Kowhai The Dancing Tree
Stepping onto the small ‘Adventure Craft’ takes me across the Waiau River – that small impediment that keeps people from exploring this section of the park as often as they otherwise might.
Terms of endearment The Poor B#ast@rd
In my early years in New Zealand, even my father-in-law gave me a hard time for being a public servant and a Pommie. You take these things on the chin and realise, eventually, it’s a type of Kiwi bloke-humour and probably well meant.
Climate change How Do You Eat an Elephant?
Or the giant pot of hut porridge which has been burnt by your tramping partner?
Volcano of ice Conquering Sweary Pants Gully (Not its Real Name)
My ski club mates call it Sweary Pants Gully. There's a good reason for that.
Family tramping With More Than One Pre-Schooler
Having more than one pre-schooler is no reason to not go tramping overnight as a family. Admittedly, it’s not easy, but then staying home with pre-schoolers isn’t easy either.
Tararua Tops Seven Summits
Most have heard of the Seven Summits challenge, where the highest point on each of the world’s seven continents is climbed. But there’s also a seven summits challenge much closer to home.
DIY Build your own Packraft
Is building your own Packraft worth it? Stefan Warnaar finds out.
Podcast The Long Way Home
Bruce Hopkins takes his father and brother's ashes back home to Stewart Island. But he’s taking the long way there; via Te Araroa.
Castle Hill Glorious Highcountry
A history of the Castle Hill area, with over 200 images, historic paintings, letters and scientific analysis.
Climbing Icy encounters above Bush Stream
Camping in the mountains in mid winter is cold. I have a down Macpac bag that’s meant to be cosy at minus seven. It wasn’t.
Illusions Mt Aspiring in 12 minutes
The summit ridge climb shown in the film was the real thing. What doesn’t show is that the NW ridge wasn’t accessed direct from Colin Todd hut. We put in fixed ropes on the Therma face of Mt Aspiring because the director ‘didn’t want any footprints’ on the ridge. The whole crew dropped off the NW ridge into the Therma, traversed, then went vertically up to the NW ridge.
Will it go? Steep and loose on Ruapehu’s Ringatoto
A big day out on the east side of Ruapehu, with plenty of moments of 'will it go?' and 'holy smokes, it does'.
Family Tramping Resources on Wilderlife.nz
Links to more resources, tips and ideas, right here on Wilderlife.
Ruapehu Climbing Te HeuHeu’s SE Ridge
Just as I thought what lay above wasn’t the prettiest icescape I’d seen, Simon paraphrased for me. “This ice is sh#t.” He was busily hacking away at brittle rime ice on steep volcanic rock. Ice fragments flew everywhere.
FMC Exec trip to Kime Hut
Right before an FMC Exec meeting on Matiu / Somes Island at the end of June 2018, some of our staff and Exec got together for a two-day tramp to Kime Hut in the Tararuas.
Climbing Craters in the snow
The moonless crystal clear sky offered the most vivid view of the Milky Way I’d ever seen.
Palmerston North Tramping and Mountaineering Club
PNTMC is one of three FMC clubs based in Palmerston North.
Tour with respect Make Room
Sometimes the back country terrain behind the ski field can get a few groups at once. Local Craigieburn Ski Guide Anna Keeling offers some thoughts and advice on how to avoid putting each other at risk as you enjoy your foray from the safety of the ski field.
On the divide Skiing Mt Cross
Here we were, about to ski off a named summit on the main divide; where else in NZ can you do that without a helicopter, in a day trip?
Essays The Evolution of a Fiordland Mountain Runner
I had a dream that I could be a mountain runner.
Unfinished business: South Island Mega Trip
When a six month visit to New Zealand is just not enough....
The simple life Holly Budge, Big Mountain Climber
Kiwi writer Hannah Davison speaks to Holly Budge, a highly successful British Mountaineer about what motivates her to climb at high altitude.
Barnsey's guide to QEII Covenants
Do you know your parks from your reserves? Which ones might be swapped tomorrow, which will be there for your grandchildren? Understand the legalese behind the land parcels that collectively constitute our public conservation land.
Canyoning The history and mystery of Holts Creek
For 110 years an ancient tunnel lay hidden in the Otira wilderness... Nola, James and Grant did their homework, put in the time for preparation and were rewarded with the first descent of an excellent canyon.
