Jules Stacey writes the Tinytramper blog, which she began for her 2017 Te Araroa walk. A midlife convert to tramping, she has been hooked ever since. Her pack mixes well-used Te Araroa kit, secondhand finds and a few newer additions.

Her winter base weight is 8.4kg. “It’s certainly not ultralight, but it is practical and proven.”

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Summit this 2058m trampers’ peak for magnificent views across the Kirikirikatata Mount Cook Range.

Quiz

This is from the NZ Topo50 map series, map BJ29 – Mt Taranaki. Pouakai summit is at grid reference:

  • A - 873564

  • B - 564873

  • C - 875576

  • D - 563875

  • E - 875563

Scroll to the bottom of this email for the answer…

GEAR REVIEW: This new premium tramping and mountaineering jacket impresses our gear editor

Patagonia’s top-tier alpine-spec hard shell packs a tonne of features while maintaining a reasonable weight and improved durability for those in need of a premium transalpine tramping and mountaineering jacket.

The price may be prohibitive to some, but highly active mountain-goers looking for the very best in storm protection should give gear editor Mark Watson’s review a serious look.

Current Issue - June 2026

Expert tips for winter camping, seven overseas trails you’ll love, why a night under the stars is the perfect sleep fix, BTS at the OGU, mapped trip reports, gear guides and dozens more articles!

The weekend weather at a park near you…

LocationTodayFridaySaturdaySunday
Angelus Hut
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h. Some chance of low visibility. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -7°C at 8am.
-2°/2°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 35 km/h. High chance of low visibility. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -6°C at 8am.
-3°/3°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 100 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -1°C at 8am.
2°/6°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
1°/5°
Aoraki/Mt Cook VC
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
2°/7°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 70 km/h.
3°/15°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 115 km/h.
8°/17°
Persistent rain. Light wind with gusts up to 35 km/h.
5°/9°
Arthurs Pass
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
2°/8°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 70 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -1°C at 5am.
2°/9°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 135 km/h.
10°/17°
Persistent rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h.
6°/10°
Ben Lomond Summit
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 25 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -9°C at 3am.
-4°/1°
Light rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 135 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -9°C at 1am.
-5°/6°
Persistent rain, heavy at times and some chance of snow. Strong wind with gusts up to 135 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -2°C at 10pm.
1°/6°
Some chance of snow. Light wind with gusts up to 20 km/h.
-5°/1°
Brewster Hut
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -6°C at 7am.
-3°/2°
Persistent rain, heavy at times and some chance of snow. Fresh wind with gusts up to 85 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -6°C at 3am.
-2°/6°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 110 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 1°C at 1am.
3°/7°
Chance of light showers. Light wind with gusts up to 20 km/h.
-1°/4°
Cape Reinga
Partly cloudy. Fresh wind with gusts up to 65 km/h.
13°/14°
Cloudy. Fresh wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
13°/15°
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
12°/16°
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
14°/17°
Karangahake Gorge
Cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 35 km/h. Some chance of low visibility.
8°/13°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 20 km/h.
5°/14°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h.
4°/15°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
10°/16°
Kaweka J Summit
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h. High chance of low visibility.
-1°/3°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h. High chance of low visibility.
-0°/5°
Partly cloudy. Fresh wind with gusts up to 105 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -6°C at 3am.
-1°/6°
Light rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 110 km/h.
2°/8°
McKinnon Pass
Some chance of snow. Light wind with gusts up to 25 km/h. Medium chance of low visibility.
-1°/3°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Fresh wind with gusts up to 95 km/h. Medium chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -1°C at 1am.
-0°/9°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 100 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 3°C at 2pm.
5°/9°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 25 km/h.
-1°/5°
Mt Heale Hut
Partly cloudy. Fresh wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
10°/12°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
10°/13°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 45 km/h.
9°/13°
Cloudy. Strong wind with gusts up to 75 km/h.
12°/15°
Mt Pirongia
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h.
4°/7°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h.
2°/9°
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 45 km/h.
1°/9°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 75 km/h.
6°/11°
Mueller Hut
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -6°C at 5am.
-1°/3°
Persistent rain, heavy at times and some chance of snow. Strong wind with gusts up to 110 km/h. Some chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -3°C at 6am.
1°/7°
Persistent rain, heavy at times and some chance of snow. Gale with gusts up to 165 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -2°C at 4pm.
2°/7°
Persistent rain and some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
2°/3°
Pinnacles Hut
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h.
6°/10°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
5°/11°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 35 km/h.
3°/12°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
8°/13°
Pouakai Hut
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 70 km/h. High chance of low visibility.
2°/4°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h.
1°/7°
Light rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 90 km/h. Some chance of low visibility. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -0°C at 1am.
2°/8°
Rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 100 km/h.
5°/9°
Powell Hut
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h.
1°/5°
Partly cloudy. Fresh wind with gusts up to 90 km/h. Medium chance of low visibility.
1°/6°
Persistent rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 155 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -0°C at 1am.
5°/8°
Persistent rain. Gale with gusts up to 160 km/h.
4°/9°
Rotoiti/Nelson Lk VC
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 35 km/h.
1°/9°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 25 km/h.
-0°/10°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Light wind with gusts up to 65 km/h.
7°/13°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Light wind with gusts up to 50 km/h.
7°/10°
Roys Peak
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -8°C at 4am.
-4°/3°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 35 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -7°C at 1am.
-4°/5°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -2°C at 10pm.
2°/5°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 25 km/h.
-2°/3°
Tongariro VC
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h. Medium chance of low visibility.
2°/6°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 25 km/h.
0°/8°
Light rain. Light wind with gusts up to 25 km/h.
1°/8°
Heavy rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
6°/10°
Waitawheta Hut
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 45 km/h.
6°/11°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h.
5°/12°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h.
4°/12°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
8°/14°
Woolshed Creek Hut
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 20 km/h.
1°/7°
Partly cloudy. Strong wind with gusts up to 100 km/h.
1°/11°
Light rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 100 km/h.
9°/13°
Chance of light showers. Moderate wind with gusts up to 45 km/h.
3°/9°

Report created on 18 Jun, 2026 at 07:08am. For a full forecast of the park of your choice, visit NIWA.

Featured Book

Know your NZ Native Plants

This book introduces a selection of the most interesting, iconic and important NZ plants, spanning latitudes from subtropical to temperate, and altitudes from sea level to alpine mountaintop, describing their natural history and distinguishing features.Subscribers get a 10% discount.

Quiz

Answer E - 875563

To find the grid reference, first look along the horizontal figures near the top. Pouakai summit lies in the column between 87 and 88, which makes the first two figures 87. Dividing this column into tenths, Pouakai summit lies between 5 tenths and 6 tenths, making the third figure 5.

For the next three numbers, look along the vertical figures on the side. Pouakai summit lies in the row between 56 and 57, which makes the next two figures 56. Dividing this row into tenths, Pouakai summit lies between 3 tenths and 4 tenths, making the last figure 3.

This gives you a final grid reference of 875563. A grid reference should be quoted with a map number and a feature. This is: Map BJ29 875563 Pouakai summit.

Quiz provided by Heather Grady from Outdoor Training New Zealand.

Want to receive fewer emails? Did you know you can select the days of the week you receive Wilderness Daily? Update your preferences here.

Keep Reading