Tapuae-o-Uenuku, affectionately known to most Kiwis as 'Tappy', is the highest peak in New Zealand outside of the Southern Alps. It towers 2885m above sea level just North of Kaikoura. I'd floated past it on the Clarence River a couple of times and always found myself gazing longingly at the scree slopes and jagged pile … Continue reading Tapuae-o-Uenuku and the Clarence
On Christmas Eve we set off from the West Arm of Lake Manapouri with around a weeks’ worth of food, packrafting and tramping gear, a bunch of TOPO maps and loose plans to make it to Foveaux Strait. We had a small box of food delivered to Lake Roe Hut on the Dusky Track to pick on the way. For two weeks we linked together rivers, Fiords, lakes, some trails and a few different mountain ranges to make it to the Southern Ocean.
This short story is dedicated to all of my barefoot-loving kiwi friends! It was a wet, dreary day. We'd been boulder-hopping our way up a river, with lethally slippery algae-covered rocks. We were in the Aiyagomahala valley, near the Arrigetch peaks in the Gates of the Arctic National Park, way up North in Alaska. We … Continue reading Legend of the barefoot kiwi climber
This is the story of how a pin-prick wound on my knuckle quickly festered, turning into a nasty skin infection that resulted in evacuation from a really remote part of the Brooks Range in Arctic Alaska. I’m sharing this in case it's of interest to anyone. In mid-August we flew into the Brooks Range in … Continue reading Evacuation from Gates of the Arctic
Mind-blowing wild, remote area with tall granite peaks towering above us. Mostly obscured or at least partially obscured by mist. We were dropped off by float plane on a small lake by the Alatna River in the sunshine. Since then we've had cold rain, wind and snow! We crossed into the Aiyagomahala Valley and then … Continue reading Satellite update 18th August from Brooks Range, Alaska
Four kiwi women are currently preparing for a month-long traverse of the Southern Alps, from Arthur’s Pass to Mount Cook. The team is comprised of Dulkara Martig, Ingrid Booiman, Tara Mulvany and Anna Loomes. They are all aged between 27 and 29 and have spent the majority of the last 10 years working within the outdoor industry.
I was sitting in my office in central Christchurch on a Friday afternoon when an email from Christian popped up in my inbox. The subject: temptation awaits. I didn’t open it immediately, instead choosing to let curiosity grow. I got up and walked to the photocopy machine, then made myself a cup of tea. I … Continue reading Temptation Awaits
A 10 day wilderness trip in Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks. While driving down the West Coast I fill Jake in on the details. “I’ve never actually met Tara but people say we’ll get along well. We’ve talked about doing a trip together in Central Asia sometime. If we enjoy this trip then at least … Continue reading Fiordland trip with a stranger
When a stranger asks you if you want a cup of tea you never know what it may lead to. Here’s a little story from a small town in Alaska to remind you why slowing down and keeping a flexible schedule always leads to the coolest travel experiences. “Would you like to come for a … Continue reading Drinking tea in Bird Creek
