Exploring the Wilderness for Your Upcoming Vacation?
As the summer season approaches and New Zealanders, as well as visitors, prepare for outdoor adventures, the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council (MSC) offers valuable advice to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.
The MSC encourages everyone to prioritise self-care and care for others, emphasising the importance of thorough preparation, risk awareness, and responsible tramping. Here are some key safety tips to consider:
1. **Preparation**: Check the weather conditions, track status, and carry appropriate maps and gear. This includes proper clothing, sufficient food and water, and emergency equipment such as a first aid kit, extra food, and an emergency shelter.
2. **Understand your route and skill level**: Choose tracks that match your fitness and experience. For example, the Ball Hut Route in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park is recommended only for hikers with high tramping skills due to accessibility challenges.
3. **Avalanche Awareness**: Although avalanches are more common in winter, the NZ Mountain Safety Council advises learning avalanche safety basics year-round, especially in mountainous areas, as some risks remain.
4. **Advance Bookings**: Popular summer tracks and campsites like those in Nelson Lakes National Park require bookings at all times during peak months to ensure safety and manage visitor numbers.
5. **Inform someone about your plans**: Always tell a trusted contact your itinerary and expected return time.
6. **Carry communication devices**: A fully charged phone or a personal locator beacon can be lifesaving in emergencies. The Police's National Search and Rescue Capability Coordinator, Senior Sergeant Lea Smith, emphasises the importance of having more than one form of communication for emergencies.
7. **Stay on marked tracks**: To avoid getting lost and damaging sensitive environments.
8. **Group Decisions**: Eat, drink, rest, and make decisions together with your group.
9. **Packing**: Pack warm clothes, extra food, and prepare for bad weather. Senior Sergeant Smith also recommends protecting cell phones from weather and damage, and considering using marine or mountain radio.
10. **Plan for the Unexpected**: Plan for an unexpected extra night out.
The NZ Land Safety Code provides five key steps for enjoying the outdoors safely: Choosing the right trip for you, and understanding the weather. Sharing one's trip plan with a trusted individual before setting out is also recommended by the MSC, as it allows them to call for help if needed.
The MSC's Plan My Walk app and website can be a useful tool for learning about destinations and preparing for outdoor adventures, offering over 1600 tracks to choose from.
With a high number of people expected to venture into Aotearoa's outdoors during the holiday season, following these safety tips and being well-prepared can make all the difference in ensuring a safe and enjoyable adventure. For more detailed and updated safety advice, the Council’s official website and resources are the best reference points.
- To enhance your outdoor-living experience during the summer season, you might consider incorporating the usage of an app like the MSC's Plan My Walk, which can provide valuable insights for home-and-garden enthusiasts seeking to explore New Zealand's picturesque landscapes for home improvement inspirations, as well as sports enthusiasts planning their outdoor adventures.
- After an exhilarating day of sports or tramping, returning to a warm and inviting home-and-garden setting can contribute significantly to a rejuvenating lifestyle, encouraging relaxation and reflection on the day's achievements, further promoting a balanced and enjoyable lifestyle.
