Love Our Huts Campaign Our Public Huts and Tracks Need Our Help
FMC's executive board member Mick Abbott explores why our public huts matter and why we should all show them a bit of love this spring.
Team Poem Everest Base Camp
Andy Carruthers and a group of friends embark on a trek to Everest Base Camp, capturing the spirit of their climb through poetry and film.
Mt Aspiring Tititea Matterhorn of the South
With recommendations from Alastair McDowell after his record-breaking climb of Mt Aspiring Tititea, Andy Carruthers and crew plan their own summit of this incredible maunga. Four days in Mt Aspiring National Park not only offer the team breathtaking views and a birthday bubbles celebration at the summit, but also key takeaways into how they could minimise 'the scary moments' and maximise safety and comfort the next time around.
Youth Award Grant Just the Beginning
With an icy winter trek along the Kepler Track, five students from Otamatea High School are up for a challenge on their final DOE Gold Adventurous Journey. Embracing freezing temperatures, a cold plunge and learning techniques to escape when lost in a cave, one student declares: "This will definitely NOT be my last outdoor adventure!”
Training Grant Navigation and River Crossing
Do you feel confident with crossing a river? With New Zealand's abundance of rivers, every backcountry tramper must know how to safely cross a waterway if the situation requires. With expert teaching from Outdoor Training NZ (OTNZ), the Rotorua Tramping Club fine-tunes their navigational skills and goes deep into hands-on learning with group and solo pack-floating, entrapment and how to escape from a strainer.
Youth Award Grant The Bond of Tramping
A tight-knit group of seven students and three dedicated teachers began tramping together four years ago. With support from the FMC Youth Award Grant, Briar Higgie and Kaelyn Swanson strengthen bonds with their tramping mates, not allowing sleepless nights from hut snoring or sandflies to dampen their epic tramp along the stunning Heaphy Track.
Traversing the Tararuas Wild Women on the Tops
FMC Expedition Scholarship winners, Isla and Louise, traverse the Tararuas in a celebration of women in the backcountry. Through both film and print, they explore the limiting perceptions of wāhine outdoors, the gender disparity in gear construction and the realities of backcountry menstruation, all whilst embracing the joys of being female and their inner playfulness as wild women on the tops.
Safety Backcountry Touring Access Guidelines
In an attempt to alleviate friction between members of the backcountry touring community and ski area operators, FMC created a set of backcountry touring access guidelines. With the support of NZAC and after consultation from 23 ski areas in Aotearoa, these collaborative guidelines articulate the following: how to behave when accessing backcountry terrain using ski field infrastructure, an intention to promote understanding of the real hazards present on ski areas and a fostering of courtesy and respect between tourers (including climbers and trampers) and ski area operators.
March 2021 A Decent Brew at Altitude
How do you get a decent brew at altitude? Uncle Jacko experiments with the science behind spuds for energy and a summit brew-up, along with discussing the perks of night-time tramping and reminiscing about a tramp with a dear mate who passed away.
November 2023 The Indestructible Loopies
Are loopies, by definition, indestructible and how do we create a model to better understand risk in the outdoors? Uncle Jacko poses the argument that while there are exceptions to the rule, ill-equipped trampers often seem to survive and explains the idea behind the Heine–McFarlane–McNeill risksetting model that he helped to design.
Youth Award Grant All Weather Tramp on the Heaphy
Thunder and lightning, sunshine, rain and even hail accompanies Bella and Egor's Duke of Edinburgh Gold Qualifier, pushing Egor to persevere through his fear of thunderstorms and even declare: "I have loved my Adventurous Journey, as it has opened up many wonderful New Zealand backcountry places that we have explored." As recipients of the FMC Youth Award Grant, Bella Allen and Egor Shefer reflect on their trip of a lifetime along the Heaphy Track.
Fact or Fable What’s in a Word? Exploring Untracked Leatherwood in the Tararua Forest Park
Four hours to cover one kilometre . . . ? For Megan and a hardy group from the Wellington Tramping and Mountaineering Club (WTMC), an escape route provided by the '1996 Tararua Footprints Guide' offered refuge away from strong winds. However, an equally challenging battle ensued between tramper, scrub and river as the group navigated untracked leatherwood in the Tararua Forest Park.
June 2022 Alpha Centuri
Looking for a more affordable way to purchase gear? Uncle Jacko discusses the versatility of retired poly-cotton office shirts, the best sources for weather prediction and PLB features that can save the life of an incapacitated, solo tramper.
Kahurangi Bivvy A Night Out on Mt Arthur
Defined by its distinctive karst rock formations and sinkholes that remind trampers to guard each step, Mt Arthur lends itself to a photographer’s paradise. Documenting his trek to the peak with camera in tow, Peter Laurenson captures the maunga in all its glory.
Winter Tramping Catastrophe on Cascade Saddle
Completion of the Great Walks may lead less experienced trampers into a false sense of security, resulting in some attempting backcountry tracks beyond their skill sets. After finishing the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and Abel Tasman Coastal Track, a young tourist sets off on the Cascade Saddle in Mt Aspiring National Park. Under snow cover, Cascade Saddle is a serious alpine crossing that requires outdoor competence and proper equipment. Johnny Mulheron discusses the tragic details behind this solo tramper's fatal fall in winter conditions and what lessons we can take away.
June 2023 Let Your Cravings Be Your Guide
Has your compass ever steered you in the wrong direction? In this UJCC, Uncle Jacko divulges what happens when one's faithful compass becomes an agent of chaos, how much water and electrolyte intake one really needs and some handy, DIY gear hacks for the backcountry.
Youth Award Grant Four Years to Gold
From a weka invasion to endless blisters, Phoebe Squire and four classmates earn their DOE Gold on the Queen Charlotte Track in the spectacular Marlborough Sounds.
Youth Award Grant Exploring Diverse Vegetation and Landscapes
Time for Gold! Zander Groenewald from Otamatea High School in Northland completes his Duke of Edinburgh Gold expedition around Taranaki Maunga.
Botany Mission Alpine Daisy Hunting With Jane Gosden
“I grew up in National Parks around New Zealand,” is a statement not many of us can claim. But Jane Gosden can. As a keen ecologist with a special interest in alpine plants and years of working in and above the bush line, she recently published a field guide to alpine daisies in the genus Celmisia. Her curiosity and attraction to Celmisia took her on a nationwide mission, from the mountains to the sea. In her story for Wilderlife, she talks about her life and work in high, wild places and her love for everything that inhabits them – especially plants.
March 2023 ‘Swamping’ and Pain Relief in the Mountains
Aches and pains slowing you down in the backcountry? Uncle Jacko dives into the best options for pain relief, the ever so popular 'swamping' trek and the pleasures of poetry inspired by Aotearoa's landscapes.
Tim Swale Tramping With Youth
Working with youth in the outdoors can be a gift. Teacher and outdoors enthusiast Tim Swale knows this very well. In this article, he shares his experience working with youth in the outdoors, how to support them and what the support entails.
Learning From Pros High Mis-Adventure
After 50 years of tramping, Ray Salisbury reveals how the mountains taught him lessons on humility and resilience.
Ruahine Tops Between Two Rivers
Climbing whilst capturing Aotearoa's natural beauty is second nature for adventure photographer, Peter Laurenson. In this photo essay, he traverses the Ruahine tops cradled between two rivers – Makaroro and Waipawa.
August 2023 Perpetual Sun
What is it like to go alpine tramping in a land of perpetual sun? Uncle Jacko responds to readers' comments and recounts his unique experience of backcountry and hut life in Tromsø, Northern Norway.
