Federated Mountain Club & the D.O.C

Posted 30th January 2019 to the Otago Daily Times Newspaper Dunedin NZ.

Peter Wilson’s response to the over enthusiasm about Mount Titiroa in Fiordland National Park
exposed the problem with the Heath Robinson way the Department of Conservation has been set up.
The lack of local decision making is dreadful especially for local staff, common sense has flown out the window
and the whole consultation process has tied itself in knots. Quite frankly it is a neglected tangled system that need a razor gang to cut through it all just to get to basic transparency.

There are no figures on the actual numbers of Visitors to Mount Titiroa. Local guiding agents say the numbers are minimal especially if you compare them to landings on Mount Tutoko near Milford Sound.

Something else is at play here and we are all being kept in the dark as usual. 

Fiordland Heli-Hikes Ban 2019

Posted 19th  January 2019 to the Otago Daily Times Newspaper  Dunedin NZ

Your recent article on the banning of Heli Hiking on Manapouri’s Amazing Mount Titiroa is a bit concerning.
I love the federated Mountain Club but some how they found a loop hole in the structure of the Department of Conservation that allows them to kick other types of user out of the people’s estate who are not fit young things with lots of time to kill.

When we battle the Department over the right to cycle in National Parks they say clubs like the FMC put in the submission that no bikes should ever be allowed and it takes a political event to change such as a national park review.

Now the FMC also wish to limit tourists from seeing Mount Titiroa.
It may transpire that the FMC also stopped the Department from marking safe tracks up Mount Titiroa
Or upgrading huts which have either been destroyed, or in the case of North Borland, a glorified 2 man garden shed and even restricting local guiding, but that’s another story.

I think day users should have some rights in our parks even though they have not formed a voting block especially on a unique mountain that is only 8 mins flying from our airport that would otherwise take 3 days tramping and a load of logistics.

Fiordland's GODZone Adventure 2018

Posted 16th March 2018 to the Fiordland Advocate Newspaper Te Anau NZ

It is Interesting to ponder what lasting effects the recent GODZone adventure race have on Fiordland now that it’s all done and dusted.

It’s not clear just how many people have followed it beyond the personalities and Fans involved but they certainly showcased some areas less traveled to the public. Some of their routes will be begging to be revisited.

As for photographic coverage there where some classic snapshots of amazing landscape but quite a few gaps and a fair bit of rural Southland mixed in.

The real star of the race was the amazing Lake Herries between Lakes Manapouri & Te Anau high in the Kepler Mountains that proved to be a hidden Gem.

The Manapouri-Te Anau Cycle trail survey route showed itself to be very handy  and could well be a staple in future events  as well as the Lake2Lake trail.

Also a shame they all missed Mount Titiroa but where so close!