Born and bred in the top of the South Island and now living in Wellington, Sam has spent the last 28 years crawling, stumbling and climbing around the backcountry of Aotearoa New Zealand.
You may recognise his photos and writings from his contributions to Wilderness. His gear leans towards durable and reliable equipment, rather than ultralight alternatives.
Missed yesterday’s newsletter? In the spirit of Halloween, here are ten movies you absolutely shouldn’t watch before going into the wilderness.
*Editor’s note: Did you see a ghost in the machine? A version of yesterday’s email went out with an incorrect (and confusing) subject line. We apologise for the error.
Quiz
Which NZ plant is also known as the pepper tree?
A - Karaka
B - Karo
C - Kawakawa
Scroll to the bottom of this email for the answer…
Featured Book
Green Sea: Lost in the New Zealand bush
What is the experience of being lost in the New Zealand bush actually like?
John Summers talks to those who have survived and explores what ‘lost’ really means.
Subscribers get a 10% discount.
Gear Review: Zoleo Satellite Communicator
Zoleo is a robust, water-resistant SOS satellite communicator, similar to Garmin Messenger. Unlike the latter, it’s screenless and must be paired with a smartphone app for messaging via worldwide SMS and email, location tracking, weather forecasts and Medical Assist (professional medical advice via messaging).
Gear editor Mark Watson takes the Zoleo out for a field test and to give us a full review.
Current Issue - Nov 2026
Discover this stunning 47km stretch of TA, 10 films to avoid before your next trip, a rugged, three-day tramp into the remote Tara Tama Range, the nightmare of being lost, the pros and cons of a smartwatch and dozens more stories in our latest issue.
The weekend weather at a park near you…
You can check the weather anytime on our website. Updates daily.
| Location | Today | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angelus Hut |
 -3°/2°
|
 -3°/-0°
|
 -5°/7°
|
-3°/7°
|
| Aoraki/Mt Cook VC |
 3°/8°
|
 2°/9°
|
-0°/14°
|
9°/12°
|
| Arthurs Pass |
3°/8°
|
 2°/9°
|
-0°/12°
|
 5°/9°
|
| Ben Lomond Summit |
 -4°/1°
|
-4°/-1°
|
-7°/7°
|
-1°/7°
|
| Brewster Hut |
-2°/3°
|
-3°/4°
|
-5°/8°
|
-0°/5°
|
| Cape Reinga |
 13°/16°
|
12°/16°
|
13°/17°
|
12°/18°
|
| Karangahake Gorge |
10°/18°
|
10°/17°
|
7°/17°
|
5°/18°
|
| Kaweka J Summit |
-0°/7°
|
-1°/6°
|
-3°/6°
|
-3°/11°
|
| McKinnon Pass |
-1°/3°
|
-2°/2°
|
-4°/6°
|
2°/7°
|
| Mt Heale Hut |
12°/16°
|
12°/15°
|
11°/14°
|
13°/14°
|
| Mt Pirongia |
6°/11°
|
5°/10°
|
2°/10°
|
-1°/13°
|
| Mueller Hut |
-4°/1°
|
-6°/2°
|
-4°/8°
|
2°/3°
|
| Pinnacles Hut |
8°/15°
|
8°/13°
|
7°/14°
|
5°/14°
|
| Pouakai Hut |
2°/7°
|
2°/6°
|
1°/7°
|
-2°/8°
|
| Powell Hut |
3°/7°
|
1°/5°
|
-1°/7°
|
-1°/9°
|
| Rotoiti/Nelson Lk VC |
4°/10°
|
3°/9°
|
-1°/15°
|
2°/15°
|
| Roys Peak |
 -2°/4°
|
 -3°/3°
|
 -5°/9°
|
-1°/7°
|
| Tongariro VC |
3°/7°
|
2°/6°
|
-0°/11°
|
2°/11°
|
| Waitawheta Hut |
9°/15°
|
8°/14°
|
7°/14°
|
5°/16°
|
| Woolshed Creek Hut |
3°/9°
|
-1°/9°
|
-3°/12°
|
4°/12°
|
Report created on 29 October, 2026 at 7:12am. For a full forecast of the park of your choice, visit NIWA.
Quiz
Answer C - Kawakawa
Kawakawa (Piper excelsum) is a small tree of the pepper family found growing in coastal areas and lowland forests. Its leaves have a bitter or peppery taste, and are often covered in holes caused by the caterpillar of the kawakawa lopper moth.
Quiz provided by Pam Hutton/PuzzleBeetle.
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