Photo: Mark Watson

According to gear editor Mark Watson, New Zealand brand Inselberg may have rewritten the definition of durability for an alpine shell jacket.

From the outside, the Axiom looks like a typical shell, replete with the features you’d expect for multiple days in mountains and confidence in prolonged severe weather. But its development in conjunction with the Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Rescue Team (AMCART) and collaboration with Japanese fabric specialists has resulted in a highly refined garment that’s built for purpose.

Read the full review

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? We took a deep dive into the world of rogaining and adventure racing. How are they the same, how do they differ? And why would anyone sign up for this level of suffering?

Quiz

You notice the route you are tramping has what looks like backwards brackets in the middle of the track. What does it mean?

  • A - A closed section of track

  • B - A waterfall

  • C - A tunnel

  • D - A saddle

Scroll to the bottom of this email for the answer…

Gear review: A three-season bag for those who prioritise weight and packability

This streamlined bag combines a minimalist mummy design with high-performance materials to maximise warmth-to-weight ratio. Its svelte silhouette makes it a lightweight space saver in your pack as well.

Read the full review

Current Issue - May 2026

Trips with mum, visit the new Brass Monkey Hut on the Lewis Pass tops, two Wilderness gear experts explain why they're bucking the ultralight trend, mapped trip reports, gear guides and dozens more articles!

Buy now

The weekend weather at a park near you…

LocationTodayFridaySaturdaySunday
Angelus Hut
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Fresh wind with gusts up to 75 km/h. High chance of low visibility. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 2°C at 8am.
5°/8°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 120 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -1°C at 11pm.
4°/8°
Persistent rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 95 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -4°C at 6am.
0°/4°
Light snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 80 km/h.
-1°/3°
Aoraki/Mt Cook VC
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 45 km/h.
12°/14°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Fresh wind with gusts up to 100 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 2°C at 8pm.
7°/16°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 70 km/h.
6°/12°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h.
5°/11°
Arthurs Pass
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 115 km/h.
12°/14°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 110 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 4°C at 11pm.
11°/14°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 105 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 3°C at 9pm.
6°/12°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
6°/9°
Ben Lomond Summit
Showers. Moderate wind with gusts up to 35 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -1°C at 11pm.
2°/8°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -3°C at 7am.
0°/4°
Some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
-1°/3°
Snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h.
-4°/1°
Brewster Hut
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 3°C at 11pm.
6°/9°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Fresh wind with gusts up to 85 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -1°C at 7pm.
4°/8°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -2°C at 9pm.
0°/5°
Rain and snow. Light wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
-1°/3°
Cape Reinga
Cloudy. Fresh wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
17°/20°
Light rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 85 km/h.
16°/18°
Chance of light showers. Fresh wind with gusts up to 70 km/h.
14°/18°
Partly cloudy. Strong wind with gusts up to 80 km/h.
13°/16°
Karangahake Gorge
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
14°/20°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h.
15°/19°
Chance of light showers. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h.
10°/18°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
9°/16°
Kaweka J Summit
Cloudy. Fresh wind with gusts up to 95 km/h. Medium chance of low visibility.
5°/8°
Light rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 135 km/h. High chance of low visibility.
6°/7°
Chance of light showers. Strong wind with gusts up to 125 km/h.
2°/8°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 95 km/h.
1°/7°
McKinnon Pass
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h. Some chance of low visibility.
7°/11°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 1°C at 8pm.
5°/8°
Persistent rain. Light wind with gusts up to 45 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -1°C at 9pm.
2°/5°
Rain and snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h.
-1°/4°
Mt Heale Hut
Partly cloudy. Fresh wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
15°/17°
Light rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 85 km/h.
15°/17°
Heavy rain at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 90 km/h.
14°/16°
Chance of light showers. Gale with gusts up to 90 km/h.
14°/15°
Mt Pirongia
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
9°/14°
Persistent rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 95 km/h.
10°/13°
Persistent rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 75 km/h.
6°/12°
Chance of light showers. Fresh wind with gusts up to 90 km/h.
6°/10°
Mueller Hut
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 75 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 1°C at 11pm.
5°/8°
Persistent rain, heavy at times and medium chance of snow. Strong wind with gusts up to 135 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -6°C at 7pm.
0°/7°
Persistent rain, heavy at times and some chance of snow. Fresh wind with gusts up to 105 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -6°C at 9pm.
-0°/2°
Light snow. Fresh wind with gusts up to 90 km/h.
-2°/2°
Pinnacles Hut
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
13°/15°
Persistent rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 75 km/h.
13°/15°
Persistent rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 70 km/h.
9°/15°
Chance of light showers. Fresh wind with gusts up to 75 km/h.
8°/12°
Pouakai Hut
Persistent rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 95 km/h. High chance of low visibility.
9°/10°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 140 km/h. High chance of low visibility.
8°/11°
Persistent rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 95 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 1°C at 9pm.
5°/8°
Light rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 85 km/h.
4°/7°
Powell Hut
Persistent rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 105 km/h.
8°/10°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 155 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 4°C at 11pm.
9°/11°
Persistent rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 150 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 0°C at 5pm.
5°/8°
Chance of light showers. Fresh wind with gusts up to 95 km/h.
4°/8°
Rotoiti/Nelson Lk VC
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Light wind with gusts up to 45 km/h.
8°/13°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Light wind with gusts up to 75 km/h.
8°/16°
Rain. Light wind with gusts up to 50 km/h.
7°/10°
Cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
5°/10°
Roys Peak
Showers. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 0°C at 11pm.
3°/9°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -1°C at 7pm.
2°/5°
Some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 35 km/h.
0°/6°
Chance of light snow showers. Moderate wind with gusts up to 70 km/h.
-3°/4°
Tongariro VC
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
9°/12°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
9°/12°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h.
6°/11°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
4°/7°
Waitawheta Hut
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h.
13°/17°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
13°/16°
Chance of light showers. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
10°/16°
Partly cloudy. Fresh wind with gusts up to 80 km/h.
8°/14°
Woolshed Creek Hut
Chance of light showers. Fresh wind with gusts up to 95 km/h.
11°/16°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 125 km/h.
9°/14°
Partly cloudy. Strong wind with gusts up to 125 km/h.
4°/12°
Chance of light showers. Moderate wind with gusts up to 35 km/h.
3°/9°

Report created on 7 May, 2026 at 07:08am. For a full forecast of the park of your choice, visit NIWA.

Featured Book

The Hollows Boys

Learn the story of helicopter deer recovery in Fiordland through the lives of three brothers, Gary, Mark and Kim. It reveals the true cost of an era fuelled by adrenalin and fast money – and beset by accidents and fatalities.

Subscribers get a 10% discount.

Buy now

Quiz

Answer D - A saddle

A saddle is a dip in a ridgeline that looks like a horse saddle. Since it is a low point on the ridgeline, the wind is channelled over the saddle and may be strong.

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

© 2026 Lifestyle Publishing.
Report abusePrivacy policyTerms of use
beehiivPowered by beehiiv