Trampers need to ‘dress like an onion’
Trampers and day-trippers are being advised to layer up like an onion before heading into the Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park over Easter Weekend.
With all but one of the park’s trails open, and visitors in their thousands expected, Department of Conservation ranger Ray Bellringer is urging people to make a trip to the visitor centre before embarking on their journey.
‘‘Weather-wise, we’re in a bit of an in-between season,’’ he said.
‘‘That means you have to be prepared for every outcome. It doesn’t matter what the weather is like at the start of the day.
‘‘Before you go anywhere in the park, your first port of call is the duty officer.’’
Bellringer said people needed to ‘‘dress like an onion’’.
‘‘Bring as many layers of clothing as you can,’’ he said.
One issue that could arise through changing weather would be the presence of frozen scree.
‘‘We advise trampers to bring the right boots and even use clamp-ons if necessary,’’ Bellringer said.
‘‘Keeping an eye on the weather would be wise. We can have some stunning days, but they can just as easily turn into sodden storms, as we experienced last month,’’ he said.
According to MetService’s website, the weather for today at Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park is for rain turning to showers late in the day, with thunderstorms possible.
Tomorrow there will be showers that will fall as snow above 1300 metres.
Bellringer said the park was ‘‘open for business’’ with the exception of the Hooker Valley track, which is partly closed because of storm damage to the second swingbridge.
‘‘There’s plenty of areas to explore.’’
‘‘Stunning days . . . can just as easily turn into sodden storms.’’ DOC ranger Ray Bellringer