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So Long Sleeping Mat (Part One) - Mount Burns Tops
Unless you are using a helicopter there is no easy way to get onto the mountain tops in Fiordland National Park. The thr...
Two Boys in a Boat (Part Two) - North Lake Te Anau
I heard the expression “New Zealand-ish” the other day. A term that some use around the world when describing untouched...
North Lake Te Anau - Two Boys in a Boat (Part One)
Sometimes it is a bit of a mission just finding someone else to go on a mish with! A flip side to working in tourism is...
An Island Covered in Birds - Secretary Island
While basking in the stunning surroundings of Patea / Doubtful Sound I sometimes forget that I am in the office. The exp...
Remote Remoteness - The Kingdom of Camelot
The power of Fiordland is immense. From its incredible rain soaked weather, to its unmatched, untouched, unbelievable be...
Winter's Grip (Part Two) - Whiskey Trail Camp
Winters grip can scare away people like a shady character in a dark alley. However, just like with the shady character (...
Winter's Grip (Part One) - Whiskey Trail Camp
You would think that walking a track again and again would dull the wilderness senses and the location would lose its ch...
Right Place, Right Camp - Helena Falls Camp
I was very lucky to have the opportunity to not only work in Fiordland during the chilly winter months of 2018, but also...
The Sad Glacier (Part Two) - Falls Creek
Sadly, New Zealand has had some of the largest glacial recession on earth. What were once giant moving masses of ice are...
The Sad Glacier (Part One) - Falls Creek
We, the lucky few who live in the Te Anau Basin, live in one of the best places to access the wilderness on the planet....
The Weather Says When (Part Three) - Mt Barber(1364m)
To arrive at a summit is a feeling like no other. Going from tired to elated the moment you top out is a strange sensati...
The Weather Says When (Part Two) - Mt Barber(1364m)
A real benefit of working in the wilds of Fiordland is being in a safe position to watch the weather roll in. The entert...
The Weather Says When (Part One) - Mt Barber(1364m)
When it is all said and done the weather says when it is time to either go on an adventure or in this case, when it is t...
Round Two (Part Three). Dore Pass(1390m).
If you haven’t been there, looking at Fiordland on a map it seems as though travel would be easy as long as you stick to...
Round Two (Part Two). Dore Pass(1390m)
For many years I sat in the bus heading to the start of the Routeburn Track and we would point out Dore Pass, the other...
Round Two (Part One). Dore Pass(1390m)
It has been said that Fiordland is a place for the waterproof explorer. Many times I have watched my days off approach j...
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...
One and Done (Part Four) - Leaning Peak(1477m)
The community of humans who happily hike into the untamed wilds of Fiordland are a unique bunch. There is nothing easy a...
One and Done (Part Three) - Leaning Peak(1477m)
I once worked as a possum trapper and it was during this time that I was taught the valuable lesson of ‘don’t fight the...
One and Done (Part Two) - Leaning Peak(1477m)
My hip and back injury have given me a lot of time to think about climbing mountains. When I started to look at my many...
One and Done (Part One) - Leaning Peak(1477m)
Some mountains are not only pleasant to look at, but also very pleasant to climb. Gentle flats roll into steeper ground...
Overly Ambitious (Part Two). Hanging Valley Camp.
Any sort of walking is training, even if you don’t reach your desired destination. Every now and then the destination mi...
Overly Ambitious (Part One). Hanging Valley Camp
When I worked for Real Journeys I did my best to use every chance I had to get to remote places. From Percy Saddle to Pa...
The Familiar Unknown (Part Three). Turret Peak(1346m)
The benefits of travel are helpful for mind, soul and fitness. And if all are combined then having an unenjoyable time i...