Nic Low (Ngāi Tahu) is an author and mountain-lover. His books include the best-selling Uprising, a walking journey through Ngāi Tahu’s history in the Southern Alps, and Little Doomsdays, about arks and time capsules and how past civilisations tried to protect what they love.

“I often write about what we inherit and what we pass on,” he says. “I was lucky to grow up in a family that treasured the mountains and their stories.”

He shared with us the three trips that have had the greatest impact on him.

Rea the full interview

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Traverse open tops to a cosy six-bunker nestled in the Ruahine.

📸 Enter the 2026 Outdoor Photographer of the Year competition

Joshua Wilson’s image of the sunset view over Brewster Hut won the 2025 Huts and Camping category and the overall Outdoor Photographer of the Year title.

The Wilderness Outdoor Photographer of the Year competition returns for 2026!

The search is on for the best outdoor photographers in Aotearoa New Zealand. Now’s the time to submit the top images from your adventures. It’s also not too late to get clicking. You have until May 3, 2026 to enter.

This year’s generous prize pool has over $3500 worth of camera gear from Panasonic Lumix.

See the full details and enter today!

Quiz

If you activate your PLB:

  • A - A helicopter will always be sent.

  • B - The response will depend on the current weather conditions.

  • C - A helicopter will arrive within an hour.

  • D - A helicopter will be sent if they consider you are likely to be in serious danger. 

  • E - The response will be delayed if you are at a hut or other safe location.

Scroll to the bottom of this email for the answer…

Improve your balance by walking

Walking definitely improves your balance. Photo: Susanne Lang

Barring different abilities and injuries, walking is second nature to most of us, and evolution has optimised our bodies for getting around on two feet.

But have you ever wondered which muscles you’re using when you walk, and how this changes depending on the walking situation you put yourself in?

We talked with Dr Kelly Sheerin, a biomechanist and physiotherapist at Auckland University of Technology to discuss how walking improves balance and engages muscles we don’t even know we have.

Read more

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
Some chance of snow. Fresh wind with gusts up to 80 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -8°C at 8am.
-1°/3°
Persistent rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -4°C at 5am.
-0°/5°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 0°C at 12am.
3°/5°
Light rain. Light wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
1°/5°
Aoraki/Mt Cook VC
Persistent rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h. High chance of low visibility. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 4°C at 8am.
6°/11°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 70 km/h.
6°/14°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Light wind with gusts up to 40 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 4°C at 9pm.
5°/11°
Light rain. Light wind with gusts up to 25 km/h.
4°/8°
Arthurs Pass
Persistent rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 75 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -2°C at 7am.
6°/8°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 110 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -0°C at 1am.
6°/13°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Fresh wind with gusts up to 95 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 4°C at 9pm.
8°/12°
Light rain. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h.
7°/10°
Ben Lomond Summit
Some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -8°C at 7am.
-3°/1°
Rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 95 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -7°C at 1am.
-3°/6°
Some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
-0°/5°
Light snow. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h.
-3°/3°
Brewster Hut
Some chance of snow. Light wind with gusts up to 35 km/h.
-2°/4°
Persistent rain, heavy at times and some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -3°C at 4am.
-0°/6°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Light wind with gusts up to 35 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -2°C at 9pm.
1°/5°
Light snow. Light wind with gusts up to 35 km/h.
-1°/5°
Cape Reinga
Partly cloudy. Strong wind with gusts up to 70 km/h.
16°/19°
Partly cloudy. Fresh wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
15°/20°
Light rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 85 km/h.
16°/19°
Showers. Strong wind with gusts up to 65 km/h.
16°/18°
Karangahake Gorge
Chance of light showers. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
12°/18°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
11°/19°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
12°/20°
Heavy showers. Light wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
11°/18°
Kaweka J Summit
Partly cloudy. Strong wind with gusts up to 125 km/h.
1°/5°
Cloudy. Fresh wind with gusts up to 85 km/h.
2°/9°
Light rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 130 km/h.
5°/8°
Rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 90 km/h.
4°/8°
McKinnon Pass
Some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -4°C at 5am.
1°/3°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Fresh wind with gusts up to 85 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -0°C at 1am.
2°/8°
Persistent rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 0°C at 5am.
2°/5°
Cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 35 km/h.
0°/6°
Mt Heale Hut
Partly cloudy. Strong wind with gusts up to 85 km/h.
14°/17°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 45 km/h.
13°/17°
Light rain. Gale with gusts up to 100 km/h.
15°/18°
Heavy showers. Gale with gusts up to 95 km/h.
17°/17°
Mt Pirongia
Heavy rain at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 100 km/h.
8°/11°
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
8°/12°
Light rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 85 km/h.
8°/14°
Showers. Moderate wind with gusts up to 70 km/h.
7°/12°
Mueller Hut
Some chance of snow. Fresh wind with gusts up to 85 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -8°C at 12pm.
-1°/1°
Persistent rain, heavy at times and some chance of snow. Strong wind with gusts up to 125 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -5°C at 12am.
0°/6°
Persistent rain, heavy at times and medium chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 75 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -5°C at 5pm.
-0°/4°
Light snow. Light wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
-0°/2°
Pinnacles Hut
Chance of light showers. Fresh wind with gusts up to 80 km/h.
10°/14°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 45 km/h.
10°/15°
Light rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 80 km/h.
10°/16°
Heavy showers. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h.
10°/15°
Pouakai Hut
Heavy rain at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 100 km/h. High chance of low visibility. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -0°C at 8am.
5°/8°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 70 km/h. Medium chance of low visibility.
6°/9°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 135 km/h.
9°/10°
Rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 90 km/h.
6°/8°
Powell Hut
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 135 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -1°C at 8am.
4°/7°
Light rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 120 km/h.
4°/8°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 135 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 3°C at 12am.
8°/10°
Rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 80 km/h.
5°/9°
Rotoiti/Nelson Lk VC
Light rain. Light wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
5°/9°
Rain. Light wind with gusts up to 35 km/h.
4°/12°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Light wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
9°/12°
Light rain. Light wind with gusts up to 25 km/h.
7°/12°
Roys Peak
Some chance of snow. Strong wind with gusts up to 100 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -8°C at 6am.
-2°/4°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 45 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -6°C at 2am.
-2°/7°
Some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
-1°/6°
Chance of light snow showers. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h.
-1°/5°
Tongariro VC
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 1°C at 10pm.
4°/8°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
4°/9°
Persistent rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h. High chance of low visibility.
8°/11°
Heavy rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
7°/11°
Waitawheta Hut
Chance of light showers. Fresh wind with gusts up to 75 km/h.
11°/15°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 45 km/h.
10°/16°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
11°/18°
Heavy showers. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
11°/16°
Woolshed Creek Hut
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 70 km/h.
3°/10°
Chance of light showers. Strong wind with gusts up to 110 km/h.
2°/12°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 75 km/h.
5°/13°
Light rain. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h.
4°/10°

Report created on 16 April, 2026 at 06:50am. For a full forecast of the park of your choice, visit NIWA.

Featured Book

NZ’s Great Walks – The Complete Guide

In a country blessed with hundreds of tracks to choose from, these are the best of the best. They pass through our most breathtaking landscapes – including golden sand beaches, ancient rainforests and high mountains.

Subscribers get a 10% discount.

Buy now

Quiz

Answer B - The response will depend on the current weather conditions.

Search and Rescue will always consider the activation as requiring immediate assistance; however, weather conditions may prevent a helicopter from being dispatched.

SAR will assume you could be serious danger even if you are at a hut or other safe location.

Quiz provided by Heather Grady from Outdoor Training New Zealand.

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