Wilderlife is an online space for New Zealand’s Outdoor Community. Wilderlife brings together the opportunity to find out what’s on in the backcountry, with news, views and “how-tos”, on all things outdoors.

Wilderlife and our Outdoor Community value, among other things: brute honesty, unconstrained creativity, exploration and adventure, a thirst for knowledge, outdoor excellence, freedom on the edges of civilisation, good times and a consideration of our responsibilities that come with all that. We live and let live!

Contribute to Wilderlife

Wilderlife encourage contributions for all parts of this site:

If you would like to contribute, contact the Wilderlife editor directly.

Wilderlife is a space made available by the Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand (FMC), a collective of outdoor clubs and individuals from every corner of New Zealand. The views expressed on Wilderlife do not represent the views of FMC unless explicitly stated.

Simon’s Trips

Here on Wilderlife we have featured stories from Simon’s Trips, a book honouring the life of NZ mountaineer, Simon Bell. After his disappearance on Pikirakatahi/Mt Earnslaw in Jan 2015, his parents, Colin and Jeni Bell, compiled the book from Simon’s accounts and photos. Lorraine Johns, Rob Hawes, the late Steve Dowall and other friends also contributed stories of tramping or climbing trips they made with Simon.

Simon’s Trips was originally a gift to his family and friends but was later made available in return for a donation to the FMC Mountain and Forest Trust. These donations paid the majority of the costs of digitizing FMC’s publication ‘Safety in the Mountains’ (available here as the ‘Manual‘) and establishing the Wilderlife website. Simon’s estate contributed the balance.

The complete PDF of Simon’s Trips may be downloaded below, and a donation made here.

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