'It’s always satisfying to make important decisions on a whim, because there can be no accounting for taste, no reason to justify and no explanation to satisfy.' Uncle Jacko reveals which of his trips were decided merely on a whim, as well as how he was talked out of travelling by donkey during his tramping adventures in France.
Does your recollection of a tramp become more glamorous with the passing of time? Two members of the Kaumātua Tramping Club share their humorous take on the difference between the reality of a tramp vs. the memory once back in the comforts of home.
Society's response to climate change is a complex issue. In this article, Dan Clearwater looks not to provide the solutions, but to stimulate discussion, challenge preconceptions and dispel myths about using EV’s for mountain recreation.
After speed climbing in Europe, Alastair McDowell is inspired to try it again in New Zealand -- this time traversing the three peaks from the Hooker and returning via the Tasman for a total distance of 53km and 4000m of vertical gain, all in 24 hours.
'How come you don't get bored out there?' When asked by a tramper about how she spends her time, a first time hut warden reflects on her experience living and working along the Old Ghost Road in Kahurangi National Park.
What is your outdoor gear really made of and what toll is it taking on the environment? Sash Nukada, Programme Leader of Sustainability and Outdoor Education, decides to stop pointing the finger elsewhere and examine the potential negative impact of his outdoor gear. In an honest and thorough look at materials, brands, and new versus used gear, he offers a guide on how best to minimise your footprint and protect the outdoors we love so much.
Despite a plan to upgrade its status years ago, Hakatere Conservation Area has been classified as 'stewardship land' since 2007 after its purchase by the Nature Heritage Fund. FMC President, Jan Finlayson, discusses its natural resources and recreational opportunities, as well as the many special creatures that call this magical landscape home.
During one magical Easter, Lorraine Johns and Simon Bell visit Kahurangi National Park in NW Nelson. Lorraine vividly recalls their journey through a bewitching landscape and shares how it became a trip to remember.
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.
Chris Tuffley envisions ‘the bear’s reply' in an eloquent reimagining of the children’s poem ‘The Bear Went Over the Mountain,’ which forgets to mention all the wondrous sights, smells and experiences above and beyond the mere ‘other side of the mountain.' He invites readers to explore their senses and captures breathtaking moments from his many trips over the mountain.
With the threat of being cancelled just hours before departure, a trip to Tarawera Falls started out rocky for these FMC Youth Award Grant recipients. But after three days in the backcountry, they learned that “a trip is worth a little bit of chaos.”
Students from Otamatea High School work towards their Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award by ascending towards the clouds and climbing Mt Taranaki. Next up for these trampers is Gold level status.
What happens when your life-long hobby becomes your profession? For photographer Richard Sidey, he began to lose the spark for his once beloved hobby. He shares how through clear purpose, technology and a few easy to follow steps, he found a way to rekindle his love of adventure photography.
Accompanied by his two sons, Ed and Will, Peter Laurenson capitalises on the school holidays to expend some of their teenage energy by climbing the Tararua Peaks.
Four friends set out on their Silver qualifying journey only to be tested by weather, thereby demonstrating their maturity in choosing safety over the finish line.
As recipients of the FMC Youth Award Grant, eight students from St. Peters College brave the Humpridge Track in rain-soaked conditions and make lasting memories along the way.
Five students from St. Matthew’s College and qualifiers for the Duke of Edinborough’s Hillary Award Gold share highlights from tramping the Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk — a 46 kilometre track in Te Urewera, the homeland of the Tūhoe people.
Despite a wet forecast, Henrietta Haskell and six other candidates of the Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award strive for Silver on the next level of their Adventurous Journey.
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