Support
Through this Travel Enrichment Grant, I received funding to explore different hiking huts around New Zealand. Through a time of climate anxiety, the need to connect with ourselves and nature is more apparent. I explored Fern Burn Hut, Mueller Hut, and Homer Hut along the South Island of New Zealand.
New Zealand's hiking culture, huts line 9,000 miles of trails across NZ (Darrrah, 2022). There is a wide variety of huts, ranging from extremely rustic to architectural masterpieces (Darrah, 2022). They first appeared in the 1880s for sheep herders and gold miners (Darrah, 2022). Some huts had former lives as lighthouse keeper cabins, schoolhouses, and homesteads (Darrah, 2022). The huts are first-come first-serve, pay ahead of time and some huts fees range.
Through this Travel Enrichment Grant, I had the opportunity to explore 3 different huts and hike throughout the semester. The first hut was Fern Burn Hut located in Treble Cone, NZ – around Wanaka, off the Motatapu Track, it was 4.2 miles with an 1,525 ft elevation gain. The second hut was Mueller Hut located in Mount Cook, NZ, it was 6.0 miles with a 3,464 ft elevation gain.
The third hut was Homer Hut located in Fiordland National Park, NZ, it was car accessible and a family friendly hut.
I connected with kiwi people and other tourists through environmental passion, culture and community. I also attended Camp Craft through the University's Tramping Club and got to know the camping culture and natural concerns. I learned about New Zealand’s changing weather, the tramping difficulty levels, and the dense and deep forests that are mostly New Zealand native. I found peace and reconnection in time of climate mourning.
After returning from New Zealand, I led the Cranberry 50 hike/walk for mid semester break through the Outing Club which circumnavigates Cranberry Lake in Hamlet, NY. I also helped plan a climate anxiety film for interested students to view in the Winston Room which highlighted the common feelings of climate mourning.