⛰️#39 - Weekend Mish, Hut Bookings, Brass Monkey, Quiz, & Lots More.

And we are back with the 39th NZ Hiking Newsletter, sent every Thursday/Friday.

I'll let you know what’s going on in the hiking scene in New Zealand, along with other related bits and pieces I find interesting.

Alright, let’s get into it. With a quiz.

What’s the smallest National Park in New Zealand?

A. Abel Tasman National Park

B. Fiordland National Park

C. Nelson Lakes National Park

D. Rakiura National Park

The answer is at the bottom of the newsletter.

🗒️ Track News Etc.

• There would have been lots of nervous people logging onto the DOC website at about 9 am yesterday, getting ready for bookings on the Heaphy, Kepler, and Rakiura Tracks to open at 9.30 am. I feel like the tech hasn’t been able to handle the loads most years, with complaints galore. But it all seemed to go well for the most part this year (so far). There was the occasional quirk, but the lobby system might well be a winner. If you’re planning to book some coming up, it seems like the best thing you can do is learn how the DOC booking system works in advance (and sort out your password).

• Unfortunately, the search for missing hiker Eli Sweeting was paused earlier this week after an extensive search of the trail and terrain around Mitre Peak. They’re going to do a review, and if more information comes to light there’ll be the chance to recommence the search.

• If you’re heading to Mount Cook soon, you’ll be able to at least get further along the Hooker Valley Track with people now able to cross the first suspension bridge and head towards a raised platform. The second bridge is being replaced, so you can’t walk the track until Autumn next year-ish. I can only imagine how many tears are being shed about that.

• Brass Monkey Hut has been getting lots of publicity as it gets close to opening to the public. With that extra publicity, it’s not exactly surprising to hear of a couple of incidents at the hut (they’re currently waiting on the Code of Compliance before opening the hut, if you want to nerd out on Brass Monkey Hut telemetry, you can sign up to WeatherLink and get all the data at this link.):

  • One involved two hunters who let themselves into the main part of the hut (only the foyer is open at the moment). This was noticed as there are sensors in the hut to monitor condensation production vs. the number of people in the hut…which will allow future performance improvements.

  • The other involved the doors not being shut properly (they’re not quite like a normal door…and workers on the hut arrived to the below scene…cleaning up a mess made from others is not how they need to spend their time.

• If you’ve had your eye on some gear at Further Faster, it could be a good time to buy it with their current super sale. It runs until May 31st. More details here.

• A coroner’s report into the January 2023 death of Terrence Elliot has been released. Terrence was found dead down a steep gully and off the main track near Concertina Knob in the Tararua Range (he’d activated his PLB 4 hours before he was found). There were some improvements in the DOC signage and track descriptions on the website after the incident which is cool. Read more here.

• Popular kiwi outdoor YouTubers ‘Weekend Mish’ had an article published on Stuff about their dramatic heli rescue near the Pole of Inaccessibility. You can read the article here…or watch the YouTube video below (the rescue is near the end of the video).

• With NZ already having three World Heritage Sites, DOC is looking to update the existing tentative list, last formed in 2007. Are there any sites you think should become a World Heritage Site? The current seven are:

  • Auckland Volcanic Fields

  • Waters and seabed of Fiordland (Te Moana O Atawhenua)

  • Kahurangi National Park, Farewell Spit and Canaan karst system

  • Kerikeri Basin historic precinct

  • Kermadec Islands and Marine Reserve

  • Napier Art Deco historic precinct

  • Whakarua Moutere (North East Islands)

  • Waitangi Treaty Grounds historic precinct

    If you want to submit an option, fill out the Expression of Interest form before July 31st. All details and forms here.

• The Coromandel’s popular Hahei Beach Walk connecting to Cathedral Cove is going to be rebuilt starting in September, thanks to $140,000 from the International Visitor Levy. This will be another boost for the Coromandel, with Cathedral Cove being a must-do in the area. More details here.

  😹 Hiking Funny

  How good does that spork pole sound!

🎁 A Couple Of Competitions To Enter

• Win a Swag of Suckies (snacks) from The Collective - enter here (entries close May 18th)

• Win a year’s supply of Em’s Power Cookies & Bars - enter here (entries close May 30th)

• Arc’teryx Winter Weekend Giveaway - enter here (entries close July 8th)

🧔‍♂️ What I've Been Up To...

With only one day off over the weekend, it was a local loop out the back of Arrowtown for me. The ridgeline on either side of Brow Peak is one of the best you’ll find so close to a trailhead.

🤔 Quiz Answer

Answer:

A. Abel Tasman National Park

By quite some way too, at only 237 sq. kilometres.

Fiordland’s the biggest at 12,607. Nelson Lakes 1,019 and Rakiura 1,400.

Have a great week, hike it up.

As always, reply to this email (or message me on Whatsapp +642041702764) with anything and everything…I’m happy to chat.

Chur,

Jub

p.s. get your friends to sign up to the newsletter: https://nzhikingnewsletter.beehiiv.com/subscribe