While going stoveless to shed excess weight can be appealing, after a long (and let’s face it, often cold) day in the elements nothing satisfies like a hot meal and a cup of tea.

Whether you’re going ultralight, solo or cooking for a group, these 10 reliable stoves will have your brew, ready meal or your own scrumptious creation ready in no time.

Plus our guide also breaks down different features of stoves, stove types and a few recommendations on our favourite dehy meals.

Read the full guide

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Enjoy breathtaking views from the cliffs of Auckland's wild west coast on this loop.

Mental Shortcuts in the Outdoors: Do you go on autopilot?

NZ Mountain Safety Council has launched a six-part video series exploring mental shortcuts – or ‘heuristic traps’. These traps can influence our actions and decisions in the outdoors and are factors in many serious outdoor safety incidents. 

Part 1 of NZ Mountain Safety Council's six-part series on mental shortcuts – or heuristic traps – explores familiarity. 

Find out how we naturally switch to autopilot, and why this can be a problem in the outdoors. Gain practical tips to avoid this trap.  

Watch on YouTube

Brought to you by NZ Mountain Safety Council 

Quiz

What distinctive sound does the male kākāpō make during the mating season?

  • A - A loud booming noise

  • B - A melodious three-note call

  • C - A chainsaw-like noise made with its beak

Scroll to the bottom of this email for the answer…

Featured Book

The Power of Trees

The follow-up to the international bestseller The Hidden Life of Trees, this book is a love letter to the forest and a passionate argument for protecting nature’s boundless diversity – not only for the trees, but also for ourselves.

Subscribers get a 10% discount.

Buy now

Gear Review: Peak XV Hyperlite

Modest weight, good packability and a winter-capable R-value of 4.9 drew the affordable Hyperlite to our attention. While the 7.5cm thickness is on the thinner side for mats, we still found it to be comfortable. The minimal feature warmth and packability, make it an affordable option for year-round tramping and thru-hiking.

Read the full review

Current Issue - Oct 2026

Circling NZ’s sleeping giant, 22 walks across private land, applications open for the 2027 Shaun Barnett Memorial Scholarship, ultralight gear reviews, gear guides, the best places for field testing your lightweight kit and dozens more stories in our latest issue.

Buy now

The weekend weather at a park near you…

You can check the weather anytime on our website. Updates daily.

LocationTodayFridaySaturdaySunday
Angelus Hut
Persistent rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -3°C at 10pm.
-1°/2°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -6°C at 7am.
-2°/5°
Rain and snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
-2°/4°
Chance of light snow showers. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h.
-2°/4°
Aoraki/Mt Cook VC
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Light wind with gusts up to 20 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -1°C at 11pm.
-1°/6°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
0°/9°
Rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 3°C at 2am.
5°/10°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
3°/11°
Arthurs Pass
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Light wind with gusts up to 40 km/h. High chance of low visibility. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -2°C at 11pm.
1°/6°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h.
-1°/9°
Rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 1°C at 12am.
5°/9°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
3°/9°
Ben Lomond Summit
Some chance of snow. Light wind with gusts up to 20 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -10°C at 11pm.
-7°/-1°
Some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -11°C at 1am.
-7°/1°
Some chance of snow. Fresh wind with gusts up to 85 km/h.
-2°/3°
Chance of light snow showers. Light wind with gusts up to 35 km/h.
-4°/2°
Brewster Hut
Some chance of snow. Light wind with gusts up to 35 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -6°C at 1am.
-3°/2°
Some chance of snow. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -7°C at 3am.
-4°/3°
Some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 35 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -3°C at 9pm.
0°/4°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 25 km/h.
-3°/4°
Cape Reinga
Rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 80 km/h.
12°/15°
Light rain. Gale with gusts up to 105 km/h.
10°/13°
Cloudy. Strong wind with gusts up to 90 km/h.
11°/14°
Partly cloudy. Strong wind with gusts up to 70 km/h.
12°/14°
Karangahake Gorge
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 45 km/h.
8°/17°
Rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
10°/15°
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h.
9°/16°
Chance of light showers. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
8°/15°
Kaweka J Summit
Light rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 85 km/h. Medium chance of low visibility.
-1°/4°
Rain and snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -3°C at 11pm.
1°/3°
Partly cloudy. Fresh wind with gusts up to 100 km/h.
-1°/7°
Partly cloudy. Fresh wind with gusts up to 80 km/h.
-1°/5°
McKinnon Pass
Some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -8°C at 6am.
-2°/2°
Persistent rain and some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 45 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -3°C at 8am.
-1°/4°
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 9pm.
1°/4°
Light snow. Light wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
-1°/4°
Mt Heale Hut
Persistent rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 70 km/h.
10°/14°
Persistent rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 105 km/h.
10°/11°
Partly cloudy. Strong wind with gusts up to 105 km/h.
11°/14°
Partly cloudy. Gale with gusts up to 80 km/h.
12°/13°
Mt Pirongia
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h. Some chance of low visibility. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 2°C at 7am.
5°/10°
Persistent rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 0°C at 11pm.
5°/8°
Light rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 100 km/h.
5°/9°
Chance of light showers. Strong wind with gusts up to 100 km/h.
4°/9°
Mueller Hut
Medium chance of snow. Gale with gusts up to 105 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -14°C at 10am.
-4°/0°
Some chance of snow. Gale with gusts up to 90 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -10°C at 8am.
-2°/2°
Some chance of snow. Severe gale with gusts up to 115 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -12°C at 5pm.
-2°/1°
Partly cloudy. Strong wind with gusts up to 70 km/h.
-3°/5°
Pinnacles Hut
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h.
6°/12°
Rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
7°/11°
Light rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 100 km/h.
7°/12°
Partly cloudy. Fresh wind with gusts up to 90 km/h.
7°/12°
Pouakai Hut
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Fresh wind with gusts up to 90 km/h. High chance of low visibility. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -1°C at 11pm.
3°/6°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h. Medium chance of low visibility.
3°/7°
Rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 80 km/h. Some chance of low visibility. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -2°C at 4am.
3°/7°
Light rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 90 km/h.
2°/6°
Powell Hut
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Fresh wind with gusts up to 95 km/h. High chance of low visibility. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -2°C at 1am.
3°/6°
Light rain. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h. High chance of low visibility.
2°/7°
Light rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 100 km/h.
1°/8°
Chance of light showers. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
2°/6°
Rotoiti/Nelson Lk VC
Rain. Light wind with gusts up to 25 km/h.
4°/9°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 45 km/h.
3°/13°
Light rain. Light wind with gusts up to 50 km/h.
3°/12°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
5°/11°
Roys Peak
Some chance of snow. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -8°C at 11pm.
-4°/1°
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 35 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -8°C at 3am.
-4°/5°
Light snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
-1°/6°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
-4°/4°
Tongariro VC
Persistent rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h. Medium chance of low visibility. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 1°C at 5am.
4°/6°
Persistent rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 1°C at 11pm.
5°/8°
Rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 45 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -1°C at 7am.
3°/8°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h.
3°/8°
Waitawheta Hut
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 45 km/h.
7°/14°
Rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
8°/13°
Light rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 80 km/h.
7°/13°
Partly cloudy. Strong wind with gusts up to 85 km/h.
6°/13°
Woolshed Creek Hut
Some chance of snow. Light wind with gusts up to 25 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -4°C at 11pm.
-1°/2°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h.
-2°/10°
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 75 km/h.
2°/11°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 30 km/h.
1°/10°

Report created on 17 September, 2026 at 6:20am. For a full forecast of the park of your choice, visit NIWA.

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Quiz

Answer A - A loud booming noise

During mating years, male kākāpō may make loud deep booming noises for 6-8 hours every night for around four months. The kākāpō digs a bowl-shaped depression in the ground which amplifies the sound, thus enhancing the projection of the call.

Quiz provided by Pam Hutton/PuzzleBeetle.

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