More active and useful content

Wow OK,no need to have a crack mate.dont let the hut door hit you on the a..se on the way out.

While I do enjoy the generally civil discussion and variety of views expressed here I do always find it unusual that there is very little discussion about trips/routes/tracks etc. The lockdown picture thread shows there are a lot of members here who go some amazing places but seldom do these experiences seem to find their way into threads. I have read some great trip reports from some members and really enjoyed a thread about Fiordland a while back but these interesting things are few and far between. The few times I have asked if anyone had route information got few or no responses - I do admit my requests are generally well off the beaten track, but then that is why I am asking. I guess for many tracks we are spoiled for information via other online sources so maybe the need to enquire about them via a forum is minimal. Anyway, I enjoy the site but would love to see more posts about trips/tracks etc!

not sure theres that many people who are on here regularly, but no shortage of people on social media... its easier to interact on, and made for easy use on smart phone screens. if you like the instant feedback nature of it... i once put photos on google photos of one of my favourite trips, i didnt advertise it anywhere. they ended up getting 100,000 views... do you tell the world about your favourite trips? the facebook group mentioned has 28,000 members... there is some repetition about trips. theres dozens of comments in reply to a question. depends if yhou like things that busy and you have the time to sift through it...

Hi I post my trips/tracks as articles which can only be found by googling as far as I know. I only write up trips that are new to me and not the stuff I'm doing over and over again. I have got quite a few ideas from this site e.g. Kahutara Biv and the 'track' from the Tin Range down to Doughboy Bay. When I go back to a place and there's some significant change, I go to the relevant page here and make a comment e.g. track conditions and I will often edit it if it's no longer relevant. Not sure who the strongly opinionated person is (hope it's not me) but I've blocked one fella. Not that I know what he has to say these days. I've found the site info here very helpful overall but have now requested to join that FB page. Have to say I'd rather go on here though as time can get away on FB. I know of the administrator, coincidentally. @dodgydave: be keen to know if you have any suggestions for trips involving the new Middle Hill Cons. Area. I couldn't think of any interesting trips in there apart from a look-see up through the gorge the other day. Climbing Batty from the west seemed a bit scrubby and bluffy and it was a very hot day. cheers.

I do also enjoy the more relaxed "pace" of forums. Do not use any of the major forms of social media at all (no Facebook, Instagram, whatever else is now cool!). Not sure if @waynowski's question was re telling the world about your favourite trips was rhetorical or not, but I will answer — yes I do. I am a former print journalist (sports) and have had published several trips as features in newspapers and have also contributed to Wilderness mag (as I know others here have) on occasion. Sadly my photography skills are severely lacking (and my care factor for photos is even less...) so I am not well suited to "glossy" mags like Wilderness. Now, if I could ever encourage my wife who is a professional photographer out... @Honora Have not done anything specific in that area — have been north, south and west of there but I guess if it was previously private land that is why I would have steered clear. I have always wanted to do a traverse of the Seaward Kaikoura's starting at George Spur but never been sure of access possibilities. Not 100% on the conservation area boundaries but sounds like it may open this up a bit.

I've been along George Spur and climbed Tarahaka but in those days I didn't have the contact details to get permission. Now I've met a couple of locals who would kindly give me permission. We camped at Pt 1191 on soft celmisia. We found water 70m down the slope on the east side. Travel along the ridge was pretty gnarly with that weetbix argillite. I have a photo as my wallpaper on this laptop to remind me. Unfortunately I can't access WAMS anymore as my browser is too old on this old laptop I'm using.

Have heard there is a campsite around Pt 1191 so good to know that does work if needed. How did you access George Spur. From George Stream? Or, I see there are routes up Miller Stream? How long did the ridge take to Tarahaka? Have heard it is a bit gnarly and some bits may need to be sidled.

@dodgydave: Frank says we went up the 4WD track and then along the spur. I recall getting very hot and stopping to adjust my outfit and then there was a totara tree growing right on the spur and the loess type soil was eroded away around the roots so I had to go carefully past that tree.I think there was still a fenceline along the ridge in those days. On the way back down I recall we got onto a farm track earlier along the spur which was so much faster and easier going. But I have hardly any memory of the ascent to George Spur at all. I'll have a look on Googleearth and see if I can spot that good descent farm track. However I'll never forget that horrendous bit of argillite ridge. Like climbing a coal pile. Frank was engineering handholds along the ridgeline when the rocks started moving under my feet so I dropped down lower away from the ridgeline. On the way back, a young guy and I chickened out going back that way and dropped down a gully that actually had far more objective danger as there was some rockfall as a consequence of our passing through. Better with some snow on it I reckon. Right at the summit (2283m) there was a dead possum - what the hell?

Thanks @Honora — sounds like a great adventure!