🏔️#73 - Dusky, Track Works, Fire Etiquette, Kmart Finds, & More.

And we are back with the 73rd weekly NZ Hiking Newsletter.

Next week will be the last newsletter for the next 5 months or so, thanks to me being overseas and the winter not providing so much in the way of hiking news. I’ll figure something out next week in terms of maybe a mid-winter update or something…tbd.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the Conservation Reform Bill? I haven’t looked into it much yet, but let me know both good and the bad ([email protected]).

For now, I'll let you other stuff 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.

🗒️ Other Track News Etc.

• Reinstate The Track Already. Ohope Beach has been considered one of the best beaches in the country for quite some time now, so when a section of trail that’s leads to a lookout over the beach was closed in 2022 due to a slip, it’s no surprise that people would still try and reach the lookout…even if that means putting themselves in danger (you can still some heatmap lines on the track on Strava, so people certainly are going).

  Over three years later…it’s still closed, and now it seems as though people are fed up and have started rebuilding the track. We all love some kiwi ingenuity, but it’s probably not the best idea given the slip (as seen above), but anyone who has control over the red tape to have the track repaired isn’t being proactive which is annoying.

  There’s a group who are ready to go and help reinstate the track on a volunteer basis, but blah…it just doesn’t seem to be a priority. Surely if you want Ohope Beach to be a key tourism attraction, you’d want this opened asap? More details here.

• Fire Etiquette. While I’d like to think I wouldn’t put rubbish into a hut’s fireplace (I’m far from perfect), reading this from DOC made me realise why this is an extra bad idea. There’s no harm in rereading basic etiquette practices. I’ve always been one to not worry about filtering/boiling hut water…but the more I write these newsletters, the more I think I should be…I’ve been lucky so far…

• Dusky Track Trip Notes. While there are not heaps of track notes in the Dusky Track, this is a solid recap of what to expect before starting the trail. Along with a handful of trip photos here. It’s the polar opposite of a Great Walk, but doesn’t mean you can’t start planning for it next summer…I’d love to do either the Dusky or/and Stewart Island’s Northern Circuit next summer.

😹 Hiking Funny

• NZ Private Walks Book. Did you know there are 29 private walks available around the country? I’d have guessed well less than that. While I’ve only been to one so far (Welcome Rock), they do serve a niche versus the DOC tracks we are more familiar with. The main difference is they usually come with luggage transport, catered meals, and often hot water.

  The best resource for all things private walks is privatewalks.nz, and Founder Gary Patterson has got a book coming out later this year to put on your gift list (you can learn more and read a sample here). I’m actually interested in reading the stories of the tracks, how they came to be and who runs them…what a great idea. One of those ‘wish I thought of it’ ideas.

• Access to Wye Creek Helipad Closed Off. The route to the Wye Creek Helipad (near Queenstown) has become very popular in the last 12-24 months, with upwards of 12,000 people in the last year heading towards the helipad on private land owned by Pioneer Energy.

  I guess it’s no surprise this has been closed as the boardwalk along the pipeline, while felt fine-ish, was never built to sustain this much foot traffic.

  They’ve said they have closed it ‘…while we assess potential improvement options.’

  Ideally, that means it will open again in the future…but the wording is ominous.

  If you’ve been wanting to head up here for a view, you're not out of luck. Rather than turn right at the dam where people have been for the views (that have been seen on social media), you can continue up on the Lower Wye DOC track and in a few hundred metres you’ll find a viewpoint that’s still public accessv and just as good. Press release here.

• Don’t Buy This. But if you’re one for a kitchen gadget, someone said this Kmart puree dispenser is a great way to decant jams/honeys/sauces etc into smaller pouches (included) for hikes. I’m thinking it’ll go good for big batches of mashed potato? https://www.kmart.com.au/product/puree-dispenser-43549375/

• Kahurangi Access Making Progress. The popular Graham Valley Road which provides one of the access points to Kahurangi NP is on track to reopen towards the end of August. It was nice to get an update that works are being done on the road (big slips), and track maintenance is being performed too. More here.

🎁 A Couple Of Competitions To Enter

There has been lack of competitions over the last couple of months, but there’s a couple this week to throw your hat into:

• NZ Custom Maps Giveaway - enter here (closes May 17th)

• Gearshop 20 Year Giveaway - enter here (closes May 31st)

🧔‍♂️ What I've Been Up To...

This weeks fun adventure was up Ben Lomon Iit’d been too long (a couple of months) since I’d been up there. Two interesting people observations:

• a person with a tote bag as their day pack

• one who was 100% not dressed for the occasion with a pump bottle jammed into the front of their tights with flares and all.

Seeing stuff like that it’s easy to see how people do get in trouble on tracks that are a bit more remote than Ben Lomond, without a steady stream of people coming and going.

It’s still blowing my mind how many people are going to camp at Earnslaw Burn this late in the season. Granted we’ve had a good weather window in the area lately it’s cold. Most people are going to be freezing up there overnight just because they saw it on the social media and have FOMO if they don’t go themselves.

Have a great week, hike it up. If you’re signing up for a Great Walk this week, good luck! Make sure to read these tips before you jump in.

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

Chur,

Jub

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