Posts Tagged ‘New Zealand’
23/05/2009
Christophe Pelet, Blogger extrodinaire in NZ's S.Alps
Christophe Pelet from France, shares images and word of New Zealand with heart.
A fellow traveler and volunteer hut warden at *French Ridge, *Frenchman (*coincidence? Maybe not) Christophe Pelet has become a good friend of ours. In fact he’s been hanging here in Auckland before he heads back to France. He’s been traveling New Zealand since late 2008 and been writing a great blog. But it’s in French so you’ll have to sharpen your French reading skills. He’s one of the best photographers I’ve seen, the images he creates through the lens of his camera are stunning and moving.
Author's niece and nephew with Christophe Pelet
So it’s worth a visit just for the photos. There’s tons of history and background on all sorts of New Zealand aspects, as well as good commentary on his *”Wwoof“ing experiences. *(World Wide Opportunities On Organic Farms)
See Christophe’s Blog where his most recent entry is called “The Top of New Zealand.
Tags:adventure travel, Blogs in French, Christophe Pelet, Dexter R. Richards, ecospiritual psychology, Experiential Education, France, Holistic Living, Mountain Spirit, Mountaineering, mtnspirit.org, New Hampshire, New Zealand, Organic Farms, Peru, Randy Richards, Spiritual, Sunapee, Sustainability, travel photography, wwoof
Posted in New Zealand, Sustainable Living/Communities, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
16/05/2009
From New Zealand to Utah, From Alaska to New Hampshire – Ice bergs to Honeycombs
It’s called calving, when a glacier’s edge dramatically breaks off. Many cruise ships take the tour along Alaska’s shores. From Seward and other harbors along the coast, one can sign on for a daily round-trip to get up close views.
Perito Mereno Glacier, Argentina
The dramatic Perito Mereno Glacier in Argentina’s Southern windswept Los Glaciares National Park has many visitors.and is possibly the most famous rivers of ice in the world because. It was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1981. Amanda and I stopped at Tasman Lake in New Zealand’s Mt. Cook National Park to see the floating ice bergs in the grey-green water thick with rock flower. We hiked up to the top of an old terminal moraine and saw the bergs as the sun was setting.
White Pine Lake, Utah
More than a few times, I’ve jumped into such frigid waters, after a run or back country mountain sleep, just to wake me up. While at University of Utah, when I was still learning about the mountains, I did an overnight up White Pine Canyon in the late fall and jumped into White Pine Lake near Snowbird. A few minutes later, it had a skim of ice on it. That’s chilly, but there were no icebergs or calving going on, just shivering.
Lake Tasman, Mt. Cook
The Tasman Glacier regularly claves ice bergs but the evening we were there it was calm and each iceberg gave us a show of *“petreflections” of various sizes and patterns.
When the ice goes out in Lake Sunapee, NH, the reader may be curious to know that there usually aren’t big ice bergs. Then again, I didn’t grow up on the west side of the lake, where the whole lot piles up on a windy afternoon leaving dramatic piles of ice, as if the town dump truck and just deposited its backlog for the winter. On the east side of the lake, we observe the ice gradually thinning from the spring melt, and as it thins, darkens to almost a black. It turn into “honeycomb ice” we call it, where its transformed from the meter-thick solid sheet that runs the whole lake, to fragile, loosely held together elongated splinters that fall apart when scooped up in your hand. Those of us that grew us as kids along the shore of a lake will know what I mean. Daily we watch the progression.
*Petreflections Galore
Official Ice Out day is declared when Artie Osborne can take his boat from the north tip at George’s Mills to Newbury, some 10-13 miles distant without obstruction. To my knowledge, he still makes the trip, and in the process, closes the informal town bets for the season. Go swim in an ice-berg filled lake sometime. It’s the right thing to do.
Author’s Note: Also see my earlier entry on largest iceberg breaks off of Tasman Glacier in 100 years.
*Petreflections: A term coined by Kathy Lowe. See her link above.
Tags:adventure travel, Alaska, Argentina, Arthur Osborne, Dexter R. Richards, ecospiritual psychology, Experiential Education, Georges Mills, Holistic Living, Ice Bergs, Kathy Lowe Bloch, Little Cottonwood Canyon, Los Glaciares National Park, Mountain Spirit, Mountaineering, Mt. Cook National Park, mtnspirit.org, New Hampshire, New Zealand, Newbury NH, Petroflections, Randy Richards, Sunapee NH, Sustainability, UNESCO, Utah, White Pine Canyon
Posted in Environment, Glaciology, New Zealand, Power of Place, South America, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
15/05/2009
R. Richards and A. Hamilton at Mt. Cook, NZ Ceremony set for 30th May near Auckland
Executive Director Randall Richards is getting married to Amanda Hamilton. Randy 51, is a native of Sunapee New Hampshire, USA, and Amanda, 40, born in South Africa, who has been living in New Zealand for a number of years, are planning a simple ceremony at the end of the month. Neither have been married before, nor have any children.
It took their mutual friend Lizbeth Asserhoj from Denmark, living in Copenhagen, to put them together. Richards knew Asserhoj from travels in Peru, and Hamilton first met her in Australia, and later traveled with her in India. Lizbeth thought the two would get along, and went so far as to invite Richards on the India trip in hopes the two would cross paths and hit it off.
What started with some emails and Skype video calls, soon developed into a trip to New Hampshire, USA for Amanda, and month later, a trip for Randy to NZ. The two will be having the ceremony on the 3oth of May at Piha Beach near Auckland, New Zealand, Amanda’s twin sister, mother and friends will be present. The two will also plan celebratory gatherings in the U.S. when they eventually return.
Ceremony on N. end of Piha Beach, NZ
Both are lovers of the mountains. Hamilton has been a ranger for the Aspiring National Park for the last few seasons on New Zealand’s South Island, and has enjoyed trekking in Nepal, the Alps and other areas. Richards has been climbing, skiing and mountain guiding most of his life.
Tags:adventure travel, Amanda Hamilton, Dexter R. Richards, ecospiritual psychology, Experiential Education, Holistic Living, Hut Ranger, Mountain Spirit, Mountaineering, Mt. Aspiring National Park, mtnspirit.org, New Hampshire, New Zealand, Peru, Piha Beach, Randy Richards, Spiritual, Sunapee, Sustainability
Posted in Holistic Living, Mountain People, New Zealand, Spiritual | 1 Comment »
23/04/2009
R Richards, MSI's Founder, Director
Due to MSI Director, R. Richards’ plans to spend “a bit” more time in New Zealand, he is seeking concession/commercial use permits in order to lead programs in Mt. Aspiring National Park and other areas on the South Island. Department of Conservation, (D.O.C.), (a combination of Forest Service, and Park Service), have given a nod that the permit process could be a go for the organization, given all needed documents are presented and the prerequisites and qualifications are there to apply. A concurrent step is to investigate either setting up a New Zealand non-profit organization, or to continue under MSI’s U.S. status.
True to form, Richards has launched the New Zealand MSI website in preparation of launching the NZ programs, “to get the word out.” Says Richards, “We’re getting some good signs, responses from the public and D.O.C.” He adds, ” There seems to
Glacier & Mountain Experiences on the Horizon
be a strong interest and market for Peru. I can see MSI running trips in both directions, Kiwis to Peru, Utah, Alaska and New Hampshire, Chimu Inka Peruvian Music to New Zealand and Yankees to the South Island to see what Mt. Aspiring is all about.” One particular interest that Richards sees on the horizon is targeting youth in Auckland and Wellington who suffer from Nature Deficit Disorder. “There’s a strong need to get our youth connected to the mountains again.” Richards says, ” New Zealand is not immune to technology taking over young people’s concept of reality. I think we can help.”
Tags:adventure travel, Dexter R. Richards, ecospiritual psychology, Experiential Education, Holistic Living, Mountain Spirit, Mountaineering, mtnspirit.org, New Zealand, Peru, Spiritual, Sunapee, Sustainability
Posted in MSI News, New Zealand | Leave a Comment »
18/04/2009
Governor's Bay, Picton, NZ
Early Bird Catches the Shot
We were to catch the ferry from New Zealand’s South Island to the North island. The Ferry first weaves its way from Picton Harbor, through a long sound, before opening out into the open water between north and south islands. The passage is seen in the image at right. The crossing takes about 3.5 hours, which departed at 8am. We encamped on the Queen Charlotte Drive just west of Picton, and this early morning sunrise of the sound started our day.
Tags:adventure travel, Dexter R. Richards, ecospiritual psychology, Experiential Education, Governor's Bay, Holistic Living, Meditation, Mountain Spirit, mtnspirit.co.nz, mtnspirit.org, New Hampshire, New Zealand, Peru, Picton, Randy Richards, Solo, Spiritual, Sunapee, Sustainability, USA, Utah, wilderness yoga
Posted in New Zealand, Power of Place, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
18/04/2009
Wanaka ReStart Store
A group of women in Wanaka, New Zealand saw a need for a better way to recycle perfectly good items that were going to the landfill. That’s when they decided to do something about it and started the “ReStore” a number of years ago. The store is a success story in that it serves a vital function in reducing the landfill flow, allows a source for people to purchase used items, and allows the community to re-think their priorities on what happens in the use-cycle of their stuff. The ReStore is actually called Wanaka Wastebusters (www.wanakawastebusters.co.nz) and their store is a feast for the eyes.
(Image: Dan Robertson, an employee of Wanaka Recycling, exits the ReStore to tend the recycle bins)
Wanaka Waste-busters Glass
There’s a cult following in Salt Lake City Utah of Deseret Industries stores, operated by the Mormons. Most of the author’s wardrobe comes from high quality used clothes from Deseret Industries. Talking to others who frequent the Deseret Industries stores is like sharing a rock-climbing or alpine adventure story. And all of my favorite clothes are those from “D.I.” as it’s affectionately called amongst Utah locals.
(Image: The glass recycle bin and containers for household items and building materials at Wanaka Wastebusters)
In Wanaka, the ReStore looks like any other thrift store but it’s part of an in the center of the town recycle center. They’ve got recycling down to a fine art. A huge percentage of New Zealanders recycle and it can be seen in the activities at Wanaka Wastebusters.
Wanaka's Angus Ho at "ReStore"
Project Team Member, Angus Ho is soft spoken but talks intensely about his project, Get Real.org.nz which aims at educating people and government in reducing and eventually eliminating plastic bag use at stores throughout the country. Ho has set up an info board and laptop where citizens can sign a petition for legislation on the subject. The following are a few Q&A from the Wastebusters newsletter, (Yes, they have a newsletter):
Angus, what do you do in your job?
Angus Ho: I promote and design projects and campaigns. I set up the green Christmas Presents Campaign and the Recycled Envelope Campaign. I’m also doing waste check-ups for households and businesses. (more…)
Tags:adventure travel, Angus Ho, Dexter R. Richards, ecospiritual psychology, Experiential Education, getreal.org.nz, Holistic Living, Meditation, Mountain Spirit, mtnspirit.co.nz, mtnspirit.org, New Hampshire, New Zealand, Peru, Randy Richards, recycling, Solo, Spiritual, starting a recycle store, Sue Coutts, Sunapee, Sustainability, town dumps, USA, Utah, Wanaka ReStore, Wanaka Wastebusters, wilderness yoga
Posted in Climate Change, Leadership, New Zealand, Sustainable Living/Communities | Leave a Comment »
18/04/2009
Lake Outlet Campground, Wanaka NZ
Lake Outlet Campground in Wanaka, New Zealand might look like your every-day campground in a stunning setting, tucked in amongst the low windswept trees alongside the shores of Lake Wanaka, but I assure this is no ordinary campground. Owners Glenn Tattersall and Tracy Addison happened to be at the right place at the right time a few years ago when they expressed interest in taking over the campground from landowner and operator Liam Urquhart. According to campground employee Joshua, Urquhart no longer was interested in running the campground, apparently the land developers caught word of his intentions and offered him millions for the lakefront property. ( Private lakefront property ownership doesn’t exist in New Zealand due to a national law called the Queen’s Chain that declares all land, starting from the high water line at the shore and going 40 meters (120 feet) back are public property and right of way. This also goes for rivers. The public is allowed to use this land for recreation and fishing access.)
About that time, enters Tattersall and Addison. The owner had no interest in selling to developers and with a lot of work was able to come up with a thirty-five year lease which not only provided Glenn and Tracy with a way in which to operate the campground, but put the land in protection during the next 35 year lease.
The author’s father once owned a lakefront campground near Fisher’s Bay in Sunapee New Hampshire, USA, in the mid 1960’s. The tents eventually gave way to million dollar homes in the form of a “funnel development “ called Oakledge. (The term “funnel development” is used for subdivisions which use a small amount of lake frontage to sell and support a large number of home lots away from the lakefront. This shared access allows many homeowners access to boat docks, beaches, launching ramps etc. Funnel developments were no longer allowed in the early 1970’s in New Hampshire, USA)
In the free market , it was an obvious course of events, as tents wouldn’t pay the bills as much as a subdivision. So I had personal experience of the value of what Mr. Urquhart and Tattersall and Ms. Addison had accomplished at Lake Outlet.
And Lakeside is no mere campground. Tattersall states his goals in running the operation – “We are making this operation as green as possible. Through our improvements and renovations we will be installing energy efficient appliances in the renovated green building of the main shower and kitchen complex.
Tentsite: Working with nature, not dominating it.
We are also working with the landscape rather than dominating it. Our tent and RV sites are interspersed around the existing trees and we intend to plant more trees.” He concluded, “This land is locked up in preservation for the next 35 years, and we’re proud to have had a part in that.” Of course none of this would have been possible without the stalwart vision and forward thinking of the landowner.
Tags:adventure travel, Dexter R. Richards, ecospiritual psychology, Experiential Education, Glenn Tattersall, Holistic Living, Lake Outlet Holiday Park and Campground, Meditation, Mountain Spirit, mtnspirit.co.nz, mtnspirit.org, New Hampshire, New Zealand, Peru, Randy Richards, Solo, Spiritual, Sunapee, Sustainability, Tracy Addison, USA, Utah, Wanaka, wilderness yoga
Posted in Conservation, Inspirational People, Leadership, New Zealand, Power of Place, Service, Sustainable Living/Communities | Leave a Comment »
18/03/2009
Animal-Guitar Lover
Another Study proves it, animals like music. Well, it’s not an official study, but an observation over the years. Watching birds come to the watering hole outside of Sedona Arizona years ago when I played my Native American Flute, and most recently-
Pied Kea Piper
I was playing my little Indian flute, which cost all of two dollars, and a Kea at French Ridge starting coming around, and singing on the off beat. He was perched on the roof for the longest time while I stood below, outside the hut looking up at him as I played.
I brought my “glacier guitar” up the crazy French Ridge Trail. (Maybe it was me that was crazy).
My Alpine Parrot Audience
So I put it to good use, and attracted three kea who stood and listened for about 15 minutes. Again they would caw on the off beats when I’d hold a measure or two for them. We all had a grand time.
Tags:adventure travel, Dexter R. Richards, ecospiritual psychology, Experiential Education, Guitars in the mountains, Holistic Living, Kea, Mountain Spirit, Mountaineering, mtnspirit.org, Music Therapy, New Hampshire, New Zealand, Peru, Randy Richards, Spiritual, Sunapee, Sustainability
Posted in Climb/Ski/Mntneering, Holistic Living, Music | 1 Comment »
18/03/2009
The View from French Ridge Hut
I recently had the opportunity to volunteer at French Ridge Hut last week. We had an unusual clear spell of almost cloudless blue skies, day after day. More times than not, the wind can howl on this ridge, making it difficult to make the journey to the privy, perched on the ridge, (so helicopters can more easily pick up the poop canisters).
Near Mt. Avalanche-Gloomy Gorge
I recently heard of one fellow who was sent to his death when the hut he was in, was blown off the mountain. I’m sure some of the readers have been on a fire lookout tower in high winds, having complete trust in the structure. Hmmm. Makes one think. Be sure to inquire or check to see if the hut you’re in has tie-down cables. French Ridge does not. I trust the architect, up to a point. It depends on how strong are the gale force winds. This is a bit tongue in cheek, or ice axe in ground.
Waterfall Rainbow, Gloomy Gorge
French Ridge and the environs is a magical place. It’s getting a lot of traffic from hikers as well as climbers. I was there later in the season, (just last week), when traffic to and from the Collin Todd Hut, and Mt. Aspiring had been halted due to the Quarterdeck section of glacier coming down from the Bonar Glacier was breaking up too badly to allow passage.
Monkeying around on the "Quarter Deck"
We decided to monkey around on the lower ramparts of the Quarterdeck anyway, for a day of walking, crevasse rescue and rope team travel practice, and a little bit of climbing in some dramatic scenery. While we were rather restricted in where we could actually go, we still had fun. The dry glacier provided some great ice climbing practice. I love glacier ice, which is a far cry from New
More playing around on some "safe" broken up bits.
Hampshire’s Frankenstein Cliff’s. I’ve just read a piece on climbing on the Fox Glacier that has me interested in doing some glacial ice there.
Kea in Flight
At the hut and just above, Keas, which are amazing Alpine parrots, seemed our constant companions. I figuring out when they would take off, and got some snaps of them in flight. One, at the hut, the other with Mt. Avalanche in the background just above the hut. They are very personable and curious creatures, if not troublesome. When we arrived at the hut on Day 1, the door to the was open, and the keas had made themselves at home, leaving the place a mess.
Kea, Amanda, Mt Avalanche
Just across from the Hut, on the ramparts of Rob Roy, is an impressive waterfall. It’s interesting and beautiful because the water comes piling down and hits a flat plateau, shooting the water out into space, like a jet stream. Then when the sun is hitting the wall just right, a rainbow is formed.
Tags:adventure travel, Alpine Parrot, Brenda Dowst, Dexter R. Richards, ecospiritual psychology, Experiential Education, French Ridge, Glacier Travel, Gloomy Gorge, Holistic Living, Ice Climbing, Kea, Mountain Spirit, Mountaineering, Mt. Aspiring, mtnspirit.org, New Hampshire, New Zealand, Quarter Deck, Randy Richards, Spiritual, Sunapee, Sustainability
Posted in Climb/Ski/Mntneering, Environment, Glaciology, MSI News, New Zealand, Power of Place, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
07/03/2009
The Bagers in their "mountain classroom"
The Danish family of five had headlamps but had decided they didn’t need them. The moonlight illuminated their way. They left the trailhead around dark and rode their mountain bikes on the single, sometimes double track up the valley, being sure to keep the Matuktuki River on their right. Dennis, the father, aside from briefly looking at the map, was going on memory. He had been in this place some 15 or twenty years prior, but that time he was high above this place, and almost slid off Cascade Pass on snow covered wet grass, losing his fingernails while self arresting with hands and nose. This return trip had a different sense of adventure. He was returning with his wife Birgette and his three children Manus 10, Rasmus, and their little sister Frederikke, 7. And this trip was part of a bigger adventure. He and Birgette were about a third of their way through a two year round-the-world educational odyssey with their kids. They pedaled into Aspiring Hut around 11pm, tip toeing into the hut with their gear, careful not to disturb sleeping climbers and hikers. I had heard they had just arrived , and what’s more that they had shipped their 1990 VW oversized camper complete with school books and bikes from Denmark through Asia, Australia, and were headed to South America after a good long stint in New Zealand I had to find out more. The next morning I asked if I could interview them. Dennis jokingly said no but later agreed and even said I could get more info off their website.
MSI: Do you mind if I ask? How are you able to afford to take two years off with your whole family?
Dennis Bager: In Denmark there has been a law that allows either a man or a woman to take a family leave before their child is nine years old. This law has existed for two reasons. (more…)
Tags:adventure travel, Alternative Learning, Bager Family, Bob Stremba, Brenda Dowst, Cindy Heath, Craig Cimmons, Dennis Bager, Dexter R. Richards, ecospiritual psychology, Experiential Education, Holistic Living, Home Schooling, Mountain Spirit, Mountaineering, mtnspirit.org, New Hampshire, New Zealand, Peru, Randy Richards, Spiritual, Sunapee, Sustainability
Posted in Health, Holistic Living, Inspirational People, New Zealand, Peru, South America, Sustainable Living/Communities, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
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