Outdoor Community blog

For magazine articles which correspond to the Outdoor Community manual, but don’t fit in any existing Wilderlife categories

Outdoor Community blog

Family Tramping Backpacking Moms in New Zealand

By Guest Author| 2021-04-19T16:36:51+12:00 April 19th, 2021

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.

Outdoor Community blog

Training Grant Learning to Take the Lead

By Guest Author| 2021-04-15T15:34:29+12:00 April 14th, 2021

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.

Outdoor Community blog

Back to the Wild Part II: Old Ghost Road with an 11 week old & a 4 year old

By Sonia Barrish| 2021-04-07T14:50:06+12:00 April 7th, 2021

Torrential downpours, breastfeeding breaks, and promises of pizza ... all part of the adventure for this family of four trekking the Old Ghost Road. In Part II of their five day mission, they meet fellow trampers and improvise in the midst of temper tantrums and changing weather conditions -- creating a family memory that has their daughter already asking to go back!

Outdoor Community blog

Back to the Wild Part I: Old Ghost Road with an 11 week old & a 4 year old

By Sonia Barrish| 2021-04-07T13:41:39+12:00 March 31st, 2021

85km – 5 days – 4 nights – a 4 year old – and an 11 week old?! Sonia Barrish and partner take on family tramping like pros. They embark on a multi-day tramp with their new baby and toddler in tow, sharing many practical tips they learned along the way.

Outdoor Community blog

Family tramping Flying High on Dragonfly

By Emily Forne| 2021-03-05T16:19:52+13:00 March 5th, 2021

Adventurers Emily and Chris Forne take up the challenge that is tramping with a 20 month old again. This time exploring the East Matukituki and over Dragonfly Peak. There are some hurdles along the way but the effort turns out to be most rewarding...

Outdoor Community blog

November 2017 Pack-rafting

By Daniel Clearwater| 2021-03-05T14:41:06+13:00 March 4th, 2021

To run the rapid or to portage? In part of FMC's Outdoor Community campaign, Dan Clearwater shares key concepts for safe entry into pack-rafting such as proper gear, potential hazards, and what to do when you flip.

Outdoor Community blog

Back to the Wild Family Dinner at Pinchgut Hut

By Sonia Barrish| 2020-12-22T19:50:13+13:00 December 22nd, 2020

Is your family dinner night getting a bit stale? Sonia Barrish gets creative by hosting family dinner at a backcountry hut. Travelling with five adults and a baby, this crew has an overnight adventure at Pinchgut Hut.

Outdoor Community blog

Training Grant Snow skills for the top of the south tramping clubs

By Guest Author| 2020-11-16T10:16:54+13:00 November 13th, 2020

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.

Outdoor Community blog

Back to the Wild Tramping to Kahurangi Keepers Hut

By Sonia Barrish| 2020-08-01T11:38:37+12:00 August 1st, 2020

A cast iron bath in a DOC hut?! On a weekend tramp, Sonia and her family discover the perks of staying in a hut once occupied by a lighthouse keeper and his family.

Outdoor Community blog

Back to the Wild Winter Hiking with Babies and Toddlers

By Sonia Barrish| 2020-05-30T11:51:31+12:00 May 30th, 2020

With winter in full swing, Sonia Barrish offers practical and insightful tips for winter hiking with a little one.

Outdoor Community blog

Regional Leadership Development Courses – 2020

By Daniel Clearwater| 2020-05-25T14:14:06+12:00 April 22nd, 2020

Feedback, tips and tricks for running a Leadership Development course for your club.

Outdoor Community blog

Blue Lake with a Baby

By Emily Forne| 2020-04-15T12:00:57+12:00 April 15th, 2020

When Family Tramping feels a little like an Adventure race...

What to do When the mountains are on lockdown

By Guest Author| 2020-04-03T19:30:37+13:00 April 3rd, 2020

How do you navigate a lockdown when you're used to spending all your time outdoors? Tarsh Turner offers 4 tips to help fight the lockdown blues and explains why the mountaineer lifestyle has helped prepare her for these difficult and unprecedented times.

Outdoor Community blog

A for Adventure A Family Adventure Challenge

By Guest Author| 2020-11-27T09:58:31+13:00 March 22nd, 2020

Leah Parker sets an adventure challenge for her family: to get her boys outdoors at least once a week for a year. In her article, she recounts the highlights of their 52 outdoor adventures and why she encourages other families to create their own challenge to get outdoors.

Outdoor Community blog

Back to the Wild St James Walkway – with a Baby!

By Sonia Barrish| 2020-02-23T14:00:28+13:00 February 23rd, 2020

When Sonia Barrish and partner take their 1-year old daughter on her first multi-day hike, they came prepared with everything she might need. What they didn't prepare for, however, was Sonia becoming injured. In this edition of 'Back to the Wild,' their family learns the importance of carrying a Personal Locator Beacon in the backcountry.

Outdoor Community blog

Back to the Wild A More Natural Toilet Training Approach

By Sonia Barrish| 2020-01-26T14:31:20+13:00 January 26th, 2020

Sonia Barrish asks the question: "What do people in countries without nappies do?" By following her baby's cues, Sonia learns about a more natural approach to toilet training that's perfect for family trampers.

Outdoor dads When the kids are very little

By Daniel Clearwater| 2019-11-14T21:06:42+13:00 November 14th, 2019

I’m sure that fear of losing the freedom to get into the mountains is common among many keen outdoor parents. But rather than just waiting to see if that perceived ‘fate’ became reality, I proactively decided to adapt to this new life-chapter and embrace the opportunities that it held.

Outdoor Community blog

Decision making The Hill-Billy Brain

By Guest Author| 2019-08-25T14:56:08+12:00 August 25th, 2019

Ken MacIver relates the story and thinking behind his Back country decision-making checklist.

Outdoor Community blog

Mountain Families: In the Hakatere

By Guest Author| 2019-08-16T14:25:01+12:00 August 16th, 2019

What an absolute perfect winter's day in August, just after a fresh snowfall, spending time exploring the Hakatere Conservation Park.

Outdoor Community blog

Start 'em young Babes in Backpacks

By Maggie Evans| 2019-08-16T15:19:06+12:00 July 25th, 2019

Before becoming a mum, a big part of how I identified myself was as a long-distance trail runner and tramper. Not surprisingly, one of my biggest concerns about welcoming a little human into my life was not being able to get out and enjoy the backcountry as much or in the same capacity.

Outdoor Community blog

Success: It’s a matter of perspective

By Kimberley Davis| 2019-07-27T15:01:04+12:00 July 15th, 2019

If there’s one thing that going on an overnight tramp with an 18-month-old teaches you, it’s that success is simply a matter of perspective. Or, at least, that’s what we learned the first time we took our toddler with us to stay in a hut.

Outdoor Community blog

Fundraising Marlborough TC supporting the local Rescue Helicopter

By Guest Author| 2019-04-09T16:28:57+12:00 April 9th, 2019

Marlborough Tramping Club raised $2000 for the Nelson-Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust by hosting a screening of the NZ Mountain Film Festival National Tour.

100 Years Reminiscing

By Daniel Clearwater| 2019-04-04T13:18:58+13:00 February 25th, 2019

The Tararua Tramping Club is celebrating its centenary on the 3rd of July 2019, and one of its centenary events is a commemorative tramp.

Outdoor Community blog

Climate change How do you eat an elephant?

By Daniel Clearwater| 2018-11-01T11:10:55+13:00 October 1st, 2018

Or the giant pot of hut porridge which has been burnt by your tramping partner?

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