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Exploring the Annette Plateau & Metelille Glacier
The Annette Plateau and Metelille Glacier are truly magical alpine destinations. One of my all-time favourite tramping moments is sitting on the summit of Mt Annette, watching the sunrise illuminate Aoraki/Mt Cook and Mt Sefton after a night of camping on the Annette Plateau. The plateau offers a profound sense of isolation, leaving you completely…
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Tramping to Sawcut Gorge & The Zoo: Marlborough
Sawcut Gorge and the mysterious area known as “The Zoo” had been on my tramping list for years. Following the 2016 Kaikōura earthquakes, this spectacular corner of the Seaward Kaikōura Range was closed for a long time. However, after spotting a track update in the Permolat group mentioning volunteer maintenance, followed by a Wilderness Magazine…
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Hiking the Benmore-Annavale Loop & Sugarloaf Summit
Looking for a fantastic Canterbury day walk that packs in native beech forest, a tidy backcountry hut, and expansive alpine views without requiring a full weekend? The Benmore – Annavale Loop in Thirteen Mile Bush, capped off with a detour up Sugarloaf Summit (Pt 1203), ticks every box. Nearby to this are other fantastic day…
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A Snowy Mt Oxford & Lower Salmon Creek Biv Loop
The Canterbury Foothills such as Mt Oxford, Mt Thomas and Mt Somers offer some of the best front-country tramping in New Zealand, especially when a sudden winter storm turns the ridges into a magical winter wonderland. After spotting a perfect weather window paired with cheap flights to Christchurch, I jumped at the opportunity for a…
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Totara Flats via Lower Waiohine Track: The Active Slip Warning
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Ngā Puna a Tama & Pukekaikiore in Tongariro National Park
When the Tongariro National Park map was updated recently, Tony noticed a new marking north of the Upper Tama Lakes track: Ngā Puna a Tama / The Springs of Tama. These springs are named after the Māori Chieftain Tamatea, captain of the Tākitimu canoe, who explored the area six centuries ago. Our goal for the…
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Happy Valley Ruapehu | A visit by a playful Sarahsaurus
The Sarahsaurus Tubing Descent In this early winter trip report, (perhaps my silliest) I went to Happy Valley at Mt Ruapehu where the skifield operators had made a sledding track with artificial snow for frustrated skiers to use to ride down on a tube while waiting for some real snow. Normally this snow tubing would…
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Lake Colenso, Unknown Campsite & Elusive Ruahine Mountain Dolphins
A few years ago, I found myself trying to convince a friend that there was actually a place called “Unknown Campsite” in the Ruahine Range. “That’s not very helpful for finding it,” he replied. Much to his disbelief, I pulled out the topo map to show him that this mysterious backcountry spot does indeed exist.…
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Mangaweka & the Pegs of the Ruahine Range
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Climbing Mt Gladwish: The Uniquely Cheerful Gem in the Ahuriri Valley
Mt Gladwish (1,861m) is a peak with a uniquely cheerful name nestled in the rugged Ahuriri Valley. While it hasn’t been climbed particularly often in the past, its inclusion in the newly published New Zealand Alpine Club (NZAC) book The High Pathways by Paul and Shelley Hersey is rightly putting it on the radar for…
