The Tramping Report

Winter 2006

Winter tramping started at Queens Birthday Weekend.

The temperature plummetted and drizzle turned to snow late Sunday. By morning the sky cleared to a hard frost and a sparkling day.

Honora had four pairs of gloves with her. Two was enough for me but I would've been happier if I'd taken my downie along.

Autumn's here

Sure I like warm days but there are a lot of things about tramping that change for the better with Autumn:

• The things that bite and sting take a hike.
• Pot bellied stoves make huts wonderful places to spend a night.
• 'Shoulder Season' tramps on the 'great walks'.
• ... what else can you think of?

The change of season usually happens during our Stewart Island trip in April.

Driving south the poplars before the Rangitata bridge are usually still green and with all their leaves. Coming back two weeks later they've usually changed colour.

This year was a bit different. They still looked greenish but two thirds of the leaves had been blown away by strong nor'westers.

But the days seem a lot shorter than they did only a few weeks ago.

Here's an idea for tramping when the days get shorter:

• Night hikes

Try it out. It's better to start out on a trip that has a reasonable track leading to a hut that you've got a pretty good idea will have spare bunks.

Spring's here

Ok I know some will disagree about this. The world does have plenty of quibblers and pedants.

They're the ones who argue Spring's not here until September 1st or 21st or whenever. But I'm happy to take these flowers as proof that it's here now.

This sight always makes me happy.

This year it's even better because Spring's arrived even before most skiers have had their butts winched up the hill for the first time. Ha!

I guess it's one of the bright sides to global warming.