Late February saw Quentin and I roll into the Matakitaki valley looking to check out the lesser visited parts of Nelson Lakes National Park.  We stayed the night at the Nelson College facility just up the road from Mt Ella station.  It was locked but the big verandahs make for a good place to stay if you're down that way.  There ...

  For the trampers I'd recommend taking two cars, parking one at the little settlement just past the Mangatoetoe river (think it's called Mangatoetoe as well actually...), then driving back to Te Kopi, parking in the Pinnacles carpark then tramping over to the Washpool, Pararaki, Kawakawa and Mangatoetoe huts and out down the ...

This biv has now been removed (see hut and track update)

Hi all, a bunch of Wellington multi-sporters have organised a mountain run/competitive tramp as a fundraiser for an international competition they are hoping to go to.  See attachment for the details but salient points are: The race course is the Mukamuka stream tramp i.e. Orongorongo river -> Turakirae head ->Mukamuka stream -> ...

Was in there a couple of weeks ago and it wasn't much worse than when last there in 2002.  Leaving potatoes in there to sprout doesn't help though.

Yeah for every trip where you can take a nice photo there are half a dozen or more where you can't even get your camera out of your pack unless you want it watered and blow dried.  I think it is the mix of experiences that make it worthwhile.

After tonights slide show on tramping in wilderness areas you will all be amping for bush bashing!  7.30 tonight, two trips Hooker-Landsborough and Olivine wilderness areas, don't miss it.  oh and I am VERY keen for hut bagging Kieran, VERY VERY keen.  The family will be VERY displeased if you and Hazel don't run it this ...

Quintessential high country valley.  Now a Mainland Island 

Easy yet interesting and worthwhile route between the Cox and South Hurunui

Adrian Barr at Candlesticks biv, a rarely visited Canterbury hideaway