Track marking in the New Zealand bush

...follow that straight olde line...

I recently visited the new hut at Lake Daniell in Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve and it occurred to me that I should write a post about track markings here in New Zealand. Every country has its own way of marking backcountry tracks although you see a lot of similar approaches across different nations.

A DOC track sign at the start of the track to Lake Daniell, Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve

In New Zealand most of the backcountry is managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC) so you generally find most tracks using their approved marking system. There are also regional parks, private walkways and forestry areas which feature tracks. While most will use the official DOC markers some have developed their own system which I discuss in this post.

Classic DOC orange triangle track marker in the Bealey Valley, Arthur's Pass NP

Orange is the official DOC marking color and this is most commonly seen as orange triangles placed along the route of a track to show you the way to go. The triangles can be attached to anything really...trees, old downed logs, rocks, buildings, bridges..I have seen them on all of these.

In locations where there are no trees or other obvious bases to fix them to steel warratahs or fence supports are hammered into the ground and an orange sleeve is fixed over them. These are known as snow poles and can be seen in wide open valley flats, river beds and above the bushline across New Zealand. 

A poled route marker on the track to Lake Emma Hut, Hakatere Conservation Area

There are many other variations on this marking scheme so lets have a look at how tracks are marked in New Zealand. 

Why mark tracks?

Tracks are marked for a number of reasons and people have been doing so for thousands of years. Ancient societies in Rome, Greece and China all had elaborate ways of marking their transport links and primitive societies have long used blazes on trees to mark paths through forest or jungle. 

The Romans used milestones to mark their transport network

The bush in New Zealand can be thick and difficult to travel through so over the years people have cut tracks to ease their passage through it. A cut track will very quickly return to its natural state (1-3 years on average...) when not in heavy use. People started marking their bush routes so they could find them after the bush had started to obscure the more obvious ground path.

Route finding in dense bush makes for slow, difficult travel...

Typical early forest settlement...Mill at Whatipu, Charles Blomfield Auckland Art Gallery

As New Zealand became a more civilised nation these ad-hoc marking methods were regulated and a number of standard marking options were used so people could easily follow tracks right across the country. 

Track marking prior to the Department of Conservation (DOC):

Prior to 1987 there were a number of government departments and NGO's responsible for looking after backcountry areas in New Zealand. These included the Department of Internal Affairs, New Zealand Forest Service, Walkways Commission, Ministry of Defense and regional pest control boards.

Logo of the New Zealand Forest Service (NZFS) 

All of these groups marked backcountry tracks so it is worth looking at older systems of track marking as many of these markers are still in place.

Rock cairns:

One of the easiest and most well known track markers are piles of rocks called cairns. These have been in use for thousands of years around the globe as they are a quick, simple way of route marking that requires no supplies or special equipment. At a suitable spot on the route you just pile up some rocks to show others the way...

Classic rock cairn on the Travers Valley Track, Nelson Lakes NP

One of the advantages of rock cairns is their longevity...rock does not deteriorate very quickly. There are remote places on the West Coast of the South Island where rock cairns built by early surveyors like Charlie Douglas and Julius Haast in the 1870's still exist. The downside is that they can be destroyed by floods, avalanches and rock slides while one rock pretty much looks the same as all the others. 

A historic cairn built by explorer Charlie Douglas in the 1880's

You are most likely to find rock cairns in high mountains and when crossing the bed of a river as supplies of stone for your cairn can be found in plenty. I often see cairns on the wide river flats of Canterbury and in places crossing mountain passes such as Fiordland and Nelson Lakes. Even the slight elevation offered by a pile of rock is visible for long distances in this type of terrain. 

A cairn marking the track into the Upper Ahuriri River Valley

Riverside cairns often mark fords in the river, creek or stream...

A disturbing new fad is the building of rock cairns in scenic spots like beaches and river beds. I hate this...I see it as nothing but visual pollution and it breaks every tenet of the Leave No Trace practices. I have nothing against directional/navigational cairns but if I come across a field of cairns like those in the photo below I push them over and scatter the rocks. 

Don't do this when you are tramping...visual pollution!!!

Natural places are natural because humans have not impacted them to any degree..remember this the next time you are tempted to build some edifice to your everlasting self. 

Tree blazes:

Tree blazes (slashes or cuts on the trunks of trees) are a widely used means of trail marking around the world and are especially well used in the United States. Some nations still use this as their primary track marking scheme although it has fallen out of favor as it damages the trees and makes them susceptible to disease and insect damage. 

Classic tree blaze in the United States

A variety of shapes and symbols can be transmitted using tree blazes and some locales have elaborate systems to pass the information to passing trampers. Here is a chart of common blaze symbols and their meaning as used by the US Forest Service in State and National Parks. 

Chart showing the meaning of various blaze symbols

Blazes were never well used in New Zealand although you still occasionally find them along old long established tracks like the Milford and they are also used by some of the private tracks and forestry parks around the country. 

Wooden signs/posts:

Many of the older tracks and walkways around the country will be marked with carved wooden trail markers. These are a hold over from the days when the New Zealand Forest Service controlled many of these areas as this was one of their preferred marking methods. These are good markers...long lasting, simple to install and visible for some distance. 

A wooden track sign, Arthur Range, Kahurangi National Park

I have seen these kind of markers in a number of places around the country...Kahurangi National Park, Richmond Forest Park, the Tararua Ranges and on the central North Island in places like the Kaimaniwa's. 

Wooden marker on the Holdsworth-Jumbo Track, Tararua Forest Park

Originally most of these were painted white on brown but over the decades they have been repainted with the green/yellow scheme used by the Department of Conservation. 

Wooden marker at Parkinson's Scenic Reserve, Kaituna Saddle, Banks Peninsula

These wooden markers are gradually disappearing to be replaced by the virtually indestructible plastic and metal DOC signs...eventually they will only be a memory in the mind of olde timer trampers...

Metal track markers:

A variety of metal track markers have been used over the years and they tended to take the shape of discs in different colors and strip of permolat a reflective material used in venetian blind manufacturing. 

Discs:

Both the NZ Forest Service and the Department of Internal Affairs used round stamped metal discs to mark their tracks. These came to be known as 'paint lid' markers as they resembled the lids used to seal tins of house paint. Incidentally metal paint tins were invented by a kiwi who licensed the patent and who's descendants are now fabulously wealthy as a result. 

Classic metal paint tin...

Paint lid markers were useful as they were relatively light weight so many of them could be carried at once and cheap and easy to manufacture. They were nailed to the trunks of standing and fallen trees, bolted to rocks and fence posts and buildings in much the same way orange triangles are now used. 

Old style 'paint tin' track marker, Waimakiriri Flood Track, Arthur's Pass NP

...Waimakariri Flood Track:  DOC triangle with permolat attached....

These markers were replaced over time with a new material called permolat.

Permolat:

In the late 1960's New Zealand developed an aluminium industry and one of the materials produced was a thin metal sheet used for Venetian blind making. Some bright spark decided it would make a good track marking material and so Permolat (the brand name) came to be the predominant marker material

White permolat track marker in the Sabine Valley, Nelson Lakes NP

The usual color for permolat was a grey/white color which shows up well in most bush conditions in New Zealand. It was slightly reflective so would show up in a torch beam at night. Track makers would cut sections of permolat and attach it to the usual suspects...trees, posts, logs, buildings etc. The advantage of permolat was its light weight and ease of use...it could be cut with scissors and could be written on if required

The standard marker was a strip about 5-10 cm long cut at one end to denote track direction. I have also seen different sizes, crosses, squares, triangles and mixed colors..red on white, orange and red, orange and white etc. 

Orange/white trial permolat marker...

Trials were also undertaking using red and orange permolat as it was found the off white color did not stand out very well in some types of forest. White naturally occurs in nature while brilliant red and deep orange are uncommon. You will still see all colors of permolat along older tracks...in fact I struck some on the Lake Daniell Track just two weekends ago. 

Orange permolat track marker, Lake Daniell Track, Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve

Permolat was used from the late 1960's right up to the birth of the Department of Conservation but when that department was formed it was decided that an new and more standardised track marking system was required. 

Track marking under DOC:

 The Department of Conservation was set up in 1987 with the idea of centralizing all of the various groups into one department with responsibility for all aspects of the outdoors. They absorbed many of the tasks, facilities and staff of other government departments especially the NZ Forest Service. 

Standard Department of conservation track sign...St James Walkway

...you get the destination, walking time and distance...

The official DOC marking system is orange plastic tags in a number of shapes and sizes to mark public track networks. These are usually an orange triangle with pre-drilled holes to make them easy to fix to trees, logs etc with nails. The apex of the triangle is used to denote direction; horizontal means straight ahead, angle to the left means go left, to the right go right etc.

DOC Orange triangle...visible in most bush types!! 

Orange track markers can be ground mounted is required...

DOC track markers are not always triangles...I have seen squares, circles, strips and panels before as some types of terrain favor these shapes...

Not all DOC track markers are triangles...

In areas where there is no vegetation to attach track markers snow poles are used. A snow pole is a metal fence strainer approximately a meter long which is hammered into the ground at regular intervals and a orange sleeve is fitted on the top to mark them clearly visible. They are called snow poles as they are often in places where snow may cover tracks in winter and they will often protrude out of the snow if it is not too deep.

A snow pole on the Milford Track at McKinnon Pass

Snow poles are most often found on flat grassy valley floors, riverbeds and mountain tops and are surprisingly effective as they are visible for a long distance. They will tend to be 20 meters apart but this is not a standard distance...I have seen them 3 meters apart in dense & tricky Matagouri country right out to 100 meters apart. 

...snow poles are often found along the tops of ranges...

A snow pole with a standard orange triangle attached denotes the point where the track is re-entering the tree line so it is important to look out for these when heading down off the tops. 

An orange triangle marks the descent into the forest below the tree line...

Snow poles also work well in flat tussock valleys like these on the St James Walkway

You should be able to see the next pole about 20 meters away...

The standard orange DOC triangles and poles do not show up well in torch light at night as they tend to fade into the background. To aid travel in these situations they will often have strips of reflective material added to them so they are more visible. This works exceptionally well and I have seen it on markers right across the country. 

Orange does not show well at night so....

...reflective strip on a snow pole for night travel...

You will sometimes see orange nylon flagging tape used to mark new or temporary tracks for example over active slips or where a track has been rerouted due to fallen trees etc. This is a temporary marking only and you should take care if following this type of marker so you do not get lost. 

Orange tape will sometimes be used to mark temporary or new tracks...

Department of Conservation markers are what you are going to encounter on a good 80% of the tracks you are walking so keep a close eye out for those orange triangles, circles, squares and snow poles. 

Other agencies marking methods

The Department of Conservation is the main manager of backcountry areas but they are not the only agency which has this as a part of their work. There are many local, regional and private groups who also have wild tracks and need a marker scheme to show the route. Lets look a couple of these groups...

The Walkways Commission:

There was a short lived government led advocacy group called the Walkways Commission set up to promote the greater use of the outdoors within New Zealand in the 1970's till 1980's. They had a ton of great ideas but unfortunately they never had a large enough budget or paid staff to achieve very much. 

Classic Walkways Commission sign for Waikakano Track....

The Summit Walkway was a CCC/Walkways Commission project...

Some of their notable accomplishments are the St James Walkway, Summit Walkway and what would eventually become Te Ara Pataka here in Canterbury. They tended to build new tracks in previously un-tapped backcountry areas...a lot of their tracks were in virgin Forest Parks and unassigned land rather than National Parks. 

The St James Walkway was one of their most successful tracks...

Christopher Hut was built by the Walkways Commission...

Any track you find yourself on which has 'Walkway' in the title would have been built or instigated under their tenure. Their work can be found from Northland all the way down to Bluff at the bottom of the South Island. 

Old walkways track marker on the Orton Bradley-Mt Herbert Track, Banks Peninsula

Walkways Commission post on Te Ara Pataka/Summit Walkway on Banks Peninsula

The Walkways Commission used wooden posts with a yellow band painted around the top...they had a carved W on the top of the post as well. They also used carved wooden signs at huts, bridges and places of interest. 

Another Walkways marker on the Orton Bradley-Mt Herbert Track, Banks Peninsula

They had a square plastic tag similar to the DOC triangles with a prominent W in the middle these came in black and white and later white on orange.

Clear view of the Walkways markers on Te Ara Pataka track, Banks Peninsula

The track and hut building work of the Walkways Commission was absorbed by DOC when it was set up in 1987 while the advocacy work of the defunct Commission is largely undertaken by the NZ Walking Access Commission. 

City Councils and Regional councils:

New Zealand towns and cities are a lot greener than their counterparts in other parts of the world. Most councils or regional councils will have a multitude of parks, reserves and wild areas within their boundaries and some of these are wild enough to warrant track markers. These bodies will often work with DOC as much council owned land will border Department of Conservation land. 

Christchurch City Council track map at Travis Wetlands

Typical CCC track marker in Travis Wetlands

Here in Canterbury we have the Christchurch City Council and the Canterbury Regional Council both of whom manage wild areas around the city and on the Port Hills. They have a set of standardised track markers which you can see in the surrounding photos. 

Council track marker in Bottle Lake Plantation

Pedestrian only marker on the Harry Ell Track, Port Hills

...track name and destination but no distance or time...

Here is a different take on a council track marking this is from the Kaikoura Clifftop Walkway in Kaikoura 10 km's to the north of Christchurch. This is a joint regional council/DOC/local Iwi initiative and as this locale has a rich Maori heritage the marker is denoted by the Koru design.

Basic track marker on the Kaikoura Clifftop Walkway

Note on the Christchurch 360 Trail...

The Christchurch 360 Trail is a 135 km long ring track that goes right around the outskirts of the city and takes in the beach, Bottle Lake Forest, the Waimakiriri River, the Port Hills and urban areas. It is made up of existing tracks which belong to a variety of landowners and can be completed as a run/walk/MTB ride or a combination of all three. 

Map: Christchurch 360 Trail:Port Hills to Sumner section

The Christchurch 360 Trail has its own trail marker...you are sure to have seen this marker if you enjoy the outdoors in Canterbury but perhaps you had no idea what it means. The colors and swirl are meant to encompass the idea that the trail is made up of different terrain types and encircles the city.

The Christchurch 360 Trail marker...

Here are a couple of photos of sections of this track I have used over the years;

Christchurch 360 Trail: Travis Wetlands

Christchurch 360 Trail: Godley Head, Port Hills

Christchurch 360 Trail: an urban section in Parklands

Christchurch 360 Trail: along the Christchurch Coastal Pathway in Redcliffs

Christchurch 360 Trail: in Bottle Lake Forest Park

I have only two sections of the Christchurch 360 Trail left to walk (Spencer Park to Brooklands & Godley Head to Taylors Mistake) and I will have completed the whole trail. 

Private tracks:

Another type of track marking are those used on private tracks around the country. There are a number of tracks of this sort scattered around the country...while some use the standard DOC marking scheme some have developed their own designs using wooden signs, marker poles and track markers.

Track sign on the Kaikoura Coast Track

A good example of this is the Rod Donald Track on Te Ara Pataka the DOC track from Hilltop Tavern to Gebbies Pass via Mt Herbert on Banks Peninsula. The Rod Donald Trust own and operate Rod Donald Hut and have built a side track from the main track to the hut. The Rod Donald Track is marked with their own version of the DOC green/yellow sign and has wooden track marker poles along its course.

Private walkways often have wooden signs...Rod Donald Track

More wooden trail marking on the Rod Donald Hut Track

Another local example is Orton Bradley Estate on the southern side of Lytellton Harbor. The trust have developed a series of excellent tracks on this land and have their own markers in place to show the route. In this case they use wooden signs in brown and white and wooden track poles painted blue at the top. They also use snow poles with a yellow sleeve on top to show they are tracks but not DOC tracks.

Wood track signs at the Orton Bradley Estate, Banks Peninsula

Yellow snow poles at Orton Bradley Estate, Banks Peninsula

Note the blue post marker in the forefront of the photo below but also the yellow/blue track marking on the fence as it heads further up the hill. you will often see multiple marking systems used along a track as multiple organisations have responsibility for that track. 

Blue track marking along trail at Orton-Bradley Estate, Banks Peninsula

Yet another example is the Queen Charlotte Track (QCT) in the Marlborough Sounds...they use a combination of standard DOC markers and white posts with blue QCT markers attached to the tops. 

White posts with blue track signs on the Queen Charlotte Track, Marlborough

Queen Charlotte Track, Marlborough: the track has distance markers...

Standard DOC track marking on the QCT...

They also use markers to denote the distance left to the end of the track and the entrance to private tracks & lodges (which are a feature of this walkway) and who have their own style of track marking as well.

QCT location marker for Shamrock Ridge

Track marker to Madsens Camp, one of the private lodges on the QCT

The QCT is probably the most successful of the many private tracks scattered around New Zealand an it is well used especially over the summer period from late September right through to April by both MTB riders and walkers. It is highly likely it will eventually become a Great Walk as it has been considered for that category several times now. 

Here is a series of other private tracks and samples of their track markers...

Old Ghost Road on the West Coast , South Island

The Humpridge Track, Southland

Banks Track, Banks Peninsula, Canterbury

On Four Peaks Track, South Canterbury

As you can see similar methods are used to mark all of these varied tracks. 

The Te Araroa Trail (TA):

The Te Araroa Trail was set up in 2010 as a long distance trail from Cape Reinga in the north to Bluff in the South and is based on the long trails like the Appalachian Trail, PCT and Camino de Santiago. The TA has its own logo and its own style of track marker based on this logo. 

The Te Araroa Trail logo....

The Trust has its own style of information panel as seen in the photo below...they look different to DOC signs and have different types of information on them. You will only see these on sections of track developed by the Te Araraoa Trail Trust.

Te Araroa Trail information panel near Huntley, Waikato

Most of the tracks incorporated in the TA are existent DOC tracks strung together but their are some TA specific sections built by and maintained by the Te Araroa Trust.What you will usually see is a TA marker added to existing DOC trail markers, signs and information panels. Here are a couple of examples I have struck while out tramping...

The Te Araroa Trust also use DOC orange triangles...

Te Araroa Trail logo added to standard DOC signs...

There are also DOC signs which are specific to the Te Araroa Trail such as this example at Stirling Point which is the southern terminus of the whole Te Araroa Trail. This sign would not exist if not for the TA...

Specific Te Araroa Trail sign on a DOC track at Stirling Point, Bluff

Keep an eye out for signs of the Te Araroa Trail when you are tramping as they are more common than you might expect. 

Private forestry tracks:

Another place you will find track signs and markers are in forestry areas which allow public access...usually near holiday destinations. A good example is the privately owned Hanmer Forest Park in North Canterbury. This is a working forestry area with historic sections of forest criss-crossed with good walking trails from 20 minutes right up to 4 hours.

Matariki forestry sign at Hanmer forest

The forest is owned by Matariki a subsidiary of the local Maori tribe Ngai Tahu. The Iwi own several parks of this type in Canterbury including Hanmer Forest Park, Bottle Lake Plantation and Balmoral Forest. All of these have tracks the public are allowed to use.

The Hanmer Forest signs have their own color palate...

Forest parks often used the standard DOC track marking system but in the case of Hanmer Forest  Matariki have trail signs and markers to their own design. This park uses tree blazes to mark some sections of track and orange and white wooden posts on others.

Hanmer Forest Trails are also marked with red/white poles...

 Bottle Lake Forest Park is a working forest on the northern outskirts of Christchurch owned by Matariki Forestry and the Christchurch City Council. It has a warren of tracks for walking, running, MTB riding and horse trekking and is well known and beloved by the people of Canterbury. They use their own signage and track markers through the forest....

Map showing track network in Bottle Lake Forest Park...

They use white plastic trail markers in the forest park with the standard council track signs...a walking/running person, a MTB bike of a horse to denote track type. They also have wooden track signs and larger information panels showing the whole track network.

Bottle Lake Forest Park: track sign and white plastic markers...

This is one of my favorite haunts and I am often out here either riding my bike or walking through the forest. One of my fitness walks is to use the Pegasus Walkway track to walk from Waimairi Beach to Spencer Park and back. 

Pest control tracks:

It is worth mentioning one other type of track marking you are going to see in the bush..that is pest control line markers. New Zealand is over run with a variety of introduced pest species; rabbits, mice, rats, cats, stouts and possums are just a few of the worst pest species. Because they are introduced they have no predators which means numbers quickly get out of hand. 

Possums are a major pest species in New Zealand

Every backcountry area in New Zealand will have an ongoing pest control plan which will include poison air drops, trap lines and in some cases contract shooters. These pest lines are usually marked by different colored triangles (red/blue/white/pink/yellow) and or colored nylon tape to show the route of the trap line. These type of tracks are used by DOC, NGO's and private groups.

A yellow track marker for trap lines...

You should never follow any of these markers when you are out in the bush as they usually head into the roughest, most dense bush you can imagine. 

Pink triangle indicates a trap line at Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes NP

The pink triangles lead to a bait station off the track...

Track side markers will often show the location of traps...

One of the new gas operated pest traps on the Abel Tasman Coast Track

These different marker colors are also used for other tasks such as marking tracks to bio diversity sites, newly completed tracks or as a route to a DOC staff hut or other type of infrastructure.

Different color track markers sometimes denote biodiversity huts...

These tracks are made by people who spend a lot of time in the outdoors and who have good bush navigation skills. Trying to follow one of their poorly marked tracks is probably a damn fine way of getting yourself irretrievably lost!

Georgia checking a DOC trap at Parkinson's Scenic Reserve, Kaituna Pass, Banks Peninsula

So there is a short potted history of track marking in New Zealand...Im sure I have forgotten to mention something but I will add it to the post if it occurs to me. Have a look at the track marking along the next track you happen to be walking along and see how effective they are in keeping you on the right course. 

Follow the orange markers folks.....

DOC Intentions Books: What they are and why you should fill them out...

A source of information for the tramper, SAR and DOC

One thing you will find in every back country hut in New Zealand is the ubiquitous green and gold intentions book. They are supplied by the Department of Conservation and are there to impart useful information to trampers and to record the passage of anyone who has stayed at or visited that hut. 

Cover of the ubiquitous back-country hut intentions book

The front of the book has pages of excellent general tramping information covering a broad range of topics This is followed by a number of pre-formatted pages where you can add you name, date of arrival, hut payment method, home location and intended movements once you leave the hut.

Every solo tramper or a designated member of any group should be filling in these details at each and every back country hut they are visiting. 

Typical entries in a DOC Intentions Book, Kahikatea Shelter, Pelorous Bridge

You will often find the intentions book sitting on the dining table in the hut but they can also be found in specially built book holders on a convenient wall, bunk or flat surface. They usually have a pen attached or close to the book but you should always carry your own pen for writing messages in an emergency. 

In Lakehead hut, Nelson Lakes National Park...note hut book holder...

..a more elaborate intentions book holder in Bark Bay Hut, Abel Tasman NP...

Reading the entries in the intentions book is one of the stand out pleasures I get when staying in a hut...you will read stories of raging rivers crossed, mountain peaks conquered, bush bashed, new routes discovered, epic meals consumed, adventures long dreamed of finally completed. 

If you are a keen tramper like me you will get to recognize some of the names...legendary names like Spearpoint, Barnett, Potton, Ledbrook and Salisbury but also others less well known. You will also see tramping clubs, walking clubs, people you work with or might have once met in some tramping hut. 

There is almost always something interesting and or relevant to be gleamed from the pages. 

Hut book open in John Tait Hut ready for Jon to complete...

Lets have a look at this icon of the back country hut and see what information it can impart to us. 

What information will I find in an intentions book

The DOC intentions book is jammed full of valuable information for the novice and experienced tramper alike and it is well worth taking time to read the first ten pages of the book the next time you are at a hut.

The hut intentions book on a table in Rod Donald Hut, Banks Peninsula

I thought it might be useful to break the information down and look at the contents in the front of the book on a page by page basis. Let us take a typical hut intentions book say from Mangetepopo Hut in Tongariro National Park and look at that information....

Hut intentions book: front page and hut details...Mangatepopo Hut

Headings covered in the front of a DOC intentions book

Each of the pages has a different heading, the first heading is.....

Hut Users Guide

These are general recommendations on proper behavior and good etiquette in and around back country huts. This includes making space for newcomers, not taking more space than required, not moving another trampers gear, conserving firewood, cleaning huts before you go etc. etc.

Huts are a communal space & tramping is a communal activity but modern society is anything but communal. The modern world is programmed for self gratification so people can often be selfish and have little thought or sympathy for those around them.

Tramping involves an awful lot of communal living....

Most of this should not need explanation to any tramper but as I have seen recently people need to be educated. This stuff is second nature to people who have spent time in the military or emergency services if they come from a big family or have attended a boarding school or halls of residence.

I personally feel the old trampers ethos of mutually supportive self sufficiency is eroding....trampers, hunters and climbers used to get along well in the confines of a hut. I see increasing tension and more selfish behavior... I think it is directly related to the growing numbers using the back-country hut system.

More crowded conditions = more aggro = less enjoyable tramping!

Hut intentions book: the hut users code....

The basic tenet for happy hut life should always be...show kindness and consideration to those around you...

What to do in an emergency:

This page contains some basic information about immediate actions you should consider in the event of an emergency. There is a list of emergency service phone numbers, advice on activating a PLB and the information you need to provide to SAR/DOC/Police if you manage to contact them and can pas this information on.

Hut intentions book: Emergency information

This stuff is vital and is probably some of the most important information provided in the intentions book...

Don't get sick/Look after the environment(Leave no trace):

This is general health and hygiene information for outdoor enthusiasts...not everyone knows how to keep themselves healthy in a communal outdoor situation. We are having increasing problems with gastrointestinal viruses at huts...Norovirus and Salmonella are two of the worst. A few key points;

• wash your hands regularly and thoroughly
• keep human waste out of the water table
• use outside sinks for washing/cleaning your teeth. 
• Indoor sinks for food preparation, dish washing only
• treat drinking water if recommended or required
• if you get sick take steps to minimise the spread of germs
• inform the authorities if there is a widespread outbreak of sickness

Hut intentions book: LNT Leave No Trace information

When they talk about looking after the environment they are talking about Leave No Trace (LNT) principles. The seven LNT principles are intended to minimise your impact on the outdoor environment...they are;

• Plan ahead and prepare
• Travel and camp on durable surfaces
• Dispose of waste properly
• Leave what you find
• Minimise the effects of fire
• Respect wildlife and farm animals
• Be considerate of others

You should always try to minimise your environmental impact...remember....take only photos, leave only footprints!

General Survival Information

There are a couple of pages of general survival information that can help to keep you safe when you are out exploring the outdoors. The first two are about hypothermia and navigation. 

Hypothermia is one of the most dangerous health concerns when tramping...it is an over cooling of the body's core temperature which can lead to lethargy, irrational thought patterns, physical collapse and ultimately death. It is not as prevalent as it used to be due to advances in tramping clothing BUT there are still several deaths a year from hypothermia.

Hypothermia is a silent killer here in New Zealand...

It can happen to anyone..I have personally had very mild hypothermia a couple of times over the years...you often don't realise you have hypothermia when it is happening to you. This is because one of the symptoms is dis-associative behavior i.e. you are acting out of character but do not realise you are.

Cold, wet and windy conditions contribute to hypothermia...

On my recent tramp on the Routeburn track last December we had several people in the mid stages of hypothermia at Howdon Hut. It was perfect weather for it...cold, windy, heavy rain and people woefully ill prepared to be out in those conditions. Luckily some of us old timer trampers recognised the symptoms and took action to assist the people affected. I actually had my PLB out at one stage as one woman was looking really unwell but she recovered with warm clothes, some food and a couple of hours of rest.

Awful weather on the Routeburn Track in December 2019...

You need to know the signs of hypothermia and how to deal with it effectively both for your sake and for those around you.  The hut book is a good start but read some general tramping manuals, books on outdoor medicine, look for authoritative online information and keep yourself and your tramping buddies safe.  

Hut intentions book: survival information

The information about navigation is not so much how to as how to avoid making navigation errors. Basically it is important to always be in the here and now i.e keep your mind on the task at hand...stay together if in a group, regroup on a regular basis, think before you act, consider the results of your actions and do not let outside distractions lead you from the righteous path...hallelujah brothers and sisters!

Stay together when tramping in a group......

The second two topics are about weather and river crossings....if you are new to this country be aware that we can have warm sunny conditions in the morning and be in the middle of a raging beast of a storm by 12 noon! We have a oceanic environment so our weather is unpredictable, fickle and changes in a heartbeat. Keep up to date with weather forecasts, know how to identify different weather conditions and be prepared for all eventualities with good clothing and appropriate outdoor skills.

Hut intentions book: outdoor safety information

River crossing is a vital skill in New Zealand as we are surrounded by potentially dangerous lakes, rivers and the oceans. So many people drowned in colonial times that it was known as the "New Zealand Death" !!! Even now with our modern gear and vastly better water skills people are  constantly dying crossing waterways...point of illustration...six people have already drowned in tramping accidents since January 2020.

Stop, look, think...is this river safe to cross!!!!

The information in the intentions book is a very condensed version...the best thing you can do is to take an approved river crossing course with experienced instructors. You also gain experience as you tramp...I have been tramping for more than 20 years and I am still learning new river crossing skills all the time.
Key points here are:

• Always scout possible river crossing points before entering the water
• Ensure that your exit from the opposite side of the river will be smooth and safe
• Never cross a river solo if you can cross as part of a group.
• If you must cross solo use a stout branch as a crossing aid
• Do not cross a river if it is flowing faster than walking pace, is discolored or you can hear debris rolling along the bottom 
• Do not cross a flooded river.

Never cross a fast flowing, discolored and swollen river...

If there is any doubt around crossing a river DONT...find a better crossing place or wait for better conditions.

Always ask...do I need to cross that river???

What goes wrong/Prevent accidents occurring

A good way to enhance your safety outdoors is to cultivate an interest in the stories of those who have come to grief. You often find that outdoor accidents are repetitive...they happen in the same location or the injury has happened to many different people. If you learn about the way other trampers have injured themselves you can adjust your own behaviour to avoid the same result.

Hut intentions book: consider outdoor accident information

Good sources of information about outdoor accidents abound...the Mountain Safety Council or  MSC publish regular reports on the accidents that occur in the New Zealand outdoors. You can also find discussions about outdoor accidents in the FMC journal Backcountry as they have a regular column on this topic called Backcountry Accidents.

An excellent book about this subject is High Misadventures: New Zealand mountaineering tragedies and survival stories by Paul Hersey.

Backcountry has a regular column about outdoor accidents...

I just did a quick search of our library catalogue and we have over 20 books on the subject...other libraries will have similar numbers. 

The outdoor safety code

The outdoor safety code is a New Zealand specific list of steps you should take before undertaking any trip to the back-country. Following these steps can help to keep you safe, healthy and happy while tramping.

The 5 key points are:

• Plan your trip
• Tell someone your plans
• Be aware of the weather
• Know your limits
• Take sufficient supplies

Follow these steps every time you go out tramping to help get you home safe....

Hut intentions book: the outdoor safety code

Hut intentions book: how to make it home.....

Lastly there is a list of important emergency numbers on the inside cover of every hut book...if you have cell reception use these numbers to contact DOC/SAR/Police. 

Hut intentions book: useful phone numbers/email addresses

Note: If you arrive at a hut and find the intentions book is full please let the closest DOC office know so they can replace them. I often stop at local DOC offices and ask if they need one taken to a hut on my intended route. They appreciate the help....

Why it is important to fill in your personal details

The actual purpose of the intentions book is as a guide to SAR/DOC if you become lost and to gather generalized information about who is staying in that particular hut. It has never and will never be used to try to track down people who have not paid their hut fees. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by filling out the intentions book...

Hut intentions book on table in Rod Donald Hut, Banks Peninsula

DOC use the information in the hut book to parcel out funding for such things as track maintenance, hut maintenance and replacement of old facilities. More entries (i.e: more people visiting the hut...) means more dirty lucre for that location. If you do not sign the book DOC (as a government department is apt to do) just assume that nobody is using the hut. 

No usage statistics = no money....it is as simple as that!!!!

Hut intentions book: in depth details of individuals/parties

The other main use for the hut intentions book is as an aid to Search and Rescue operations for lost trampers. If you go missing in the hills or forests the very first place SAR will go to look for information about you is in the intentions books. If they know for instance that you were at Upper Travers Hut one night but did not turn up to West Sabine the next it immediately narrows the radius of any search efforts.

Hut intentions books are the first place DOC/Police/SAR look when you go missing...

You should become religious in filling out the intentions book...after grabbing a bunk and putting on a brew it is the next considered action I take every time I arrive at a hut. Make sure you clearly note your intended route as well as any alternate routes you might be using. Try to encourage other hut users to also fill in their intentions but obviously don't pressure them to do so. 

The hut book as an expression of being...

I have seen a variety of different things in hut books but other than track information the main things you see are art works and non tramping related writing. People often get bored in huts once the meal has been consumed and the card game or book doesn't entice as once it might have.

Resting on my bunk in Magdalen Hut...bit of light reading...brew to hand...nice!!!

Many people have artistic talents and when you are sitting bored in a hut on a zero day it always seems like you are looking for something to do...hey I know lets draw in the hut book. The quality ranges from poor to excellent..the example below is a very nicely drawn picture of a Weta from the hut book in Magdalen Hut. This is typical of the genre...rivers, mountain vistas, flora and fauna are all well represented.

Little stick men with huge appendages and stick women with massive chestal shelves also put in a regular appearance...

Hut intentions book: artwork on the front cover of a book

Closer detail of artwork in a hut intentions book

I have often seen poetry, ditty's, haiku's, philosophical ramblings and deep inner thoughts expressed in intentions books. Usually they are thoughtful and considered but sometimes they can get a bit ribald. So long as you don't go too far.....try to limit the swearing thanks. Don't rant about 1080 either!!!! Remember kids stay in huts and they can read your nasty, smutty comments just as well as an adult...

If you are walking along a section of the Te Araroa Trail you will often see communications between various trekkers telling each other where they intend to go, where to meet up, good or bad track conditions and if they are doing o.k. It makes for some interesting reading....especially the colorful nicknames.

Hut intentions book: an ongoing (slightly sleazy) conversation in a book..

What about Jon...does he add his own personal contribution to hut books?

By gawd yes he does...this is my usual witty entry...

I went to say goodnight to Pwarse the fish, 

I said '...Goodnight Pwarse..."

If you ever see this in a hut book then you know I have visited at some stage.....I cannot claim authorship of this ditty, one of my school mates made it up for our end of year journal back in 1985.....I just like it.

I have also been known to quote from the Anonymous riff on West Coast rain...

Anonymous poem about New Zealand rain...

I look forward to reading your intentions book entries in the future...