As an outdoor enthusiast, Italian-born tramper Barbara Zennaro comes to New Zealand ready to embrace a new style of tramping, one that is different from the more 'catered' hikes with which she grew up. With her partner and little one in tow, she experiences true Kiwi hospitality and how tramping brings families closer together.
With support from the FMC Training Grant, once self-proclaimed 'fair-weather paddler,' Sheralee MacDonald, advances her skills and graduates to the role of 'mentor' after completing the PRANZ's intermediate packraft course.
After over three decades in New Zealand, two expats return home to their native Scotland to cycle the Outer Hebrides. Their journey offers a chance to travel back in time -- taking them through both preserved and picturesque villages, as well as harsh, unforgiving lands that residents once cleverly used to yield crops. Met with hospitality by locals along the way, it's a lovely homecoming for these two Scots.
Chris Tuffley envisions ‘the bear’s reply' in an eloquent reimagining of the children’s poem ‘The Bear Went Over the Mountain,’ which forgets to mention all the wondrous sights, smells and experiences above and beyond the mere ‘other side of the mountain.' He invites readers to explore their senses and captures breathtaking moments from his many trips over the mountain.
With trusty Wellington commuter e-bike turned tough, off-road vehicle, Gunilla Jensen embarks on her first bikepacking adventure. Rather than starting small, she undertakes quite the feat -- cycling once round New Zealand's South Island.
'In Māori history, forests are the domain of the atua Tane, who separated the sky father Rangi and the earth mother Papatuanuku in the Māori creation narrative.' In this republication of 'Backcountry te reo,' Ben Douglas delves into the language of the forest and offers pronunciation tips for learners.
With the threat of being cancelled just hours before departure, a trip to Tarawera Falls started out rocky for these FMC Youth Award Grant recipients. But after three days in the backcountry, they learned that “a trip is worth a little bit of chaos.”
Each year, university student Marina Comeskey makes her annual commute home to Wellington from Christchurch ... by bike, that is.
What is the significance of 'stewardship land' and in what ways is this classification lacking? DOC Manager in Planning Permissions and Land, Karl Beckert, outlines the history of stewardship land and the process by which DOC is striving to reclassify lands to reflect the conservation and cultural values of the whenua.
In Part II of a 10-day traverse, two friends hike and kayak their way to the finish line. Offering Dennis a second shot to finish the Coast to Coast Race and Stefan the chance to complete a trip of a lifetime, the loss of a few toenails proved more than worth it.
Students from Otamatea High School work towards their Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award by ascending towards the clouds and climbing Mt Taranaki. Next up for these trampers is Gold level status.
After becoming good friends 10 years ago while training for the Kathmandu Coast to Coast Race, Stefan and Dennis embark on their own wilderness traverse -- a 10-day, 250 km west-east crossing of the South Island. In Part I of their epic, they trek through difficult conditions and reassess the future of their trip.
On his first bike packing adventure, Andy Vause decides to circumnavigate Lake Hāwea. He learns firsthand the perils of cycling along the Dingle Burn and offers advice for those planning their next bike packing adventure.
"Few things make you reconsider your life decisions more than sprinting 400m up a mountain half naked, straight out of bed, after getting 4 hrs of sleep - because all your food is gone." For Jason Rosinger and partner Laura Jacks, their plan to climb the North Island's sixth highest peak in a weekend took a slight detour...
In an account of their victorious trip, Lorraine Johns, Nina Sawicki and Simon Bell tackle the Fairie Queene in the St James Conservation Area near Lewis Pass in February 2012.
Sonja Risa recounts her first transalpine trip with fellow members of the Peninsula Tramping Club and gains valuable insight into how one mighty river can dictate the course of a trip.
What are the benefits of trekking at a leisurely pace? Diane Mellish, team leader for the Peninsula Tramping Club, reveals the ingredients for her 'best trip ever' and why this track is an absolute must for all adventurers.
Want to get away from your desk and into the backcountry? For the Peninsula Tramping Club, including two FMC Executives Jan and Liz, it was time for a group adventure. Leaving the office behind and taking a long weekend, they summit Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku -- the 'footsteps of the rainbow.'
While great strides have been taken to restore the native bird population, the future of the Coromandel Forests is less certain. FMC outlines its vision for the protection of the Coromandel Peninsula.
What happens when your life-long hobby becomes your profession? For photographer Richard Sidey, he began to lose the spark for his once beloved hobby. He shares how through clear purpose, technology and a few easy to follow steps, he found a way to rekindle his love of adventure photography.
What are the role of clubs and how can they stay relevant for future generations? Kathy Ombler, journalist and FMC member, delves into the many creative ways clubs are practicing diversity, advocacy, and technology.
Nelson Tramping Club was awarded a FMC Training Grant: a cash grant to enable this snow skills weekend which was run in combination with the Marlborough Tramping Club.
A group of friends embark on a week-long traverse of the Lambert Glacier and the Gardens of Allah and Eden.
Satellite based comms devices have largely taken over from the humble mountain radio, but the latter isn't dead yet. There's still several groups of volunteers around NZ who rent out the sets and tune in for the 'sked' each night. We heard from Hugh Wilde, chairperson of the Wellington Mountain Radio Service to give our readers his take on pro's and con's of some of the gadgetry.
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