NZ hitchhiking, tramping and camping
Hi everyone,
I am new here, a 25 year old German who is going to visit NZ (arriving in Auckland on september 17th). I have been to NZ before but could only do day-hikes because of a knee injury.
This time, I want to be in nature a lot, and want to be independent. There is nothing specific I need to see and no agenda I have to follow. So I was thinking about hitchhiking and go whereever the person who's taking me goes - and from there see where there are tracks/tramps nearby I could do.
I guess I will definetely buy a backcountry hut pass but also take my tent. And I was thinking on informing local DOC offices before I set off for any multi-day tramps.
Does this sound doable? And is there some kind of book/guide with an overview of tramps and huts and campsites you could recommend (I sure checked the map on here but as I won't take my laptop with me sth on paper would be handy ;-))?
Thanks in advance,
Michael
31 comments
@Bamboo. Checked out Map Ranger. From what I understand the app comes with the global maps and you can choose to get topos if you wish (at a cost).
"All versions of our app come with a choice of free global open sourced maps and for a growing number of countries you can get even more terrain detail by choosing from our topographic Premium maps."
For the app, the free map you'd choose for NZ would presumably be OpenCycleMap (for cycling and walking). Switching to the "Outdoors" base layer shows some features but no names for mountains, lakes or passes. Perhaps there is more but I can't see how to toggle them on…?
http://www.opencyclemap.org/
For the cost of four coffees I'd still get the entire SI set.
@JETNZ Mine is ViewRanger (or did you mean that?) I just select New Zealand LINZ from the drop down menu.
Ah, meant View Ranger :-)
I don't have the app, just using the browser version and only the free global maps are available on that. Eg OpenCycleMap.
On your app, can you access all the Topo50's? Without network access?
Im currently using the new zealand maps app by atlogis, paid version is $10. Gives access to all the nz topo maps, and sections can be easilydownloaded for use offline. You wouldnt want to download all the sections at once as thats something like 40gb of files
The SI version of MapApp is 1.6Gig.
For waypoints options etc there is the app Topo GPS NZ, but you still have to buy maps as you need them...
I looked at MapRanger, its not as good as Memory Map. Its not cheap, but for the iPhone its hands down the best app for backcountry.
btw my iPhone 4s has amazing abilities under forest canopy, I thought it would be crap, but as long as you let it lock in whilst at the road end, it picks up the sats fine along the way.
I guess the benefits of hitchhiking outweigh the risks ;-)
It is good to be aware of the risks, but I don't feel the need to be overly cautious.
Last time I was in NZ my experiences with hitchhiking were only positive.
After searching for nice tramps I could start with I came across the Hillary trail and the Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk.
They seem well marked and quite "easy" to do for someone with a high level of fitness (I consider myself strong and fit).
Has anyone on here done those (or one of those)? And if so, are they doable for a fit 25 year old without multi-day tramping experience and without any navigation skills?
@micha1234 I've not done the Hillary Trail, but it looks to me like it's a series of many small tracks over about 50 miles? Kind of skirting around the Waitakere Ranges. The Auckland Council website doesn't seem to suggest that it is a very technical tramp. To me it seems like a "just above entry level tramp" If there is such a thing :)
@JETNZ When using the browser version on ViewRanger, did you zoom in (I know this sounds obvious)? It flicks from OpenStreet/Cycle Map to the LINZ Topos at 2km/2mi (6km/4mi per inch) scale all the way to 200m/1000ft (600m/2000ft per inch) scale. These are available free.
Topo50s run at about 1.8km p/i don't they?
This thread branched to "Hillary Trail" on . Explore the branch (10 messages).
@Bamboo. My browser version (Safari) of OpenStreetMap goes all the way to 20m/50ft with no change in the map type.
OpenCycleMap has 5 base layers and you choose which to view. There is no visible scale on that version. Maybe we're viewing very different pages as I don't see any LINZ maps on these websites.
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| Forum | Beginners and newbies |
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| Started by | micha1234 |
| On | 23 April 2015 |
| Replies | 30 |
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