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Park,Whanganui National Park, Wanaka and Canterbury
contents MAY 2015
FEATURES
20 We’re not alone
Comparing our peaks with those abroad – are we as special as we think?
27 Trouble in the Tararuas The straightforward trip that almost ended in tragedy
16
36 The 2015 Outdoor Awards
The winners have been announced – who will be crowned?
40 Gear of the Year
48
The very best of the gear we’ve reviewed over the past 12 months
43
48 A warm welcome
Why building a 27km trail through Central Otago is finally paying off
54 Bright young things
The kids who get stuck in to conservation work
WAYPOINTS DESTINATIONS
16 Sunrise on Ngauruhoe
Mt Ngauruhoe, Tongariro National Park
40
18 Rugged and remote Sir Robert Hut, Westland
58
30
23 See more
Places named Misery
40 Subscribe or renew to go in the draw to win one of 13 Lowe Alpine Eclipse 35 packs worth $229.95!
YOUR TRIPS, YOUR PIX
What did you get up to last weekend?
Robertson Rivera overnighted in Packhorse Hut, Canterbury
Keryn, Raewyn and Colin Knight biked the Bridge to Nowhere
Michael, Julie, Mary, Zita and Greg Barrow visited Cattle Creek Hut, Ruahine FP
Lisa Burrow walked the Tongariro Alpine Crossing
Sally Stockdale and Lindsay Jackson climbed Gertrude Saddle in Fiordland
Sam Davies tramped to Powell Hut
Ingrid Jones made it to Sandfly Point, Milford Sound
Little Mackenzie Dyson visited Mt Sunday Trig
Dave and Leo Frusher climbed Mt Arthur, Kahurangi NP
Jamie Hughes visited The Pinnacles, Coromandel FP
SEND YOUR PIX
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8 MAY 2015
WAYPOINTS
Trampers enjoying the spectacular sunrise view from the top of Mt Ngauruhoe
SUNRISE ON NGAURUHOE Mt Ngauruhoe, Tongariro National Park / MODERATE
P
redawn glow illuminates the sky over the Kaimanawa Mountains, and then the first light touches the highest peaks of Mt Ruapehu, slowly spreading the much anticipated warmth to the rest of the Central Plateau. The intense morning light paints the barren volcanic landscape in fiery red, highlighting the scars from its explosive past. Such surreal and otherworldly experience is the reward to anyone who sacrifices sleep and makes the predawn ascent of Mt Ngauruhoe. Choose your weather – there’s little point heading up there if you can’t see anything – and be sure to pack your headlamp. From Mangatepopo car park – or, better, Mangatepopo Hut – take the Tongariro Alpine Crossing to South Crater. Snow poles with tiny reflective panels will then guide you to the ridge of solidified lava that makes the climb a lot easier than walking up the loose scree. The best spot for viewing the sunrise is at the south-eastern aspect of the outer crater rim, where you’ll get a good view of the craters of Mt Tongariro to the north and Mt Ruapehu to the south, as well as the light show to the east. Afterwards, enjoy the exciting scree run down the mountain. - Zhi Yap Yuen
WILD FILE Access From Mangatepopo car park Grade Moderate Time 3-4hr from car park to summit Map BH34 and BH35
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
RAY SALISBURY/HOT PIXELS PHOTOGRAPHY
RAY SALISBURY SPENDS SIX DAYS EXPLORING ROCK BIVS AND FLY CAMPS ALONG THE 77KM REES-DART TRACK
The author picks his way down the Dart River with Mt Edwards dominating the valley head
BEN ARTHUR
NEW TRAIL
Slate Hut with Welcome Rock above
M R A W E A M O C L E W HE’D SAID E H EN TAGO O N WH O E I C I R N B ’ W O TOM O ROUGH IC VEL. BUT T T A D H O ITICS. UGHE F TRACK T K AND SH R A C L S Y I H O IC MAN 27KM G JUST A P SILENCED ORK D L W I I U D E B N N I V A A H US LOG H S OUT HIS CAPE S S D D R N A K LA S OF H PIKE CHEC YEAR HEW MATT
WILD
EDITH LEIGH
CONSERVATION
All around the country young children are getting involved in conservation
BRIGHT YOUNG
THINGS IT’S NOT ALL TABLETS, VIDEO GAMES AND THE INTERNET FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF NEW ZEALANDERS. EDITH LEIGH FINDS MANY YOUNG KIWIS PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN CONSERVATION. IN FACT, IT SEEMS THE FUTURE OF CONSERVATION IS IN GOOD HANDS
F
ourteen-year-old Tom Kitto reckons conservation work is cool. As a leader in the Kids Restore the Kepler project he loves seeing everybody’s ideas coming together and working as a team to tackle predator control in 3000ha of Fiordland National Park. More than 450 kids in the Te Anau basin, from pre-school through to college, are involved in the Kepler project, which not only aims to restore birdsong in the Kepler Peninsula, but has a strong education focus. Largely driven by the kids themselves, the project aims to inspire Fiordland’s young people to develop values, knowledge and skills so they can be confident, connected and actively involved in caring for their environment now and into the future.
Ten-year-old Jake Tither loves to climb trees and get outdoors with his dad. While joining the leadership team and taking an active role in the project hasn’t involved much tree climbing, he likes the idea they are helping to make tramping on the Kepler Track a better experience. “I think it’s really important that we try to look after the environment as much as we can,” he says. With a quiet seriousness, 12-year-old Jessica Willans explains how they undertook recent research on cats. The night-time video recording and analysis to see if cats do cross into the national park sounds technical and I am impressed at just how much these kids are doing in what really is their own backyard. “I like learning about birds and getting out there more,” says Willans. As members of the leadership team talk
about the Kepler project – what they do and what they like about it – there are, of course, a few mentions of “time off school”. However, education coordinator Jo Marsh says learning is actually a big part of the project. The whole curriculum is covered: maths and geology as they work out and map numbers and densities of predators; art, writing and information technology to build a website, submit articles to the local community newspaper and design logos and marketing material; as well as learning practical and leadership skills along the way.“ It’s not just about the restoration,” says Marsh. “It’s about bringing the conservation back into the classroom to where it is easily accessible and connecting it with real life. “The project is really starting to snowball now and pick up some pace.”