Championing outdoor skills with the power of Queen

Media Release | For immediate release

A call for extra thought and planning into Queen’s Birthday weekend’s outdoor adventures across the country, asks the NZ Mountain Safety Council (MSC).  

Unfortunately, this long weekend typically sees triple the amount of injuries, and search and rescues (SAR) for trampers, making it the public weekend with the highest incident rate*.  

This year MSC explores iconic Queen songs as inspiration for safety in the outdoors in a bid to take participants to a superstar level of essential skills.  

Under Pressure: June’s shorter and cooler days call for a solid plan and to make sure what you’re looking to accomplish is compatible with the forecast, your abilities and daylight hours. It’s common for people to underestimate walking times and that combined with earlier sunsets means you could be caught out. Like any long weekend, people are itching to make the most of it. Don’t let the enthusiasm cloud good judgement and give yourself plenty of time on the track.

Keep Yourself Alive: Are you prepared for the unexpected? Make sure you pack a survival bag, warm and waterproof layers, some extra food and water, and a way to call for help in remote areas. These are essential to ensure you’ll make it out of any unforeseen incident alive and kicking.  

Radio Ga Ga: Make sure to pack a distress beacon if you’re venturing outside of cell phone coverage. Leave your intentions with a trusted contact too!  

It’s a Beautiful Day: ……but not always! Sometimes the Rain Must Fall. This week’s downpours across the country show us how important it is to check the weather forecast right up until departure. It’s fair to say the ‘mercury’ has been dropping of late... 

A Kind of Magic: Making a solid trip plan before heading out means you’re prepared for anything. The Plan My Walk app supports all of the above by bringing together all the important information needed including track alerts, MetService forecasts and severe weather alerts, interactive gear lists and useful planning advice.  

We Are The Champions: Success means returning home safe, as a team, even if it meant turning back if the weather or something didn't go to plan! Keep the group together and look out for each other. Make sure to hydrate, eat regularly and make decisions collectively and don’t leave anyone behind. 

MSC Chief Executive Mike Daisley says when combined, small gaps in planning process can have a big impact on your safety, it’s often the little details that make a big difference. 

“It’s really easy to underestimate the importance of quality planning and preparation, even for short local walks. There are lots of little things that can be easily overlooked, and if you’re new to tramping, how do you know where to start and how to effectively make a trip plan.” 

ENDS 

• *Sourced from the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council (MSC) – A Walk in the Park? - 2018'  
• The MSC website has plenty free resources and helpful videos to support the long weekend planning. 

Contact Communications Advisor Rebekah Wilson at rebekah.wilson@mountainsafety.org.nz with any other queries.