the track forks. If you’re short of time or puff, the right fork is the easy way back to the car park. The left fork includes the fairly gentle climb over Cattle Ridge. It’s well worth taking the wee climb to the lookout before the steep descent down Butcher’s Track. Take a left at the bottom and you’re only a few hundred metres from the car park.
Wild File Access Rimutaka Forest Park car park, off Coast Road south of Wainuiomata Time 7hr Map BQ32
To get this route on your phone, go to
www.viewranger.com/new-zealand Route code wldrnss0201
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shaler
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W i l d c u i s i ne by Mark Banham
Chia iskiate (frog spawn)
A
Profile Serves: One Weight: 50g Volume: 0.05l Calories: 125 Cost: $0.25 Cooking time: 5 minutes
fter a couple of years’ barefoot running, I’ve finally reaad Christopher McDougal’s Born to Run, the book that supposedly kicked off the whole un-shod running fad. Regardless of your point of view and whether you think it’s just another way for attention seeking hipsters to get their fix, or if there’s actually some merit in it, McDougal’s book is well worth a read just for the gripping yarns, and titbits of outdoor info within. One such titbit that seems to have been largely ignored by the outdoor community is the humble chia seed, one of the super foods that he says fuels the Tarahumara Indians on their ultra-distance running exploits. According to McDougal, a ‘tablespoon of chia is like a smoothie made from salmon, spinach, and human growth hormone’. An ounce shot of chia Iskiate, contains nine per cent of your daily protein, 13g of (mostly ALA) fat and 42 per cent of your dietary fibre as well as essential minerals like phosphorous, manganese, calcium, potassium and much, much more. Despite its somewhat ‘challenging’ texture (hence the nickname ‘frog spawn’) chia iskiate packs such a weighty nutritional punch – for a meagre weight – that it’s definitely worth throwing in the bag for your next mission.
Ingredients 1 tbsp Chia Seeds 1 tbsp Lime Juice Water Method Pour a tablespoon of chia seeds and a tablespoon of lime juice into a short glass, add some warm water, then leave to stand for a few minutes (refrigerated if possible). Top the glass off with water then toss it down the hatch!
W i l d s k i ll s by Stu Gilbert
Priorities of survival
S
urvival is about preserving life. If you’re in a survival situation, apply and follow the 'priorities of survival guide' in the order listed below. This is your checklist and will offer the best chance of not only staying alive, but also being rescued.
Waikato River Trail, Taupo / 2 First Aid Focus on your ability to prevent further injury. It is imperative this is addressed before moving on, or you may be unable to function well enough to carry out the following priorities. Clothing This is your first line of defence against the elements. Dress for the environmental conditions, keep fully covered at all times to reduce effects of exposure. Shelter This will provide additional protection. The type of shelter chosen will depend on local conditions and material available but should be accomplished quickly.
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Fire The importance of a fire in a survival situation cannot be over-emphasised. Fire provides us with a way of keeping warm, repelling insects, boosting morale and a means of cooking food and boiling water making it safe to drink. Fire can also be used as a signal for rescue. Location In any survival situation you need to make yourself as visible as possible. Think about how you are going to effectively execute your day and
night rescue plan with the equipment you have at your disposal. That includes what you have on you – torches, camera flash, emergency blanket, bright coloured clothing – and what you’ve managed to use or build from the environment, like a signal fire. Water Dehydration affects us not only physically but mentally so it’s important to replace lost body fluids.Thirst is a poor indicator of degree of hydration – if you are thirsty you are already dehydrated. An easier way to know if you are getting enough water is to monitor your urine. Food Eating is given the lowest priority in survival. Provided there is enough water, a fit person can survive for around 25-35 days without food. - Stu Gilbert is a former Air Force survival instructor now running SOS Survival Training
Head torches
Whether you’re kayaking, tramping or mountain biking, you can’t hold a candle to a head torch for versatile portable lighting on the river, in the hut, or on the trail.
- Paul King
Featured headtorch: LED Lenser H14 ($199-$220) distributed by Tightlines. P: 06 843 6388; www.tightlines.co.nz
Function and mode Aside from turning the torch on and off, the main switch can be held or clicked to provide dimming of the main and work beams; holding it down for a few seconds allows you to switch between spot, work and flash modes. Some head torches have a red light setting to preserve night vision – and stop you blinding your friends when you turn your head in their direction. Flashing rear-mounted red lights are ideal for cyclists and runners.
Weight
Weights range from around 25g to several hundred grams. Some very heavy models use a belt- or bike-mounted battery pack. Why LEDs? First created in 1927, LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) produce a superior light to that of the old tungsten light bulb. Using less energy to run, they produce a more controllable light, are more compact, and virtually fail-safe for thousands of hours even in high impact situations.
Straps The strap should be wide enough to support the weight of the torch and adjustable enough to stop it sliding down your head during periods of high activity. Heavier models with a rear mounted battery pack have a second strap running over your head to stop it falling down.
Switches
Most switches are on the head unit with some dimmer switches mounted on the battery pack of heavier models. The master switch controls on/off and mode functions with a number of clicks, or a constant depression for a few seconds. You shouldn’t have to fumble with the switch. If you’re going into cold conditions, make sure it can be operated, and the batteries replaced, with gloved hands.
Water resistance
IPX ratings used for head torches refer to IEC 529 European waterproof specifications. Head torches generally fall under IPX-4, -6 or -7, with some to IPX-8. IPX-4 Designed for protection against splashing water from any angle at 10l/min. Ideal for general use in average rain conditions. IPX-6 Protected against splashed and
pressurised water from any angle from a 12.5mm nozzle at 100l/min. A great all-rounder. IPX-7 Full immersion in one metre of water for up to thirty minutes. The perfect head torch in extreme conditions. IPX-8 The highest possible rating. Full and continuous immersion, up to and within the manufacturer’s specifications.
Output and range Measured in lumens, the almost shadowless, blue/white light output of the head torch ranges from 10 to 200 – or more. Output also dictates range. Low-output one, two or three LED models are useful work lights around the campsite or hut, while single LED, high output models light the path for late night tramping or kayaking expeditions. A range of 60 to 100m is ideal for tramping.
Battery life
LED’s are highly efficient, unlike their tungsten predecessors. Battery life is directly related to light output and varies between 15 and 200 hours. www.wildernessmag.co.nz
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Starry night
Submit your hotshots to editor@lifestylepublishing.co.nz 72 july 2012
www.johndoogan.co.nz
After trying to photograph starry nights for some time I finally had success with this one at Lagoon Saddle Shelter in Craigieburn Forest Park. The foreground was lit with one small candle to stop it from going completely black and it took an eight minute exposure to light the hut. It was a rewarding shot to get as I had battled through deep snow to reach the shelter. Shot on a Canon 5D2. - John Doogan
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Š Wolverine Outdoors 2011
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*while 2012 stocks last 74 july