"Everyone with an interest in any outdoor activity should go on this course – it really is tailored to outdoor emergency situations and how often do we actually practice first aid in the backcountry?" Ten members from the Palmerston North Tramping and Mountaineering Club cash in on the FMC Training Grant and enroll in an outdoor first aid course to gain competency in responding to backcountry accidents.
After nearly five years of striving to reach Ivory Lake Hut from multiple directions, she proves elusive for a tramping party of four. During one final push from the north, she grants entry and they experience a hard-won backcountry trip after three failed attempts and never giving up. Failure has its own rewards and for these keen trampers, their arrival is well worth the wait.
"Our journey to Great Barrier Island wasn't just about completing a hike and getting through the long days of walking – it was about pushing our limits, working as a team, and making memories that will stay with us forever." For their DOE Gold Qualifying Journey, six students from Orewa College navigate the steep descents of the old Kauri Tramline Track and scale hundreds of stairs to reach the summit of Mount Hobson.
Have you ever wondered how search and rescue works when there is an emergency, as well as who exactly pays for their efforts? LandSAR Dunedin volunteer, Matteo Scoz, breaks down the two coordination authorities for search and rescue, how they are funded and the prevailing philosophy that guides these incredible organisations and their teams.
The first in a series of stories about our beloved huts is a reminiscence of a truly strange encounter at the Mueller Hut by a hut warden Michele Ayres. Get ready - it's a chilling one!
The S-K is an epic 80 kilometre north-to-south Tararua journey, traditionally completed in 48 hours or less. For Mark Wilcox and his wife, Sarah, the S-K route looks appealing but without the restrictive timeframe. So together, they decide to achieve a tops S-K their way – totaling 41 hours of tramping over seven days without injury and whilst still remaining friends.
What happens when a party of three suddenly becomes a party of four? A tramping weekend takes an unexpected turn for Chris and a group of trampers when a mysterious dog appears on the trail. Upon realising they’ve found someone’s missing dog, Chris bravely faces his childhood fear of dogs and the team figures out how to safely return the canine home.
FMC's executive board member Mick Abbott explores why our public huts matter and why we should all show them a bit of love this spring.
With an icy winter trek along the Kepler Track, five students from Otamatea High School are up for a challenge on their final DOE Gold Adventurous Journey. Embracing freezing temperatures, a cold plunge and learning techniques to escape when lost in a cave, one student declares: "This will definitely NOT be my last outdoor adventure!”
Do you feel confident with crossing a river? With New Zealand's abundance of rivers, every backcountry tramper must know how to safely cross a waterway if the situation requires. With expert teaching from Outdoor Training NZ (OTNZ), the Rotorua Tramping Club fine-tunes their navigational skills and goes deep into hands-on learning with group and solo pack-floating, entrapment and how to escape from a strainer.
A tight-knit group of seven students and three dedicated teachers began tramping together four years ago. With support from the FMC Youth Award Grant, Briar Higgie and Kaelyn Swanson strengthen bonds with their tramping mates, not allowing sleepless nights from hut snoring or sandflies to dampen their epic tramp along the stunning Heaphy Track.
FMC Expedition Scholarship winners, Isla and Louise, traverse the Tararuas in a celebration of women in the backcountry. Through both film and print, they explore the limiting perceptions of wāhine outdoors, the gender disparity in gear construction and the realities of backcountry menstruation, all whilst embracing the joys of being female and their inner playfulness as wild women on the tops.
In an attempt to alleviate friction between members of the backcountry touring community and ski area operators, FMC created a set of backcountry touring access guidelines. With the support of NZAC and after consultation from 23 ski areas in Aotearoa, these collaborative guidelines articulate the following: how to behave when accessing backcountry terrain using ski field infrastructure, an intention to promote understanding of the real hazards present on ski areas and a fostering of courtesy and respect between tourers (including climbers and trampers) and ski area operators.
Thunder and lightning, sunshine, rain and even hail accompanies Bella and Egor's Duke of Edinburgh Gold Qualifier, pushing Egor to persevere through his fear of thunderstorms and even declare: "I have loved my Adventurous Journey, as it has opened up many wonderful New Zealand backcountry places that we have explored." As recipients of the FMC Youth Award Grant, Bella Allen and Egor Shefer reflect on their trip of a lifetime along the Heaphy Track.
From a weka invasion to endless blisters, Phoebe Squire and four classmates earn their DOE Gold on the Queen Charlotte Track in the spectacular Marlborough Sounds.
Time for Gold! Zander Groenewald from Otamatea High School in Northland completes his Duke of Edinburgh Gold expedition around Taranaki Maunga.
Working with youth in the outdoors can be a gift. Teacher and outdoors enthusiast Tim Swale knows this very well. In this article, he shares his experience working with youth in the outdoors, how to support them and what the support entails.
“For a group of neuro-diverse students, the biggest challenge can be getting the opportunity to take part in outdoor adventures.” After five years in the making, nine neuro-diverse students from Wellington East Girls’ College head off for their biggest adventure yet – a six-day ski and snowshoeing trip to the Cardrona Valley. Unit Leader, Leonie King, shines light on the students’ barriers to entry and the preparation required to complete their Gold DOE's Hillary Award.
No ride, no problem. FMC Youth Award Grant recipient, Tara Isaacs, organises her own DOE Gold Qualifier from the ground up. Starting without a team, a shadower or a ride, she compiles a crew and all the components necessary to cross off one of her 'bucket list tramps' – the Abel Tasman Coastal Walk.
“What may seem to be a safe situation is only one mis-step away from catastrophe.” In an alpine environment, even one small error can lead to a life or death situation. A false sense of security coupled with an unfortunate event results in a tragic outcome for one mountaineer on Mount Ruapehu.
'No growth occurs when comfortable' becomes the guiding mantra for five Youth Award Grant recipients. Flexibility and persistence prove essential during their DOE Gold Qualifying Journey, as they respond to ill trampers and an emergency helicopter rescue along the Pinnacles.
For their Duke of Edinburgh Silver Qualifying Journey, Emiliana and her team opt for an alternative mode of backcountry travel – kayaking. Dubbed the Kayak Kapers, this team of twenty-four students (over half of whom had never kayaked) bravely took up their paddles and developed new skills during a multi-day exploration of the Marlborough Sounds.
“By the end of the weekend, we were like a well-oiled machine.” As recipients of the 2022 FMC Training Grant, members of the Wellington Tramping and Mountaineering Club shift from uncertainty to competency during their wilderness first aid weekend training.
Over the April school holidays, six students set off to complete their Silver Duke of Edinburgh Qualifying Adventurous Journey in Tongariro National Park. Demonstrating excellent planning for their tramp, the group successfully navigates all the challenges thrown their way and completes a trip of a lifetime.
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