Showing posts with label Trip Planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trip Planning. Show all posts

Wednesday 26 August 2015

Plans for the 2015/16 Summer

I had meant to go for some Winter tramps this year but due to a number of reasons (post graduate study/lots of snow on the Southern Alps/winter laziness) I don't seem to have done any.

Never mind, time to start thinking about plans for Spring-Summer of 2015-16.
I have a large list of possible tramping locations pinned to the wall next to my desk at work, I like to peruse it when I need some "down" time. I have some big plans for tramping over the next 5-6 months, this is how it breaks down:

Day Tramps


  • Avalanche Peak via Scotts track, Arthurs Pass NP (rained out twice so far)

  • Woolshed Hill, Arthurs Pass NP (rained out once)

  • Anti Crow Hut via Waimakiriri, Arthurs Pass NP (Completed 3rd October 2015)

  • Mt Oxford Track, Canterbury foothills

  • Sawcut Gorge Track, Southern Marlborough (I need a reason to visit Blenheim.....)

  • Lewis Pass Tops, Lewis Pass SR (completed 26 December 2015)


Overnight Tramps

  • Lake Rotoiti Circuit, Travers Valley, I'm doing a recce of Nelson Lakes NP as I'm planning to walk the Travers-Sabine Circuit either in late 2016 or early 2017. I have tramped in the area before but only a really long time ago.

Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes NP


  • Robinson Valley, Victoria FP. This has been on my to do list for several years and in fact I have organized the trip twice only to be put off by bad weather. Hopefully it will work out this time....! (Completed in November 2015, awesome trip excepting falling off a river bank)

  • Lucretia Biv route, Lewis Pass SR, same as above, called off twice due to rain/bad weather.

  • Sudden Valley, Arthurs Pass NP,  same as above. This route is reliant on dry conditions to be viable as you have to cross Sudden Valley Stream a number of times. (Cancelled!....Yep....more damned rain!!!)

  • Wharfedale Track, Lees Valley to Whafedale Hut, Mt Oxford FP. I have previously walked the other end of this track back in 2013, so I'm connecting the dots really.

The Te Araroa Trail

I'm section hiking the Te Araroa over the next couple of years so my main  push will be tramping sections of the South Island Tracks.

Over Summer I will be walking:

  • Harper Pass Track, SH73 to Lewis Pass, Morrison footbridge to Windy Point, NOBO, (4-6 Days) (Set for 18-22nd February 2016: Rained out by a 1-100 year storm, I walked the QCT instead)

  • Migha-Deception track, SH73 to Bealey River,  SOBO (2-3 Days) (rescheduled twice due to rain: Cancelled)


When I have finished these two trips I will have walked the Te Araroa from the Ada River to Lagoon Saddle. This will be roughly 300 km's, or 10% of the total distance.

The TaT Henry River Swingbridge, February 2015


Update 2016: Had some problems so far with weather, Ive had to cancel a lot of trips or redirect to other locations. Other trips I have done include: Kowhai River, Rod Donald Hut, Benmore Hut and Thirteen Mile Bush, Otira Valley, Arthurs Pass Walking Track and some walks in Mt Peel Forest.

Sunday 15 February 2015

Tramping food: St James Walkway: Food for the trip

Tramping menu for the St James Walkway


Here is the food I am taking with me for my 5 day tramp around the St James Walkway this week. I have been tweaking my tramping food requirements as I look for variety and add a few more calories per day. I've added an extra snack per day as well as adding some extra drinks for re hydration.

The view from Ada Pass Hut veranda, St James Walkway


I try to keep to the "golden" 700gms of tramping food per day rule, this should provide enough energy to propel me on my way. The 700gm rule was thought up by the Peninsula Tramping Club (attributed to Geoff Spearpoint a notable member of that group) as a good average to aim for when planning food requirements.

Packed as a 24 hour 'ration'

I like to pack my tramping food in a 24 hour "ration", it is in a plastic bag and contains all the items I will use in a 24 hour period. This is very military but I find it keeps things better organised than the "everything in one big bag" method of tramping food rationing. 

Backcountry Cuisine have a 24 hour packed ration


My five day tramping menu:


Here is my five day tramping menu broken down into day by day rations....


Tramping Food: Day 1

Instant mash is one of my go to tramping meals...it can be paired with vegetables, meat, cheese, gravy, fish...basically whatever you want to chuck in with it. Super easy to prepare, just add hot water and stir...and packed full of carbs to keep you tramping. It is good for both breakfast and dinner..prepare it in its own plastic bag to avoid mess. 



Tramping food- Day 1

Breakfast:  At home (I often buy MacDonalds Breakfast on the way out of town)
Lunch: Crackers + peanut butter + electrolyte drink
Snacks: le snack + raisin's + Steak bar + Special K biscuits
Dinner: Cheesy spud + Spam n' vege's ( re hydrated and mixed together = yum!) + chicken noodle soup + Refresh sachet (orange)
Extras:  Water purification tablets + salt + pot scrubber + chewing gum
Nestle Iced Tea + tea ( 1 T sugar) (760gms total)


Tramping Food: Day 2

I will take freeze dried meals with me if he trip is going to last for over three days..it is hard to argue with the convenience of these meals. I would much rather have 'fresh' food alas fresh food is very heavy and more difficult to prepare. The mashed spuds are to add some more carbohydrates to the main meal which did not have any pasta, potatoes or grains with it. 

Tramping food- Day 2

Breakfast:  Cream o' wheat + raisins + 1t sugar/milk powder + Tea
Lunch: Crackers + Pate + electrolyte drink
Snacks: Peanuts + Special K biscuit + scroggin pack+ Steak bar
Dinner: BCC Chicken a la King + mashed spuds + Miso soup + Refresh sachet (lemon/lime)
Extras: Puri Tabs + salt + pot scrubber
Nestle Iced Tea + tea ( 1 T sugar) (710gms total)

Tramping Food: Day 3


Tuna fish is the ambrosia of the gods for trampers especially if you get the type with olive oil added to it. Good for lunches and as a dinner addition. I prefer plain tuna unfortunately all the packet tuna we Kiwis can buy is weird...like peri peri spiced, with loathsome coconut or ground rhino testicles added...yeercckkkk!!! Just give us some plain tuna you arses!


Tramping food- Day 3

Breakfast:  Porridge +1t sugar/milk powder + raisins + Tea
Lunch: Crackers + Tuna + electrolyte drink
Snacks: Peanuts (honey roasted) + raisin's + steak bar + cheese quarter
Dinner: Chicken noodles w. beef and vege's + Spring vege soup + Refresh sachet (orange)
Extras: Puri tabs + salt + pot scrubber + chewing gum
Nestle Iced Tea + Cappuccino sachet + tea ( 1 T sugar) (730gms total)

Tramping Food: Day 4: Longest day on this tramp, 17 km's (6-8 hours)

At the end of a long hard tramping day I just want something quick and easy to prepare...freeze dried Spag Bol fits like a glove. You should never discount the reviving power of some drinks...tea, coffee, hot chocolate, electrolyte drinks and powdered fruit drinks..they are all good. I also enjoy a cup of soup in the late afternoon as a precursor to my dinner.


Tramping food- Day 4

Tramping food- Day 4 close-up
Breakfast:  Porridge + 1t sugar/milk powder + raisins + Tea
Lunch: Crackers + peanut butter + electrolyte drink
Snacks: le snack + raisin's + peanut M & M's + Steak bar
Dinner: BCC Spag Bolognaise + tinned herrings ( I like them) + Beef soup + Refresh sachet (lemon/lime)
Extras: Puri tabs + salt + scrubber + 3x fruit chews (candy)
Nestle Iced Tea + Cappuccino sachet + tea ( 1 T sugar) (720gms total)

I'm going to be buggered by the end of this day so just want something quick and tasty for dinner.


Tramping Food: Day 5: Last Day of the tramp (only Breakfast and snacks)


I sometimes eat freeze dried meals for breakfast but not on a regular basis, I usually go for the blander meals; Cooked Breakfast, Scrambled Eggs, Nasi Goreng (rice, veges and eggs) & Creamy Carbonara. I actually switched meals..I gave the Honey Soy Chicken to the TA trampers and had left over crackers and peanut butter for breakfast instead. 


Tramping food- Day 5
Breakfast:  BCC Honey Soy Chicken (2 serve) + tea (1T Sugar)
Snacks: Le Snack + raisin's + Nut Bar+ cheese quarter  (320gms total)


Tramping food- 5 Days + my lunch crackers


All up the food and sundries for this 5 day trip weight 2.7 kg's, or roughly 650 gm's per day.

Post Script: The breakfasts and main meals were fine but too many snacks taken. I ate my tinned herrings on my crackers on day three instead of the peanut butter. Loved the crackers which have now gone out of production....as usual! I had crackers and peanut butter for breakfast on the last day...they were tasty.

Both the Nestle Iced Tea and crackers are no longer available in New Zealand...more is the pity because both of them were excellent.

I ended up giving a bag of 5-6 snacks, one main meal and some drinks to a group of hungry Te Araroa Trail trekkers who were short of food. Better that carrying around useless weight and I like to help people out.


The Henry River Valley sweltering under 32 degree temperatures, St James Walkway


A combination of  warm weather, a trip shortened by one day and lack of appetite meant I didn't use all these calories.  I've adjusted my amounts and now take 2-3 snacks per day.


Monday 20 October 2014

Tramping food: Food for a four day tramp

Tramping food for four days


I'm preparing for a trip this weekend and thought I would show you the kind of food I take with me when I go out tramping. This is for a four day trip, so 4 lunches, 3 dinners and 3 breakfasts. I also take some emergency food, quick cook pasta/noodles/cous-cous and a couple of packages of instant porridge (oatmeal to you Americans).

Four days worth of tramping food laid out for inspection

It is not uncommon for New Zealand trampers to get stuck on the wrong side of a river for a day or two after a touch of rain so you need a small emergency food backup just in case. It is no fun having an enforced hut or tent day with no food.

Why you need spare food: Flooding river (note storm in background)

Breakdown of my tramping meal periods: breakfast, lunch, dinner

What I'm looking for is a good mix of carbs/fats/sugars/protein to keep me going all day long. You also want a mix of tastes and a sweet/savoury mix so your food doesnt become boring.

 Generally, breakfast will be porridge, toaster pastries, freeze dried meals (savoury or desserts) or muesli with milk (powdered), cheese or salami and a cup of tea. I sometimes eat freeze dried eggs cooked and in a tortilla if I have the time. I also love the freeze dried rice pudding which you can buy from Absolute Wilderness.

Breakfast: eating a freeze dried Applepie at Bark Bay Hut


Lunches are crackers or tortillas with peanut butter/tuna/salami/cheese or pate. I will take 2-3 snacks per day as well as drinks like iced tea, coffee, tea and electrolyte mixes. Two minute noodles are also  good for lunch as they are lightweight and quick to prepare.


Lunch on the Lewis Pass Tops: raisins, crackers, tuna, and a lemon lime drink

 My dinner staples tend to be dried foods: pasta/rice/noodles/instant mashed potato with various additions and flavourings.  I usually start with an instant soup followed by my main meal and any left over snacks for desert.

 
Cooking dinner at Lake Christabel Hut..freze dried meal and iced tea

I occasionally take freeze dried meals, they are simple to prepare (just add hot water) and lightweight but expensive to buy. Very occasionally I take thermo-stabilised pouch meals from companies like Kaweka or MTR but weight is an issue with these.

Freeze dried Venison and Rice Noodle stirfry
Freeze dried Venison and Rice Noodle stirfry


I  finish the day with coffee, tea or a cold drink mix. Or hot Raro, yum!


Me drinking tea in East Hawdon Biv, Arthurs Pass N.P


I'm always on the lookout for good dinner meal ideas; ease of preparation, weight and taste are my criteria, not necessarily in that order.

The four day tramping menu...

Below is a representative four day menu showing  different types of main meal options and how they interact with each other. You want a bit of variety in your meals for interest sake..I once meet a person walking the Te Araroa Trail who ate porridge for all three meals.

That may be fine for you but I would hate that with a passion...

Tramping food:Day One

I'm eating a MTR retort curry on day one....with rice as a accompaniment, I would eat these bagged meals all the time but the weight would be prohibitive.



Breakfast:  At home (I often buy MacDonalds etc. on the way out of town)
Lunch: Sandwiches + fruit from home + electrolyte drink
Snacks: Olives + raisin's + scroggin pack
Dinner: MTR Paneer Butter Masala
MTR Jeeri Rice
Nestle Iced Tea + tea ( 1 T sugar) (580gms total)


Tramping food: Day 2

Mashed spuds with vegetables, meat, cheese and sometimes added gravy powder make for an excellent tramping meal...I really like it and it is one of my 'go to' tramping menu choices. 

Im also partial to a good instant Mac n' Cheese but Im not taking any with me on this trip. 




Breakfast:Instant Porridge with Raisins/milk powder/sugar + cheese wedge + tea ( 1 T sugar)
Lunch: Peanut butter (x2) + crackers + electrolyte drink
Snacks: Strawberry toaster pastries + raisins + steak bar
Dinner: Instant Cheese Mash + beef jerky + cheese wedge + dried onion
Nestle Iced Tea + tea ( 1 T sugar) (460gms total)



Tramping food: Day 3

The longer the trip the more freeze dried meals I would be eating. I have usually eaten all the fresh food before day 3-4 so after that it is freeze dried meals for dinner each day.

They may not be the tastiest but its hard to argue with that weight to nutrition ratio..and the taste & quality is geting better all of the time.





Breakfast: Cream of Wheat + raisins + milk powder + sugar + tea ( 1 T sugar)
Lunch:Farmhouse Pate + crackers + electrolyte drink
Snacks: Raisins+ beef jerky + fruit and nut chocolate bar
Dinner: Back Country Cuisine: Roast lamb with vegetables & mash (2 serve)
Nestle Iced Tea + tea (1 T sugar) (475 gms total)



Tramping food: Day 4


I'm eating a single serve freeze dried meal for breakfast on the last day as I am walking for a long distance. I usually eat the bland varieties: Scrambled Eggs, Tomato Pasta Alfredo, Nasi Goreng, All Day Breakfast etc. as I don't want to be tramping with a curry on board.

Me eating a Tomato Pasta Alfredo in Mid Robinson Hut in 2016

Also toaster pastries...they are jammed packed with sugar but also carbohydrates, fats and some protein. Your going to burn it all off over the day so the sugar doesn't mater and they taste good after a couple of days in the bush.




Breakfast: Back Country Cuisine: Nasi Goreng (1 serve) + toaster pastries + tea ( 1 T sugar)
Lunch: Farmhouse Pate + crackers + electrolyte drink
Snacks: Steak bar + raisins + scroggin mix pack
Dinner: At home (or on the way home) (370gms total)

Total weight of food: 2.2kg including the box of crackers

Tramping bread

 I've tried a lot of different things to use as my "daily bread" (bread/crackers/tortilla's/wraps/crisp-bread) but always come back to these beauties. Arnotts Sesame Wheat crackers go great with everything and I really appreciate the salt on them.

Arnotts Sesame Wheat: My daily bread on tramping excursions

My second most popular choice would be Farrah Wraps which come in a variety of different flavours. These will last for 3-4 days if handled with care, I fold them and place them in small zip lock bags.


Farrah Wrap's, spinach is my favourite flavour

MTR thermo stabilised meals for tramping

Here is a new item I'm trying out as tramping food; MTR ready to eat meals. MTR is an Indian brand, imported for sale in New Zealand; they are thermo stabilised pouch meals. You chuck them in a pot of water and boil for 3-5 minutes. The other heating method is by using one of the Back Country flame-less ration heaters, these boil water through chemical action to heat your food.

A Backcountry flameles ration heater


There are 3-4 types of rice and a dozen mains available, I've tried a couple and they are very tasty. I have since discovered that these are in Indian Army, Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) ration packs.


MTR Indian Meal - Jeera Rice
This trip I have Jeera Rice and Paneer Butter Masala, the beauty of these meals is that they can be eaten hot or cold (just like a MRE). They have a subtle mix of spices in them, vegetables and this one has cubes of cottage cheese.

MTR Indian meal - Paneer Butter Masala

The realy make a change to your bog standard Backcountry Freeze dried meals.

Or try a Kaweka meal...

A similar idea are the Kaweka Meals, they are also in thermo stabilised pouches that just need to be heated in hot water. They are delicious and consist of a main and a side dish: either rice, mashed potato or cous-cous.

These are used in both Australian and NZ Army issued ration packs.

Some of the Kaweka meal range
Their main meals include:

Butter Chicken and Rice
Thai Green Curry and Rice
Beef and Red Wine Casserole with mash
Beans, Bangers and Bacon
Apricot Chicken with cous cous
Lamb Casserole with mash

These meals are available in all of the larger supermarkets throughout New Zealand.

Kaweka went out of business in 2017 but similar meals are now in Go Native 24 hour ration packs available from most outdoor stores. 


Go Native 24 hour ration packs....taste good but expensive!
The contents of a Go Native 24 hour ration pack

Always keep your eyes open for tasty items you can add to your tramping menus.

Snackage: I love them raisins !


As you can see I like raisins, they are my favourite snack as well as an additive for porridge and cream of wheat. I always carry some with me on every tramping trip. Raisins are heavier than some other snacks but I enjoy the more natural sugar high you get off a pack...much better than that from chocolate. 

Mmmmm...Raisins!

Other snacks I carry include; fresh and dried fruit, muesli bars, chocolate, nuts, toaster pastries, jerky, olives, steak bars, biscuits and cheese slices/wedges/rounds (Baby Bels rock people and last for 2-3 days). I try to take a variety of snacks so I dont get sick of any one item.


Jack Link's Steak Bars..solid jerky bars....yum!!!



Babybel cheese...tasty and will last for 2-3 days


There are many more but what I like is a sweet/savoury mix with a lean to the salty - savoury end of the scale. I am not big on the scroggin/GORP/trail mix however as I find it is heavy and you quickly grow tired of it regardless of the contents.


Classic scroggin/trail mix...I am not a fan.

Anyway, that is just a quick overview of some of my tramping meal ideas.

Monday 1 September 2014

Plans for the 2014/2015 Summer period

Spring is here, and with it the start of better weather for tramping and generally getting out into the outdoors.

Tarns on Bealey Spur, September 2014
 
 
I have been considering my plans for the next year and have nominated several "must do's" for this period.
They are (in no particular order):
 
1. To tramp at least one Great Walk per year (9 total)
 
2. To tramp at least one private walk
 
3. To tramp at least one multiday track
 
Im currently looking at walking the Kepler track in March 2015, Ive narrowed the private track down to the Kaikoura Coastal Track or Humpridge.  I'm planning to walk the St James Walkway before Christmas, a trip I had planned for February 2014 but had to cancel due to the weather (Cyclone Ita).
 
Additionally Ive set myself the long term goal of section walking the Te Araroa trail, South Island first. I will be planning a series of trips to achieve this goal over the next couple of years. Im presently gathering info on the sections over the Harper Pass, Mingha-Deception route and the Rakaia to Rangitata sections.  My idea is that if I set myself some goals it will help me to plan and execute these trips. I want to maximise the amount of time i have out in the bush.
 
I am keen to do more bush camping and will be planning some weekend trips towards this end. Ive joined Permolat a group that maintains remote tracks and huts and will be looking to spend some time cutting back tracks etc.  
 
That sounds like enough to be going on with!

Wednesday 11 September 2013

Tramping Food: Freezer bag cooking, trail food made simple by Sarah Svien


Freezer Bag Cookery: a book by Sarah Svien

I am always looking for ways to increase the variety and taste of the food I eat while tramping. My general pattern is too take fresh food for the first day or two (steak... yum, yum!) and then rely on dried or freeze dried meals for the remainder of the trip. 
 
Freezer bag cookery by Sarah Svien


Freezer bag cooking : trail food made simple, by Sarah Svien is the title of a book I am currently reading, The book is a collection of quick cook hiking food recipes which are made by adding water to various ingredients. There are recipes for all three meals plus snack and dessert ideas.

The author suggests Asian food markets as a source of ingredients, a recent visit found the following items;
  • dried fish (shrimp/white fish/prawns)
  • dried rice/noodles
  • udon meals
  • dried mushrooms/vegetables/onion/shallots
  • pasta, cous cous, instant mashed potato
  • freeze dried meat (pork/beef)
  • soups, miso, pickles etc
.
With these and other items like fresh vegetables, tinned fish/chicken, bouillon cubes, spices and herbs many tasty meals can be made.

A simple cous cous meal...


A tramping food recipe from the book to try


Here is an example of one of the recipes, this is;

Herbed Tomato Rice

Ingredients
1cinstant rice
1⁄4cfreeze-dried corn
1⁄4csun-dried tomatoes
1Tdiced dried onion
1 1⁄2tlower sodium beef or chicken bouillon
1tgranulated garlic
1⁄4tdried oregano
1Tolive oil
200gm
cheddar cheese

Notes

Find in the cheese sticks in the dairy aisle near the string cheese. Sun-dried tomatoes can be found in the produce department of most grocery stores, dried onion in the spice aisle.

Instructions

At home:
Pack the rice through oregano into a quart freezer bag. Tuck the oil and cheese in with the bag.

In camp:
Freezer Bag Cookery (FBC) method:

Add 1 1/2 cups near boiling water and the oil to the dry ingredients in a quart freezer bag. Seal tightly and tuck in a freezer bag cozy to insulate for 15 minutes.

One pot method:
Bring 1 1/2 cups water and the oil to a boil, add in the dry ingredients. Take off the heat and cover tightly. Let sit for 15 minutes (in cooler temperatures or at altitude use a pot cozy to retain heat).
Dice up the cheese and fold in.





Thursday 29 November 2012

Welcome to my tramping blog

Welcome to my tramping blog NZ Bush Adventures!


Hi there, my name is Jonathan Moake.

Me crossing Travers Pass, Nelson Lakes NP in 2018


This is the first post for my new blog about tramping, hiking, camping, DOC huts, MTB riding, tramping food, backcountry skills, equipment, the environment, mountaineering and other outdoor concerns.


Jon Moake, at Ryde Falls in the Oxford Forest Park

 A little bit about me: Jon Moake

 I am a tramper (that's hiker/rambler to those from the US/UK) in my 50's, and I live in Christchurch, on the South Island of New Zealand.


Spenser Mountains, Lewis Pass SR, from the Lewis Pass Tops

I have been visiting the forests and mountains for many years, with particular attention to the parks and forests close to Christchurch, my home town. My tramping trips range from one day right through to longer periods up to a week.

One of our iconic mountain huts, Mid Robinson, Victoria FP


After an extended break from tramping I have decided to get into the outdoors again. This blog will be a record of my experiences. I have tramped extensively throughout both the North and South Island, from the Central Plateau volcanoes south to Rakuira/Stewart Island.

Torrent Bay, tramping the Abel Tasman Great Walk in Sep. 2017

My main stamping grounds include Arthurs Pass National Park, the Canterbury Foothills, Lake Sumner Forest Park,  Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve all around an hours drive from my home.
I also enjoy tramping on the Port Hills and Banks Peninsula which are right on my doorstep.


On the summit of Mt Herbert in 2020

Lyttleton Harbour and Canterbury from high on Banks Peninsula


Further afield I love exploring Nelson Lakes NP, Kahurangi NP and the Abel Tasman NP.

The Cobb Valley Tent Camp, Kahurangi NP (2020)



Its a pleasure to have you on this journey with me.....let's see where we can go!