Hiking

How much experiance do you have tramping? If you don't have much, I wouldn't. There's just sooo much that can go wrong.

If you've got the gear and have plenty of experience, I still don't really think I'd do it. I can think of a few potential hitches - firstly, if one of you will be carrying the baby, you'll only have one pack to carry enough gear, food and water for the two of you and bubs. You could go as light as possible (I assume you'd be planning on staying in a hut, so you wouldn't have a tent to carry?) but even then, carrying gear for two people is damn hard work, and babies seem to need a lot of extra stuff. It would be a really bad idea to skimp on things like polypros and warm clothes - you may not need them, but if you do, you can very easily die without them.

You'd also need to think hard as about contingency plans - what if bubs got sick or had an accident out in the bush? I know you always have to think about that anyway, whether you're taking a baby or not, but I guess I'd tend to worry more about a little one.

Maybe I'm getting soft in my old age , but I think I'd consider the extra work and risk involved just too much. How about camping at a road end or in a DOC campsite where you can do a couple of really nice day walks? I think that's the option I'd go for, myself. I haven't done much tramping up north, but I know there are some lovely books that most libraries should have with neat walks.

Oh - and even though I probably wouldn't do an overnighter with a wee one, I think it's so cool that you're keen to do stuff like that with him. I think kids get so much benefit from getting out there right from when they're tiny. I did a tramp once in Nelson, and right at the end we climbed Mt Arthur.We passed a chap taking his 5yo kid up - te kid was a real plucky little bushman, he was really getting into it and I remember thinking that if I have kids I'd love them to be just like that kid.

Edited by Hopes

I'm planning on doing some tramping with JJ - I'm even considering doing Waikaremoana The only thing that puts me off is thinking about nappies!

I found this webpage really helpful: Hiking with children

I'm getting reasonably fit now so we're planning on heading up to the Kaueranga Valley soon, probably just up to the hut, maybe hang around a day then back down, that's not much of a walk and it's within cooee of Auckland. You will need to be fit to tackle the stairs on the way up but I figure carrying bubs in a backpack isn't any harder than a fully loaded pack. The Pinnacles Hut (or the Pinnacles Hilton as many call it!) is a good place to base yourself because you don't need to carry much - there's a BBQ to cook on up there, there's gas provided, there's even a stash of cooking containers and implements.

I haven't done it personally but a friend has recommended the Waitawheta Tramway, for taking kidlings along, it's only 7.5km one way, a nice serviced hut, also within cooee of Auckland. (He said it's an easy walk, easier than the Pinnacles, but be prepared to get your feet wet.)

I will keep you posted so we can compare notes!

I've been tramping since I was 18 months, carrying my own gear (not all obviously) since I was 3 and same with my bro and sister and all my cousins. We often did 3-7 nighters so its totally feasible and IMO a great idea. We take Jake bush quite alot and we'll be doing alot more after this baby gets here.

Its feasible if you're sensible -
Make sure you stay in cellphone range,
check, double-check and triple all the weather reports,
don't go to any huts where there are flash flood or slip dangers,
Take firelighters, a can opener and make sure you have good quality sleeping bags JIC,
For nappies take liners, use covers and prefolds, and when you're at the hut you can rinse and hang in front of the fire,
If you have a macpac baby carrier then it'll have the pack under where the baby sits so you will have enough room.
Def do a day hike first!!!

Otherwise yeah I've tramped both islands but not as far north as you are yet so no suggestions about tracks. GL

lurking:-)

I went on my first tramp when i was 6 weeks old - I come from a big tramping family. Back in the old days dad just sat me wedged in the top of his pack. As soon as I could walk, I carried my own small pack (and the next child got to ride in dads pack). My parents had 4 kids under 5 and we used to spend holidays tramping all over the south island - went to some pretty remote places. DH and I intend to do the same with ours....but we will have to see how I am after giving birth before we go too crazy