Tramping Food: Great tramping beverages

You are what you drink, or a tale of many beverages!

Does your beverage of choice say anything about you? Trampers have a diverse range of preferences, some people like tea, others coffee, or some other variety of hot or cold drink. I have seen people drinking soup for breakfast, liquid jelly for dessert and you often see tramping parties having a quiet tipple as well. Tea seems to be the leader with coffee, fresh or instant, a close second.  

Cheers...Jon enjoying a hot brew in East Hawdon Bivvy

Hot drinks for tramping...

My preference runs towards Early Grey tea, black with sugar and in large quantities. I don't care if it is bagged or loose just so long as it is hot and sweet. My brand of choice is Dilmah but even the roughest gumboot tea will suffice in an emergency. I also like Cha Nui tea which is a New Zealand brand.

My choice of tea, Dilmah Earl Grey

I sometimes take packets of instant hot chocolate or cappuccino mixes with me as they make a nice change from tea at every meal. If I can find them, I like the Nestle Hot Chocolate with marshmallows the best.

Nestle brand hot chocolate

I usually carry either Nescafe or Jarrah coffee and cappuccino sachets, both are freely available here in New Zealand. The individual sachets weigh 5 gm's and make a perfectly acceptable version of a coffee.

Nescafe Cappucino sachets- 20 per pack

What about a nice hot mug of soup, when I am out tramping I start every evening meal with soup. I use both quick cook packets and the classic Continental Cup-O-Soup.

One of the Continental Cup-O-Soup range

If you are going to have a soup look for ones that just requires hot water or ones that need only a short period of simmering. Personally I like the creamy or noodle filled flavours for added taste and nutrition.

Massive mug of Dutch Curry and Rice Soup, Totaranui Campground 2018

I'm also partial to a mug of hot Raro or Vitafresh fruit powder drink with dinner. I know this sounds strange but its really good. Lemonade is the flavour of choice if you want to drink it hot...it is beautiful!

Classic Raro Sweet Navel Orange

Water, iced tea and a hot coffee, Lake Isabel Hut, Victoria Forest Park2014

Sweeteners and condensed milk...

I used to carry sugar for my hot drinks but now I use Splenda sugar substitute. One tablet is equal to 1 teaspoon of sugar, the packet below holds 100 tablets or enough for 50 cups of tea/coffee. The packet is the size of a matchbox and weighs only 22gms, by comparison 100 teaspoons of sugar weighs 640gms.

Splenda sugar substitute

If I have an instant coffee it would be sweetened with Nestle condensed milk. This is a drink I picked up in the Army, it dates back to before WW1, the only way to drink coffee in the outdoors IMHO. It is also excellent added to a brew of tea as well.

Update: Since I posted this in 2012 I have struck several people who also carry condensed milk for their coffee. It really is delicious- no need for sugar or milk with this product. In fact I have seen Ray Mears the survival expert using it on his TV programs.

Forget stupid syrups, classic old timer coffee additive...condensed milk!!!

Condensed milk is still a part of both New Zealand and Australian Army field rations to this day.

 

Having a coffee at the Davies Bay campground, QCT in 2016

Cold tramping drinks...

.....(actually cool as you have no refrigeration to chill your drinks)

 

There is nothing better than water for quenching your thirst, but sometimes you want something different.
 
Powdered fruit drink packets are very popular, there are a wide range of flavours and several brands. My preferred type is Vitafresh especially their Peach Iced Tea, Orange Mango, Blackcurrant and old fashioned Lemonade.

Orange Mango Vitafresh

Raro is the other well known range available here in New Zealand. 

A Raro drink powder three pack

I also use isotonic drink powders, these are basically fruit flavoured mineral replacement drinks. Vitasport is one of the more common brands available here. 

Vitasport isotonic drink powder

I will generally carry one packet of Vitasport/Raro/Vitafresh (12 gms) per day and have it with my evening meal.

Red Vitasport with my meal, Carrington Hut, Arthurs Pass National Park

Beer,  spirits, wine anyone?

A quick snort of something is as old as tramping itself, and is a Kiwi tradition. I would imagine even the sainted John Muir carried a flask of something to make the evenings more convivial.

The outdoor 'Saint'- John Muir, father of the US National Park movement!

Personally I am of two minds about alcohol and outdoor activities, I like a drink as much as the next person but in the right place and at the right time. A glass of a nice red with your freeze dried meal is good, a litre of Vodka with lunch not so much....

I'm partial to a river cooled can of beer and have taken several with me in the past. Nothing like finishing the day with an ice cold brew in your hand! Oh yeaahhhh!

Using nature's beer chiller....some tasty beverages cooling in a river.

I also enjoy a snort of whiskey or rum, normally in a coffee. Leave the hip flask at home and carry it in a tightly sealed plastic bottle- hey, its not going to compromise the quality any worse than humping it around in a pack for a couple of days.

The Bundaberg Rum range...great in your evening coffee...

Just a final word; carry out your empties! Nothing worse than arriving at a hut to see a pile of empty bear cans or wine bottles cluttering up the bench. If you carry it in, carry it out.

Cheers!

Magdalen Hut, Lake Summer Forest Park: December 2012

A trip to Magdalen Hut, St James Conservation Area

I went up to the Lewis Pass area for an overnight trip in to Magdalen Hut on the St James Walkway, it was 9 km (4 hours walk) from the Boyle River Outdoor Education Centre. The centre offers a car parking and shuttle service, I left my car in their care and followed the St James Walkway back up the valley,  this is the opposite direction from those walking the complete walkway.

Mid way to Magdalen Hut, St James Conservation Area

Day One: Boyle Village to Magdalen Hut: 11 kms, 3-4 hours

I started the St James Walkway from the carpark off the road to Boyle Settlement...there is space for about 10 cars here with a toilet and track signage. It is actually safer to park your car at the Boyle Outdoor Education Centre (BOEC) right next to the carpark. The track starts from next to the toilet block and heads up the Boyle River Valley to the first swingbridge over the river. 

Start of the St James Walkway at the Boyle River entrance

The carpark at the Boyle entrance to the St James Walkway

DOC sign at start of the St James Walkway at Boyle river

  The track is in excellent condition, wide and easily followed, as befits one of the track on the Te Araroa Trail. Many thousands of people must walk along this track every year either as a tramp of the St James Walkway or following the Long Pathway. It is also one of the entry points for trips to the rest of the St James Conservation Area and the Opera, Libretto and Poplars Ranges. 

Map: Boyle Settlement to Magdalen Hut

Sidle track, St James Walkway, near the start of the track at Boyle River

Crossing a side stream on the way to the Boyle River

You cross over two swing bridges on the way to the hut one near the start and the other is at the junction of the St James Walkway and the Track to Magdalen Hut. As you can see the rivers were high as there had been a week of hard rain just before I visited. 

Classic kiwi tramping territory with single track and swing bridges!



Lower swing bridge over Boyle River, St James Walkway

 

 You pass a number of meadows as you walk along they were all covered in these beautiful yellow flowers quite idyllic. This trip was at the beging of summer the time when alpine flowers begin to bloom. 



Forest meadow near the Boyle river swing bridge, St James Walkway

 

The walkway follows the forest edge most of the way up the valley with the occasional foray into the bush. The Boyle River Valley is a part of the Glenhope high country station in its lower reaches and becomes the St James Conservation Area close to Magdalen Hut.



View up Boyle Valley from mid way point to Magdalen Hut, St James Conservation Area



Looking up the Boyle Valley towards St Andrews Homestead, St James Conservation Area

The St James Walkway can be muddy in places as there are numerous small streams crossing the track. There are also a number of seasonal bogs in the forest itself as the land is low and flat and gets quite a bit of rain. It can be useful to wear long gaiters on this track as you will get very wet and muddy otherwise. 

Muddy track conditions on the St James Walkway

You wil often find makeshift bridges over the muddiest sections of the track with corrogation being the most often used method to cross wet, boggy ground. Feel free to chuuck some more logs in the mire to build the track up if you like...



St James walkway, the highest point this trip, above the second Boyle River swingbridge

The Boyle River was bank to bank near the second swing bridge...normally you can ford this river lower down but only an idiot would have entered it that day. It was too deep and swift for any river crossings...

Upper Boyle River swing bridge, St James Walkway



I stayed at Magdalen Hut, which is 30 mins down the true left of the Boyle River from the second swing bridge. You access the hut along a short track heading down the side of the river. It is an excellent hut, with plenty of space around it for tenting, but the sand flies are atrocious. 

Beware and bring your DEET!



Magdalen Hut, St James Conservation Area


Built in 2010 Magdalen Hut is one of the new breed of 6 bunkers...spacious, insulated and with a top notch log burner and rain water tank. This would make an excellent family trip destination. Thanks to the Hanmer Scouts who had recently visited and dropped off a load of dry wood for the hut woodburner.

Magdalen Hut: the cooking bench...

The nearby Boyle River is a noted trout fishery and you will often see anglers trying their hand in its waters.Totally useless on the day I visited as the rain had made the water dirty and hard to see into. I walked down to the river to have a look later in the afternoon. 

Magdalen Hut with the Poplar Range to the rear

I spent most of the afternoon cutting up firewood, drinking tea and reading the massive pie of FMC magazines in the hut. Dinner on this trip was a Backcountry Cuisine freee dried meal...Lamb Fettucine washed down with Orange-Mango Raro. 

Magdalen Hut: the bunks with my gear laid out on my bunk for the night

I shared the hut that night with Phil an American academic and hiker in New Zealand for a conference. He arived at 6 pm just as it was starting to get dark after driving to Lewis Pass at noon... 

My Marmot Trestles sleeping bag in Magdalen Hut

It was interesting to share details about families, hiking/tramping culture and recent political events in the US (it was just after the 2013 US election between Barrack Obama and John McCain). Lets just say that Phil was not a fan of Sarah Pallin....he kept refering to her as 'that idiot from Alaska".

The wood burner in Magdalen Hut, St James Conservation Area



Inside Magdalen Hut St James Conservation Area (2012)

 We had an enjoyable evening in the hut as it was warm inside but cold outside so when the fire died down later it was a nice comfortable tempreture in the hut. There was a little rain over night but it was well finished by the time we woke the next morning. 

Interior of Magdalen Hut, St James Conservation Area

I was super snug in my Marmot Trestles sleeping bag...really too much bag for this trip but I am currently saving money to buy myself a decent down sleping bag. I didnt have a lot of tramping gear after so many years in hiatus so i am slowly building it back up once again. 

Day 2: Magdalen Hut to Boyle Village: 11 kms, 3-4 hours

The route out the next morning followed the St James Walkway back down valley along the same route.  It was another beautiful day to be out tramping...overcast but warm with light wind. I was up and out of the hut by 8 am it was not raining so I was able to walk without my jacket all the way back to Boyle Village.



Magdalen Hut, Muritana Stream in front of the hut

In the forest on the way to the Middle Boyle swingbridge

From the Middle Boyle swingbridge it is only 3 km's or an hours walk to Boyle Flat Hut the next accomodation option along the St James Walkway. 

Boyle Flat Hut is one more hour along the track....

Preparing to cross the swingbridge on the Middle Boyle River

Once back at the swing bridge it was a short climb back up the river teraces on the true right of the Boyle River. These take you about 100 meters over the end of a spur before dropping back down to the grassy flats along the edge of the forest. 



St James Walkway, heading home along the edge of Boyle River



More attractive beech forest track on the St James Walkway

The track follows the edge of the forest over river flats for some distance in the middle of the valley, it makes for quick and very easy walking. It is so much quicker walking back along a track you have just visited...it almost seems like the time just flies by...



Boyle River Valley, about halfway to the Boyle Outdoor Education Centre from Magdalen Hut





Another meadow of summer flowers on the St James Walkway

  

Back at the lower Boyle River swing bridge

I made excelent progress back down the valley and soon found myself back at the start of the track. This is the track just before it emerges near the Boyle Education Centre...as you can see it is quite civilised for a New Zealand bush track.



Track end St James walkway near the Boyle River exit...



An excellent track, with a fantastic hut to stay in, I had a lot of fun on this trip. I would like to walk the whole St James Walkway and I would definitely make the effort to visit the hut again.

Boyle Outdoor Education Centre from the road outside the centre

This was an awesome trip and the one I should have made before tackling the Andrews-Casey-Binser Circuit. This is just a taste of the greater St James Walkway which I intend to walk sometime in the coming years. 

Magdalen Hut is a real cracker and I can throughly recomend a visit right through the year as it is easily accessible in all but the very worst of weather. As a side trip off the St James or as a trip on its own it has a lot to offer.

Access: Along the St James Walkway from the Boyle River Settlement off SH 7, Lewis Pass.
Track Times: 3-4 hours from Boyle Settlement, 30 minutes from the second swingbridge over the Boyle River
Hut Details: Magdalen Hut; Standard, 6 bunks, wood burner, water tank, toilet, wood shed
Miscellaneous: Muritana Stream can be a problem in moderate rain, some other side streams on the St James Walkway are impassible in heavy rain. The BOEC can provide secure carparking and car shuttle services if previously arranged. 

My Tramping Gear:Vaude Astra 65ltr + 10 Hiking Pack

The Vaude Astra Pack: 65 liters of fun!

When you go out into the outdoors you need to carry a certain amount of gear with you. This is to keep you warm, dry and safe. You need a backpack to carry this gear in, it needs to be strong, comfortable and fit for the task you set it.

My Astra II on the bunks in Magdalen Hut, 2013

I use a variety of packs depending on the type of trip: small sub 35 liter for walking, a 45l day pack, a 55 liter bag for overnight trips and a larger 65 liter version for multi day trips of 3-7 days. 

My Vaude Astra 65+10 multi-day pack

The thing that really determines what pack I use is the amount of food and extra gear I need to carry on the longer trips. 

The Vaude Astra II...

My current multi-day pack is a Vaude Astra 65ltr + 10. It is slim, almost like a mountaineers style pack but still large enough to carry 3-7 days worth of gear in. This pack is made by Vaude, a well regarded German company who produce a range of excellent outdoor goods.

Detail of the Vaude Astra design, frontal view

Its a touch heavy at 1.9 kg, but the harness set-up is excellent, so far I have had no trouble with it at all.The material of the pack is heavy duty nylon to provide durability. I especially like the expandable pockets on the side of the pack which are large enough to hold a 1.5 litre water bottle.

Harness set-up on the Vaude Astra II

I have an ongoing project to get my base gear weight down to 10-12 kg without water and food, I'm currently around 14 kg's (2018 Update: now at 9.5 kgs!). When I get my base weight down I may look at buying a lighter pack for shorter overnight trips.

The Vaude Astra II on the Casey-Binser Circuit, 2012

Wearing the Vaude pack on the Wharfedale Track 2014

I brought this pack from Complete Outdoors, a Christchurch outdoor retailer. The pack cost me $275 NZ dollars, a fair price for a pack of this size/type.  

Me and the Vaude Astra up the East Hawdon Valley, Arthurs Pass NP in 2014

My Vaude Astra leaning against the Anne Saddle Sign, St James Walkway

Jon and the Astra at Wharfedale Hut back in 2015

The Astra at Boyle Flat Hut, St James Walkway on a 2015 visit

I see a few people out and about with Vaude day packs but very few using the larger sizes. I would imagine they are far more prevalent in Europe because they are more widely available there. 

UPDATE: Feb 2016

I've been using this pack for nearly 6 years now and it has proven to be one of the best pieces of kit I have invested in. It is very comfortable even with a moderate-heavy load and over distance.

The Astra on the Queen Charlotte Track, 2016

 There are plenty of options for strapping gear like ice axes and crampons to the pack and the expandable collar means you can pack more food into the bag if required.  

Wearing the Astra on the Queen Charlotte Track in 2016

It has worn well, hardly any wear at all really, it almost looks like a brand new pack. 

At the Marahau Shelter end of the Abel Tasman Coastal Track (2017)

The Astra II on the Abel Tasman Coast Walk, Sept 2017

The Astra also served me well on a recent (2017) walk of the Abel Tasman Coastal Walk. 

Update 2018: 

I am really attached to this Vaude pack as we have shared many an adventure over the years. I expect the Vaude Astra will be with me for years to come although it has recently been superseded by my new Osprey Volt pack.  

Wearing the Vaude Astra while acting as a hut warden, Packhorse Hut, 2018

This pack is no longer available as it has been replaced by other types in the Vaude catalogue. If one appears second hand on Trade Me or the like and you are in the market buy it immediately. You will not be disapointed....