Author Archives: Mike McGavin

A sad Tararua tale of the usual sorts of reasons

Posted on 10 July, 2018 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

I’ve held off writing much about the November 2016 accident in the Tararua, near Alpha Hut, where two people died. There hasn’t seemed to have been much new to write about which I haven’t already covered previously in this forum. … Continue reading →

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Daywalk: Holdsworth Jumbo Circuit

Posted on 30 May, 2018 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

Friday was the beginning of a long weekend, but circumstances meant I could only negotiate a single day out. I chose to spend it the the Tararuas, visiting the Holdsworth Jumbo Circuit. I walked this in a day back in … Continue reading →

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Another two too many in the Tararua Range

Posted on 17 April, 2018 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

Two deaths occurred near Alpha Hut in the Tararua, in late 2016. I didn’t write about them at the time, but today Stuff published an article regarding the Coroner’s investigation. The men were attempting to walk the standard Neill-Winchcombe circuit. … Continue reading →

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Thoughts on another Tararua rescue

Posted on 31 March, 2018 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

The Southern Crossing of the Tararuas has been in the news a few times lately. Shaun Barnett wrote this nifty description of the Southern Crossing for the April 2018 edition of Wilderness Magazine, although a feature on the Tararua Range … Continue reading →

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An interesting case of concessions in parks

Posted on 14 February, 2018 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

The Taranaki Daily News has an interesting story about happenings in Egmont National Park. One of the guides there is concerned about fitness groups and personal trainers arranging summit walks up the mountain, allegedly illegally if they don’t have concessions … Continue reading →

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Good insight on river safety

Posted on 29 January, 2018 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

Earlier today Toni Burgess (aka AntNZ) posted an excellent article about river safety in New Zealand. I’ve written about river safety on this blog in the past, yet Toni’s article, which also draws on expertise from Heather Grady of Outdoor … Continue reading →

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The Commodification of Wild Places

Posted on 31 December, 2017 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

Tourism and commercial enterprise have been part of New Zealand’s outdoors for at least the last century. The Milford Track spent much of its history as a relatively high grade tourist attraction. For a time it was largely exclusive, and … Continue reading →

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Daywalk: Dobson Loop and Lower Marchant Ridge

Posted on 30 November, 2017 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

Thursday and Friday were remarkably sunny days. This made the browsing of the surface pressure and rain forecast maps more annoying: they showed rain approaching for the weekend. Not that I mind walking through wind and rain, but it can … Continue reading →

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A fuller narrative of the Taranaki alpine tragedy

Posted on 8 October, 2017 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

In 2013 I wrote briefly about the (then) recent alpine tragedy on Taranaki. A very detailed, and interactive, report about that event has now been published by Stuff. The article is sourced from multiple in-depth interviews with people directly involved. … Continue reading →

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Pest Control and Social Licence

Posted on 30 September, 2017 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

Lately I’ve had some issues with getting out tramping, mostly with life having been usurped by a couple of bundles of life experience. I expect the hiatus will end in time. Last Thursday 28th September, however, I went to a … Continue reading →

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