Wilderness

Each issue of Wilderness takes its readers to the most beautiful areas in New Zealand, whether by foot, mountain bike, sea kayak, raft, pony or dream.

CELEBRATING NZ'S UNIQUE TRAMPING CULTURE

Wilderness

LETTER of the MONTH

YOUR TRIPS, YOUR PIX • What did you get up to last weekend?

How to use A HUT BOOK

A WEEKEND MISSION TO BAG ALL THE TARARUA HUTS

WHEEL CREEK HUT REFURBISHED FOR GENERATIONS TO COME

OUTDOOR TRAINING NZ TURNS 10

A MAKEOVER FOR ANTI-CROW HUT

THE SURVIVOR • Walk1200km helped this walker to cope with the loss of his wife of 57 years.

GEAR TO HELP YOU WALK MORE THIS MONTH

THE MAKING OF A BACK COUNTRY CUISINE MEAL • Have you ever wondered how the Back Country Cuisine meals you eat on your outdoor adventures came into being? Who chose the flavour, where did the recipe come from and how was it made?

#microchallenge 07- 09 winners! • Complete the #microchallenges, as these Walk1200km participants have done, and receive an exclusive, can’t-be-bought Walk1200km badge. The best effort in each challenge also receives a special prize from our partners!

June 2025 #microchallenges • In each issue, three new #microchallenges are set to add interest and silliness to your kilometres.

DON'T BE A BUZZKILLER! • Aotearoa’s native fly species are important pollinators of alpine plants. Some also recycle bat guano and slay large spiders.

100 PEAKS IN ONE SUMMER • With a light pack and a paraglider for speedy descents, an American climber has done in four months what others have taken decades to achieve.

A STRIKING CORNER OF LAKE HĀWEA • Corner Peak, Hāwea Conservation Park

AN ICONIC JOURNEY FROM EAST TO WEST • A TRANSALPINE CLASSIC WEATHERED BY TIME AND CLIMATE CHANGE, THE THREE PASSES ROUTE REMAINS A TEST-PIECE FOR EXPERIENCED TRAMPERS.

Who was Raureka?

5 KEY LANDMARKS OF THE THREE PASSES ROUTE

THE COLD SIDE OF THE KEPLER • AFTER IGNORING THE GREAT WALKS, AN EXPERIENCED TRAMPER BITES THE BULLET, SIGNS UP FOR THE KEPLER TRACK IN WINTER, AND FINDS SNOW, SOLITUDE AND SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES.

9 TIPS FOR DEALING WITH WINTER ON THE KEPLER

NEED TO KNOW

WINTER GEAR • The equipment that will help you better enjoy your winter tramping.

TE ARAROA'S MOST TREACHEROUS TRACK • AFTER A RECENT FATALITY ON TE ARAROA, WILDERNESS INVESTIGATES WHY MANY CONSIDER THE TIMARU RIVER TRACK THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE 3000KM TRAMP.

THE A-Z OF TRAMPING IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND • NEW ZEALAND’S TRAMPING CULTURE IS UNIQUE – EVEN THE WORD ‘TRAMPING’ IS QUINTESSENTIALLY KIWI. WE ASKED WILDERNESS CONTRIBUTORS TO TAKE A WALK THROUGH THE ALPHABET AND SHARE WHAT MAKES TRAMPING SO ICONIC IN AOTEAROA.

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR WATERPROOFS • Cleaning your waterproof gear is a simple task and needs to be done regularly if you want your rainwear to perform as expected.

BE PREPARED FOR WEATHER CHANGES • The forecast looks good, so you don’t need much in the way of warm clothes, right? Here’s why you always need to be prepared.

HIKE LIKE THE WIND • Breezing into the space between hiking and trail-running shoes, the Obōz Katabatic LT Low GTX is ultralight and impressively stable.

GEAR RADAR • Stay ahead of the chill with this winter-ready gear.

LIGHTWEIGHT RAIN JACKETS

WHAT'S IN MY PACK

2025'S GUIDE TO WINTER TENTS • Winter camping calls for a warm shelter that can withstand strong winds, torrential rain and heavy snow. Look for comfort features such as internal storage, head room and ventilation.

2025'S GUIDE TO OUTDOOR SOCKS • Good outdoor socks are worth their weight in gold. Their ability to keep feet dry and to absorb trail impact and footwear pressure...