Determination (Part Two) - North Mavora Lake
Determination is what carries you the last couple of kilometres of a hike. Without it you would have no drive, and probably never start the hike anyway. If you live…
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Determination (Part One) - North Mavora Lake
Determination is a powerful tool we have in our arsenal, and in the hiking world it can be something that can be the dif...
21 Nov 2025
Finishing as I Started, Plus One (Part Two) - Rakaia River (Double Hill)
So many of my missions have been by myself, which hasn’t dulled the adventure one bit. However, one thing that has enhan...
31 Dec 2024
Finishing as I Started, Plus One (Part One) - Rakaia River (Double Hill)
The start to 2024 was bittersweet. I had dragged myself and my tent to an epic place like I had done many times during 2...
30 Dec 2024
The Playground in the Trees (Part Two) - Napoleon Hill / Ahaura
In no way did I think that when I drove north from Te Anau to Christchurch that I would end up driving 1360km in three d...
28 Jun 2024
The Playground in the Trees (Part One) - Napoleon Hill / Ahaura
A lot of New Zealand’s history has been lost to the bush. What were big settlements have moved on and the forest has rec...
28 Jun 2024
A Road to Nowhere (Part One) - Lindis Pass Conservation Area / Ahuriri Conservation Area
Curiosity is a driving factor in going into the outdoors. A want, need, must know attitude will take you to some incredi...
26 Jun 2024
Very Big Trees (Part Two) - Dean Forest Camp (with Georgie)
For a tiny country, Aotearoa New Zealand had an incredible amount of wealth in the form of natural resources. Unfortunat...
20 Apr 2024
Very Big Trees (Part One) - Dean Forest Camp (with Georgie)
Captain Cook must have been very excited to report back about his adventures in Aotearoa. Along with the bountiful postu...
18 Apr 2024
Mid Mish Bliss (Part Two) - Rangitata Valley
The wilderness provides so much more to humans than just fitness. To sit surrounded by sweet serenity soothes the soul i...
16 Jan 2024
Mid Mish Bliss (Part One) - Rangitata Valley
I had grown used to going on a mission with a partner. Having another soul enjoying the adventure was something I didn’t...
15 Jan 2024
An Appropriate Place (Part Three) - Dogs Hill(1067m)
I have always wanted to spend my post life in the hills. To have my ashes spread where I was happiest would be the ultim...
1 Jan 2024
An Appropriate Place (Part Two) - Dogs Hill(1067m)
I’m sure that many legends have had their ashes spread in the epic places they loved to visit. I know one day I want my...
31 Dec 2023
An Appropriate Place (Part One) - Dogs Hill(1067m)
Having a dog of my own was one of the best feelings of my life. Since I don’t have kids, my dog was my child and I direc...
30 Dec 2023
It’s About Time - Aotearoa to Nepal 2023
to 14.11.2023. In 2015 I travelled to Nepal for the first time to help out my bro with the charity he had just started....
8 Oct 2023
It’s Better to Tell the Tale (Part Three) - Double Hill / Rakaia River
During the last couple of years I have been told by many different people that I might not get back to my days climbing...
12 Sep 2023
It’s Better to Tell the Tale (Part Two) - Double Hill / Rakaia River
Some of my fondest memories as a child were going to stay with Nanny and Fossil (my Grandmother and Grandfather). Every...
11 Sep 2023
It’s Better to Tell the Tale (Part One) - Double Hill / Rakaia River
During my time as a guide I have learnt that age is just a number. Memories of guiding the more senior members of the po...
10 Sep 2023
St Awesome (Part Two) - St Arnaud / Lake Rotoiti
This country may be small on a world’s stage but, when you really get amongst it like so many lucky tourists do, you sta...
11 Aug 2023
St Awesome (Part One) - Boyle Creek to St Arnaud
After so many missions a question I get asked often is what or where is your favourite place / track. A response I often...
11 Aug 2023
Chilling Out (Part Three) - Boyle River Campsite
Chilling out is an excellent thing to do. The expression can make you feel relaxed as you can visualise yourself with yo...
10 Aug 2023
Chilling Out (Part Two) - Boyle River Campsite
I might be biased when it comes to my love of a good mish in a Suzuki Jimny. That fact that I have been on many adventur...
10 Aug 2023
Chilling Out (Part One) - The Road to Boyle River
For some, cold weather is cruel and crippling. Frigid frost forcing you to find your warmest fabric to fight off the fre...
9 Aug 2023
There’s a Hole in My Tent (Part Five) - Avoca River / Valley
Hiking with my best mate is something I am really enjoying. I am also really enjoying the fact that I can combine campin...
7 Aug 2023
There’s a Hole in My Tent (Part Four) - Avoca River / Valley
Pretty much every time I get into my cousin's Suzuki Jimny we return with a tale to tell. We don’t go out looking for tr...
6 Aug 2023
There’s a Hole in My Tent (Part Three) - Avoca River / Valley
A series of circumstances led to me acquiring a dog, and now I can’t think of life without him. I was hoping that Lil’ E...
4 Aug 2023
There’s a Hole in My Tent (Part Two) - Avoca River / Valley
Since 2019 I have spent countless nights in my Marmot tent and the shelter provided has made for many magic missions. Al...
4 Aug 2023
There’s a Hole in My Tent (Part One) - Avoca River / Valley
A constant companion in most of my outdoor adventures recently is my Marmot Tungsten tent. My transportable home away fr...
3 Aug 2023
Significant Weather Event, Again! - Ladbrooks (Christchurch)
One thing I really enjoyed about guiding in Fiordland was telling people some of the weather facts. Huge amounts of rain...
22 Jul 2023
The Opposite of Flat (Part Two) - Rakaia River
Apart from Te Pataka o Rakaihautū / Banks Peninsula and the Port Hills Christchurch and its surroundings are mostly flat...
20 Jun 2023
The Opposite of Flat (Part One) - Rakaia River
Whatever the plan was I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the one I was following. Not only have my long days in the mountains bee...
19 Jun 2023
Jimnyfest - Waipara River with The Jimny Club
If you are after a new Suzuki Jimny you better get in line. Who would have thought that a little truck could have such a...
17 Jun 2023
Little Lyndon Hill (Part Three). Korowai / Torlesse Tussocklands Park.
If you ever feel like life is getting away from you, then head to the hills. In Japan people go forest bathing in order...
14 Jun 2023
Little Lyndon Hill (Part Two). Korowai / Torlesse Tussocklands Park.
Hurting my hip might have changed my life in a negative way, however the ying that was my injury was counted with the ya...
12 Jun 2023
Little Lyndon Hill (Part One). Korowai / Torlesse Tussocklands Park.
Once upon a time I climbed mountains, it sometimes feels like a fairy tale dream these days. When reliving my adventures...
12 Jun 2023
No Truck Gets Left Behind. Mid Canterbury 4x4 Park.
Looking back at all of the adventures I have been on with my cousin, it is amazing we have never been stuck in a very re...
9 Jun 2023
Movies at Mistake Flat (Part Five) - The Havelock Valley
People who love the outdoors usually have at least a couple of times when they have to pinch themselves to reassure them...
26 Mar 2023
Movies at Mistake Flat (Part Four) - The Havelock Valley
When you are out in the wilderness exploring you sometimes need to push aside feelings of nervousness. You might be at a...
25 Mar 2023
Movies at Mistake Flat (Part Three) - The Havelock Valley
My cousin Adam’s determination is evident in everything he does. He took up running and now runs marathons. He also brou...
24 Mar 2023
Movies at Mistake Flat (Part Two) - The Havelock Valley
A mission is an chance to enjoy the sweet satisfaction of achievement. This feeling can become very addictive and before...
24 Mar 2023
Movies At Mistake Flat (Part One) - The Havelock Valley
For all his faults my cousin Adam is an ok dude… Just kidding, he is a bloody good bloke who somehow keeps on upping our...
23 Mar 2023
Chasing the Sun (Part Two) - Sunrises & Sunsets Around Lake Clearwater
Of many thousands of photos the ones I love the most are either early morning shots or pictures taken at dusk. A mountai...
18 Mar 2023
Chasing the Sun (Part One) - Sunrises & Sunsets Around Lake Clearwater
With all the uncertainty in today's world it is good to know that everyday the sun will rise and then fall. For me these...
17 Mar 2023
Ssssssh, It's a Secret (Part Two) - Secret Jimny Club Mission
During my recovery my thirst for adventure didn’t go unquenched, thanks to my cousin Adam. Together we have seen some pr...
18 Feb 2023
Sssssh It's a Secret (Part One) - Jimny Club Mission
Big beautiful blocks of earth standing in silence and so, so spectacular to stare at. It is no secret that Aotearoa has...
18 Feb 2023
A Dog Chooses His Owner (Part Two) - Ernie Goes Camping
This time last year I would have never thought that I would have four little legs follow me on adventures into the mount...
10 Feb 2023
A Dog Chooses His Owner (Part One) - Ernie Goes Camping
I never planned on owning a dog. The idea has always been in my head, however the timing and my life situation has preve...
8 Feb 2023
No Sign of Mankind (Part Two) - Double Hill Camp
Before I injured my hip I knew that getting out into nature was very important for my headspace and now during my recove...
12 Jan 2023
No Sign of Mankind (Part One) - Double Hill Camp
Having the option of going to a place where there is no sign of mankind isn’t possible for a huge percentage of the worl...
11 Jan 2023
The Omarama Alternative - Omarama Saddle
Before I wrecked my hip I didn’t think much about four wheel driving. I would much rather chuck a pack on my back and ta...
26 Nov 2022
Permission Granted (Part Four) - Northern Otago Hills
Many of New Zealand’s biggest farms are located in some of New Zealand’s most pristine country. Massive areas have been...
26 Nov 2022
Permission Granted (Part Three) - Northern Otago Hills
I will never forget the time (when working for Ultimate Hikes) when the guides opened up one of the lodges in the Greens...
25 Nov 2022
Permission Granted (Part Two) - Northern Otago Hills
Not many people would jump a fence and go play in a stranger's backyard, however many seem to think it is ok to go into...
25 Nov 2022
Permission Granted (Part One) - Northern Otago Hills
Aotearoa became the land of farms once discovered. Because of its fertile land, a lot of the country is covered in paddo...
24 Nov 2022
Up to the Challenge (Part Three) - Macaulay Valley
The taste of success can sometimes seem too tough to tackle and you just turn to disappointment instead. For many years...
5 Nov 2022
Up to the Challenge (Part Two) - Macaulay Valley
When away from help extra care needs to be taken. There have been many locations I have gone to where I knew if I hurt m...
5 Nov 2022
Up to the Challenge (Part One) - Macaulay Valley
Doing very little can be very unmotivating, and doing nothing will leave you feeling terrible. Every now and then I have...
4 Nov 2022
One Long Night (Part One) - Upper Ashley River Camp
If you really love doing something, then it is amazing what you will go through to partake in the pleasurable pastime. W...
28 Oct 2022
Grandeur on Steroids (Part Five) - The Upper Rakaia
During my spare time I love to read Hiking, trekking, tramping and climbing guidebooks. It is a great way of getting to...
9 Oct 2022
Grandeur on Steroids (Part Four) - The Upper Rakaia
There aren’t too many places left in the world where you can go and know you’re the only one to get there in quite some...
7 Oct 2022
Grandeur on Steroids (Part Three) - The Upper Rakaia
With blind determination you can block out the bad and get yourself to some amazing locations. This was how I would guid...
7 Oct 2022
Grandeur on Steroids (Part Two) - The Upper Rakaia
The definition of Grandeur is - Splendour and impressiveness, especially of appearance or style: "the austere grandeur o...
6 Oct 2022
Grandeur on Steroids (Part One) - The Upper Rakaia
Nature offers the brain a reassuring calm like no other. While medication is appropriate at times, nothing sooths the so...
6 Oct 2022
Windy-Force Valley (Part Three) - Wilberforce Valley Camp
If I had to choose one aspect of the weather to erase forever it would be the wind. I love watching rain fall almost as...
30 Aug 2022
Windy-Force Valley (Part Two) - Wilberforce Valley
Fabric flapping frantically for an entire night is probably not most people's cup of tea and not what many picture when...
29 Aug 2022
Windy-Force Valley (Part One) - Wilberforce Valley
Sometimes running away from reality can work like hitting the default switch. A complete system reset can be achieved by...
29 Aug 2022
Stress Free in 'The Place To Be' (Part Three) - Poulter Valley Camp
The medicinal benefits of a visit to the wilderness can be incredible, sometimes so good you question whether it is real...
23 Aug 2022
Stress Free in 'The Place To Be' (Part Two) - Poulter Valley Camp
Even the word stress can create stress, and being stressed out is no fun for anyone. People have different ways of deali...
22 Aug 2022
Stress Free in 'The Place To Be' (Part One) - Poulter Valley Camp
Stress can prevent the healing process taking place. And when you are unsure about how injured you actually are (after m...
21 Aug 2022
Must Go Camping (Part Three) - Boundary Hill Camp
As I began to hike my gear up to a high point, I started feeling really good. My hip may have been hurting but my mind w...
10 Aug 2022
Must Go Camping (Part Two) - Boundary Hill Camp
Many fear the cold, therefore the winter is a time to stay warm in the comfort of your own home. However, if you brave t...
9 Aug 2022
Must Go Camping (Part One) - Boundary Hill Camp
The want, need, and must have becomes too strong sometimes and some form of camping is needed to prevent the craziness s...
8 Aug 2022
Into the Snow We Go (Part Three) - Jimny Club Adventure
While out 'On a Mish' you can encounter all sorts of situations, however running into a mass of humanity wasn't what we...
31 Jul 2022
Into the Snow We Go (Part Two) - Jimny Club Adventure
Due to the road being closed at Springfield, there were heaps of skiers around waiting for the opportunity to head up to...
30 Jul 2022
Into the Snow We Go (Part One) - Jimny Club Adventure
The want, must, need to go into the wild is never a bad thing. However you have to get yourself there first. Hiking, tre...
30 Jul 2022
You're Not Going Anywhere - Stuck at Lake Clearwater Village
On a few occasions I have been fortunate enough to be happily trapped in a wild location due to the weather. Every time...
13 Jul 2022
No Tent Required (Part One) - Te Waihora / Kaitorete Spit Camp
With no fix for my hip on the horizon I needed to do something that took my mind off the madness of my situation. Going...
24 Jun 2022
Money in the Banks - Old Le Bons Track
Many in Christchurch look west towards the Southern Alps when considering mountain activity. However on the eastern side...
4 May 2022
Time to Head North - Te Anau to Christchurch
Everyday it seems a little more certainty is taken away from our day to day lives. Every couple of weeks a life changing...
29 Apr 2022
Mavora Madness - Part Two
Just to be clear I have no issue with people getting a little bit rowdy, and having a good time. I have been known to si...
13 Mar 2021
A Little Help Please (Part 3) - Dogs Range Camp
The simple pastime of being outdoors all night long in a tent was something I used to do as often as possible. Heading t...
31 Jan 2021
A little Help Please (Part 2) - Dogs Range Camp
As time since my hip injury has rolled on, I have been slowly recovering and rebuilding my fitness. My days of 8 to 10 h...
30 Jan 2021
A little Help Please (Part One). Dogs Range Camp
I’ll take a night in a tent over any fancy hotel. There is nothing like having a thin layer of material as your shelter,...
29 Jan 2021
Blue Cod & Good Times - Waipara River / Motunau
The 5 horsepower outboard motor was no use in ankle deep water, and now Adam was walking the boat in the mud to the surf...
28 Nov 2020
Mud and Sand - Waipara River / Motunau
It didn’t matter if Adam attempted to go forward or backward, the truck went nowhere. Somehow we managed to time getting...
27 Nov 2020
We Are Not Invincible - Waipara River / Motunau
Going on adventures with my cousin Adam in his battle-ready Suzuki Jimny has been a recurring event throughout the uncer...
26 Nov 2020
Pain for Pleasure (Part One) - Island Saddle / Molesworth Station
For some after a feeling is achieved the craving to repeat that feeling becomes a must do. That means that if you don’t...
19 Nov 2020
Into the Unknown - Duncans Stream Camp (Part Two)
The ease of access to epic environments is excellent in Aotearoa, especially in the South Island. Ocean, alps, lakes and...
22 Aug 2020
Into the Unknown - Duncans Stream Camp (Part One)
Any day above 1000m in New Zealand is a good one, an expression that was difficult to make reality after my hip accident...
22 Aug 2020
Banter & Black Panthers - An Adventure with the Canterbury 4WD Club
When it comes to travelling through the mountains I’ll take my own two feet over a vehicle almost every time. However, d...
27 Jun 2020
The Transportable Town - Potts River Camp
I will never stop being impressed with the many places my cousin's incredible Suzuki Jimny can go. And the little beast...
27 Jun 2020
Forces of Nature (Part Three) - Birdwood Range / Fanghill Stream
With all of the epicness of being reintroduced into the outdoors came the only downside to these wild adventures. The bo...
6 Jun 2020
Forces of Nature (Part Two) - Birdwood Range / Fanghill Stream
Mother Nature can be a powerful beast sometimes. A wild storm can sneak up on you, and strike when you least suspect. Wh...
6 Jun 2020
Forces of Nature (Part One) - Wilberforce Riverbed / Birdwood Range
Sometimes when you explain a mish to someone it can make that fact that you are doing it for pleasure sound a little bit...
5 Jun 2020
My Hip and the Havelock Valley (Part Four) - Havelock Valley
It is sometimes hard to explain the feeling you get when you are mid mish, and all is going exactly how you planned it....
23 May 2020
My Hip and the Havelock Valley (Part Three) - Havelock Valley
Having something taken away is a good way to find out if you really love that very thing. Initially I lost my mobility w...
19 May 2020
My Hip and the Havelock Valley (Part Two) - Havelock Valley
Many aspects of fitness involve some sort of pain at some stage. Whether it be the last couple of reps or the last hundr...
17 May 2020
My Hip and the Havelock Valley (Part One) - Havelock Valley
Back in 2020 the world was plunged into chaos thanks to Covid, and for weeks we were all confined to the four walls of o...
16 May 2020
Charangge Phedi to Dhading Besi - The Final Leg of the Journey
The bond formed with a group you travel with can be very strong, especially when you are doing the adventure with the pu...
10 Nov 2018
Welcome to Gogane - Our Home Away From Home
Gogane is not only one of the most peaceful places I have ever been to, but also the birth village of one of the Active...
3 Nov 2018
Kathmandu to Gogane - We Are Getting There No Matter What!
In 2018 the Active Hearts Foundation logo was put into the sky, and just like Batman, the call was answered and the troo...
2 Nov 2018
New Year Kea - Starting the Year with Nestor Notabilis
For me nothing is better than starting the day in the mountains. Waking up to see the first rays of light make their way...
31 Dec 2017
Stuck in Paradise - A Mission Within a Mission
Golden beaches, warm weather and hospitality with a smile to cheer even the saddest soul. The people are what make Fiji,...
2 May 2017
A Fridge Sized Rock (Part Three) - Cold Peak(1613m)
Play it safe and minimize the risk is a good way to approach anything in the back country. Injuries at home are a hinder...
10 Nov 2016
The Middle of the Field (Part Two) - Central Peak(1912m)
I’m sure many climbers have found themselves returning to the same area time and time again, and each time they have tic...
18 Jun 2016
James Craig’s Dream (Part Three) - Wairaurahiri River to Lake Hauroko
When I moved south to Tuatapere to start working on the Humpridge Track I started a new life with lots of new opportunit...
23 Apr 2015
The Longest Driveway - Quail Flat (Part Two)
New Zealand’s longest driveway had taken us deep into the Kaikoura Mountains on a sunny day. The drive in had its moment...
25 Oct 2014
The Longest Driveway (Part One) - Quail Flat
Some call the 4WD road into the Clarence River via Blind Saddle New Zealand's longest driveway. At 30km+ it makes the tr...
25 Oct 2014
Inquisitive Nature (Part One) - Erewhon Park Ski Field
Inquisitive nature has led to some of the most epic adventures. If no one wondered what lay amongst the hills, then noth...
20 Jul 2014
Into the Mist (Part One) - Eldrig Peak(1595m)
Mountain weather can go from friendly to fierce very quickly . A small puff of cloud on the horizon can become a storm m...
21 Nov 2013
Fourteen Months to Get to a Hut (Part One) - Boundary Creek Hut
During the winter of 2012 I went for a hike with the intention of staying in Boundary Creek Hut. Unfortunately, on that...
21 Aug 2013
Walking Off the Map (Part Three) - Lost in Hakatere
One of my favourite ways to fill in time is to look at a topography map of some wild part of Aotearoa. Looking at the st...
27 Jun 2012
Mountains, Mud & an Old Honda. Lake Sumner / Hurunui River
Like a child with blue cheese, it took me some time to get to like the taste of going on missions into the mountains. As...
29 Jul 2006