Photo: Jean Beaufort
Kiwi Alyssa Olsen and her hiking partner, Mason Van Zeeland, ran into not one but two grizzly bears on a recent hiking trip in the USA.
“I was kind of like, joking, and then the bear growled, and I was like, ‘Oh no, this ain’t happy times anymore,” Olsen said.
Van Zeeland shared a video of the encounter on Instagram, and in the clip, Olsen can be heard saying, “We’re going to die. We’re actually gonna die. Holy heck!”
Also in this week’s outdoor news: Record 274 climbers scale Everest via Nepal in one day, New AI-hiking exoskeletons offer 30km of hiking support, DOC to reopen Graham Valley Road after long closure and more.
Missed yesterday’s feature? In our 2026 guide to winter tents gear experts break down what to look for when choosing a winter tent, along with six of this year's top options.
Top reads
Take a look at this week's most read articles at wildernessmag.co.nz.
What we’re reading this month
Kim: A journey between two worlds, by Kim Rangiaonui Logan
Kim Logan is a highly regarded mountain guide, but in this book, he seeks to dig behind his climbing achievements and examine how his challenging childhood got him there.
Born Māori and raised Pākehā, as a child, Logan rarely saw his parents, who had a penchant for travel. Instead, he spent his time with a young caregiver whose inadequacies for the role manifested as cruelty, and at a boarding school where he didn’t fit the norm. He felt the absence of his parents keenly.
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!
Hut of the week 🏡
Viewing the sunset over Little Barrier Island from Mt Heale Hut, Great Barrier Island. Photo: Shaun Barnett/Black Robin Photography
Mt Heale Hut, Aotea Conservation Park
Built in December 2010, Mt Heale Hut is a serviced 20-bunk hut on Great Barrier Island.
The hut is known for jaw-dropping panoramas of the Hauraki Gulf, Little Barrier Island (Hauturu) and the summit peaks on Great Barrier Island. Thankfully, it has two deck areas to spread out and enjoy the views.
Earlier this year, the Backcountry Trust and DOC completed exterior work to re-stain the hut.
Have a hut you want to see featured? Send an email to [email protected] with which hut and why you’d like to see it featured.
Featured Book
The secret life of fungi
Obsessive fungi photographer Jay Lichter takes you on an extraordinary journey into the mysterious world of fungi – from the tiniest fruiting bodies barely visible to the naked eye, to the sprawling mycelial networks that stretch for kilometres beneath our feet.
Subscribers get a 10% discount.
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