In the Mountains
An online manual for Aotearoa's outdoors
Wilderlife
Charlie Douglas, left, and Arthur P. Harper, Cook River 1894.
Charlie Douglas, left, and Arthur P. Harper, Cook River 1894.

Pick out the best route up a mountain to see whether you see one; look for the best fords in the river, even if you are never likely to cross it; keep your eye open for good campsites: if you are passing through the gorge of a river, by road or rail, try to figure out how you would have tackled it on foot in its natural state. Note the character of ridges and valleys, and especially note prominent objects so that you will recognise them when you see them again; keep looking back on your route so as to familiarise yourself with what you will see on the return journey.

A.P. Harper, Camping and Bushcraft in New Zealand for Beginners, 1945

Wilderlife
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