Recent Comments
- Trip: Kiwi Saddle, Studholme Saddle, Mackintosh Hut (2)
Mike McGavin (7 March, 2019): Hi Siena. I’m afraid I can’t help...
Siena (7 March, 2019): Hi, where exactly is the swimming hole from...
- Trip: Dawson Falls, Waiaua Gorge and Lake Dive Loop (2)
Lou (3 February, 2019): Hi we spent today up Kahui Track, I was wondering if...
- Daywalk: Pouakai Hut from Mangorei Road (3)
Colleen (5 January, 2019): The boardwalks are there to stop people damaging...
- A sad Tararua tale of the usual sorts of reasons (2)
Gazza (10 July, 2018): In some ways I think this highlights the benefits of...
- Thoughts on another Tararua rescue (3)
- The Commodification of Wild Places (1)
Wayne (1 January, 2018): What he said
- The absurdity of Ruataniwha (1)
A J Wilson (7 July, 2017): It also was a private scheme and the swap...
- Daywalk: Climbing Mount Taranaki from North Egmont (17)
Chris (25 April, 2017): Kia ora Mike, Thanks for your account of this...
- High Misadventure by Paul Hersey (my thoughts) (28)
William Bennett (11 April, 2017): Mike McGavin, thanks for Paul Herseys...
- Floyd Pond: A New Tararua Lake (8)
Joe Nawalaniec (30 March, 2017): That’s looks pretty good. –...
- Trip: Kiwi Saddle, Studholme Saddle, Mackintosh Hut (2)
Author Archives: Mike McGavin
Trip: Dawson Falls, Waiaua Gorge and Lake Dive Loop
Stupid Tarn, Egmont National Park. Modern media convention is to include a picture of Stupid Tarn with any and every reference to Egmont National Park, even when Stupid Tarn has no relevance. Below this picture I enclose a trip report … Continue reading
A sad Tararua tale of the usual sorts of reasons
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
Daywalk: Holdsworth Jumbo Circuit
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
Another two too many in the Tararua Range
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
Thoughts on another Tararua rescue
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
An interesting case of concessions in parks
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
Good insight on river safety
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
Posted in update
Tagged link propagation, outdoor training new zealand, rivers, update
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The Commodification of Wild Places
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
Posted in musing
Tagged department of conservation, government policies, tararua southern crossing, tourism
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Daywalk: Dobson Loop and Lower Marchant Ridge
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
Posted in daywalk
Tagged bagged:smith creek shelter, daywalk, independent trip, rain, tararuas
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A fuller narrative of the Taranaki alpine tragedy
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
Posted in musing
Tagged accident, egmont national park, link propagation, media, musing, news, search and rescue
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