Wow! and Thank you! I am so impressed: - you had the cajones to go on this trip - you put in all the time to plan it - you put in all the time to record video while you were on the trip and then afterward the editing time -- so you could share it with all of us. The connection you made with ALL the other hikers restores my faith a little that we humans are innately good. The world can use more of that right now. Your references to the Never-ending Story, the Princess Bride, Willy Wonka, etc were really enjoyable and rekindled my own child-like optimism. I was feeling your pain when you had to cut your trip short. Great to see you found your way back on trail. It was very romantic/poetic how you took a helicopter back to the same spot to start again. I take my family on one backcountry trip per year, but only for a week. I can't get away from work for longer, so I am living vicariously through your adventure. That was/is an audacious trip! Way to go. Thanks again for sharing and I look forward to seeing the video of the rest of the trip.
Hi, Patrick! Thanks so much for all of your compliments and for your support. It always feel good when I know people are watching and enjoying. And, yes, one of the reasons I love hiking is the amazing connections that are made on the trail. I look forward to sharing my adventures (when I get time to continue editing them!).
That Toaroha River, like many West Coast rivers, is fairly gnarly. A woman broke her collarbone up there at the "Unclimbable Rock" a few years ago. Also had to get choppered out. The Whitcombe can be a monster of a river that is impossible to cross. In recent years the West Coast has had severe downpours that have washed out tracks that have been around for more than a century. It's tiger territory, as we say here. Fortunately, I was going downstream and when I climbed it I was going up. Had to scratch around on an inch wide crack in the greasy rock. One of my most nerve-wracking experiences. I was thinking, if I stop and think about this I would have to turn around. Adrenaline powered me up. Good on you for giving it a go. And sensible to have a locator beacon.
Oh man I know how you felt. About a year and a bit ago, I fell 30 metres off a cliff, while on a hike in remote New Zealand. So quickly its all ending, I thought I was dead. Somehow I just messed up my ankle, still limp around. Lying there all alone, contemplating pushing the SOS button, then the relief in pushing it. And less than an hour later Search and Rescue helicopter arriving. So good when you see that heli. NZ Search and Rescue is amazing. I haven't been back to that track yet, maybe a few years time. Been back hiking in NZ though , so incredible hiking there!
I just found your channel and binge watched this series only to find that season one ended on a cliff hanger (no pun intended). When is season two! I'm hooked. Glad you were ok after your fall, gotta love those beacons - they are literally life savers.
Hello and thank you for watching! Glad you liked it. Yeah, it took me awhile to recover from the break, but I did. Though it's not technically part of the NZ series, you can see some footage of what happened afterward and the recovery in my Unbreaking My Leg video: th-cam.com/video/K6pPVwpClyI/w-d-xo.html As for Season Two, it's filmed, but haven't had a chance to edit it yet (which takes a long time). Sometime this year hopefully?
So sad to see you got injured. Just discovered your channel by chance and loving your adventure videos so well made. Thanks for taking us along your journey. Looking forward to the return. 🙏🏻👍🏻
Hi, KT! Yeah, I'm sad too, but as you saw from the preview, my leg healed and I did return to NZ to continue hiking (which had its own set of challenges). I've been bogged down with work, but I hope to get that second set of NZ episodes edited sometime in the near future. Hopefully. -Hank
Well I meant to accomplish something tonight but instead I watched your New Zealand series. Really, really enjoyed your style of adventure videos. Glad you got to go back. Hope to see those videos soon?? 🤞🏻🤞🏻
Wow, I'm flattered you watched them all. It's quite an epic adventure and catalog of videos. Yeah, more of the series has been filmed but editing takes a very long time and my full-time job slows me down. But I'm planning on getting to them ASAP!
Well, I just rewatched these. Was watching a TA hiker video of the Richmond range and it reminded me of these videos. I’m losing hope for part 2. Any chance it’s still in the works? Even a simpler editing style than the first part?
Hi, Rosie! Great to hear! I have more of the trip filmed, but I've been bogged down with work. :( I hope to get back to editing this crazy adventure sometime soon.
Oh man! Thank you! What a journey. I really hope I can go to NZ some time and do some of these hikes! Started watching from the Camino vid a few days ago and today I watched this journey from the start. Amazing work you're doing with the videos, the pace, editing and video quality are superb. Thanks again!
Hi, Steven, Thanks so much for the nice compliments. Yeah, New Zealand is an incredible place to go backcountry hiking, and any segment of my trip makes good a week-longish backpacking vacation. In my essay series about the trip, the sidebars explain exactly how to do each section of the trip if you're curious. withoutbaggage.com/essays/new-zealand-marlborough-sounds/
That was fantastic! Watched the whole thing over two days. Thanks for sharing it. ...I would love to see a video about your gear, packraft, planning etc. Or a few videos. And reviews of the gear. And updates on season two - like, when?? Good luck!
Glad you liked it! Yeah, a gear/planning video is a really good idea. When I have a free weekend maybe I'll make one. As for season two -- don't know yet. So much work! I hope to make it though.
What a breathtaking journey through such stunning countryside, so glad the TH-cam algorithm gods threw this my way. Looking forward to more and thanks so much for all your effort.
I'm so pleased that the TH-cam Algorithm Gods introduced my crazy trip to you. Sometime in the future there will definitely be more. New Zealand is incredible!
Thoroughly enjoying your series... seeing all the places I would love to visit and maybe one day realise. That part of the Southern Alps is a tough environment and many a seasoned tramper has injured themselves in there, sometimes followed by extraction. You did the right thing but how amazing you came right back to that very spot to continue! Was it a broken ankle? So glad there was no lasting damage. Will there be a continuation of the journey on You Tube coming soon?
Thanks so much for the kind words, Janey! Yeah, that part of the Alps is intense -- and not to spoil anything, but it didn't get much easier when I returned. I broke my calf bone (the fibula) in my lower leg. Ouch. But it's healed now. Yes, there will be a TH-cam continuation of the trip of the footage from when I returned, but not sure when I'll have time to edit it. Hopefully soon!
@@HankLeukart Ouch that is a serious break - how you managed to pitch a tent while you waited... A lady I know dislocated her shoulder down a slippery bank which meant pressing the button too. Glad all is mended now and look forward to the continuation of your series.
Loved these videos. I can totally see myself doing this one day. 2 things im curious about is how you decide what route you took and were you got information for your trip from
Hey, Megan! I cobbled together info from a variety of sources, including internet blogs, DOC (NZ National Park service) brochures and websites, and topo maps (NZ Maptoaster, Garmin, & Gaia GPS). The route I chose was a custom route I created by looking at topo maps, getting ideas from blogs, and sometimes following the existing Te Araroa route (which is like NZ's Appalachian Trail).
This would be so wondeful! I was so pleased to travel through New Zealand last year, it was such a great adventure and experience. Now I want to go back, back to hike Te Araroa!
Haha, that's what you took away from this video? :) I got the haircut during my "luxury rest day" with the French trio in a small town where I grabbed my food drop for Stage 6.
Wow! and Thank you!
I am so impressed:
- you had the cajones to go on this trip
- you put in all the time to plan it
- you put in all the time to record video while you were on the trip and then afterward the editing time -- so you could share it with all of us.
The connection you made with ALL the other hikers restores my faith a little that we humans are innately good. The world can use more of that right now.
Your references to the Never-ending Story, the Princess Bride, Willy Wonka, etc were really enjoyable and rekindled my own child-like optimism.
I was feeling your pain when you had to cut your trip short. Great to see you found your way back on trail. It was very romantic/poetic how you took a helicopter back to the same spot to start again.
I take my family on one backcountry trip per year, but only for a week. I can't get away from work for longer, so I am living vicariously through your adventure. That was/is an audacious trip! Way to go.
Thanks again for sharing and I look forward to seeing the video of the rest of the trip.
Hi, Patrick! Thanks so much for all of your compliments and for your support. It always feel good when I know people are watching and enjoying. And, yes, one of the reasons I love hiking is the amazing connections that are made on the trail. I look forward to sharing my adventures (when I get time to continue editing them!).
That Toaroha River, like many West Coast rivers, is fairly gnarly. A woman broke her collarbone up there at the "Unclimbable Rock" a few years ago. Also had to get choppered out. The Whitcombe can be a monster of a river that is impossible to cross. In recent years the West Coast has had severe downpours that have washed out tracks that have been around for more than a century. It's tiger territory, as we say here. Fortunately, I was going downstream and when I climbed it I was going up. Had to scratch around on an inch wide crack in the greasy rock. One of my most nerve-wracking experiences. I was thinking, if I stop and think about this I would have to turn around. Adrenaline powered me up. Good on you for giving it a go. And sensible to have a locator beacon.
yes, i too have learned how gnarly the toaroha is. i have actually been back since. it was equally insane.
@@HankLeukart i cant wait to see the rest of this one :)
Oh man I know how you felt. About a year and a bit ago, I fell 30 metres off a cliff, while on a hike in remote New Zealand. So quickly its all ending, I thought I was dead. Somehow I just messed up my ankle, still limp around. Lying there all alone, contemplating pushing the SOS button, then the relief in pushing it. And less than an hour later Search and Rescue helicopter arriving. So good when you see that heli. NZ Search and Rescue is amazing. I haven't been back to that track yet, maybe a few years time. Been back hiking in NZ though , so incredible hiking there!
I just found your channel and binge watched this series only to find that season one ended on a cliff hanger (no pun intended). When is season two! I'm hooked.
Glad you were ok after your fall, gotta love those beacons - they are literally life savers.
Hello and thank you for watching! Glad you liked it. Yeah, it took me awhile to recover from the break, but I did. Though it's not technically part of the NZ series, you can see some footage of what happened afterward and the recovery in my Unbreaking My Leg video: th-cam.com/video/K6pPVwpClyI/w-d-xo.html As for Season Two, it's filmed, but haven't had a chance to edit it yet (which takes a long time). Sometime this year hopefully?
@@HankLeukart How's the video editing going? ... Season Two, Season Two, Season Two! :)
Great Video, thanks for sharing
thanks!
So sad to see you got injured. Just discovered your channel by chance and loving your adventure videos so well made. Thanks for taking us along your journey. Looking forward to the return. 🙏🏻👍🏻
Hi, KT! Yeah, I'm sad too, but as you saw from the preview, my leg healed and I did return to NZ to continue hiking (which had its own set of challenges). I've been bogged down with work, but I hope to get that second set of NZ episodes edited sometime in the near future. Hopefully. -Hank
Well I meant to accomplish something tonight but instead I watched your New Zealand series. Really, really enjoyed your style of adventure videos. Glad you got to go back. Hope to see those videos soon?? 🤞🏻🤞🏻
Wow, I'm flattered you watched them all. It's quite an epic adventure and catalog of videos. Yeah, more of the series has been filmed but editing takes a very long time and my full-time job slows me down. But I'm planning on getting to them ASAP!
Well, I just rewatched these. Was watching a TA hiker video of the Richmond range and it reminded me of these videos. I’m losing hope for part 2. Any chance it’s still in the works? Even a simpler editing style than the first part?
Hank we are all hanging out to see the rest of your trip!
Hi, Rosie! Great to hear! I have more of the trip filmed, but I've been bogged down with work. :( I hope to get back to editing this crazy adventure sometime soon.
Bloody hell! Imagine what would have happened without that SOS device!
Loved all the videos and saw at one stretch. Glad to see you are back. I have been following your videos since the Camino video.
Thanks, Leena! Glad you enjoyed them!
Oh man! Thank you! What a journey. I really hope I can go to NZ some time and do some of these hikes! Started watching from the Camino vid a few days ago and today I watched this journey from the start. Amazing work you're doing with the videos, the pace, editing and video quality are superb. Thanks again!
Hi, Steven, Thanks so much for the nice compliments. Yeah, New Zealand is an incredible place to go backcountry hiking, and any segment of my trip makes good a week-longish backpacking vacation. In my essay series about the trip, the sidebars explain exactly how to do each section of the trip if you're curious. withoutbaggage.com/essays/new-zealand-marlborough-sounds/
Oh that was devastating! Glad you're ok and thanks for sharing your adventures. 🌟
Thanks, Stacy! Glad you enjoyed watching the trip!
That was fantastic! Watched the whole thing over two days. Thanks for sharing it. ...I would love to see a video about your gear, packraft, planning etc. Or a few videos. And reviews of the gear. And updates on season two - like, when?? Good luck!
Glad you liked it! Yeah, a gear/planning video is a really good idea. When I have a free weekend maybe I'll make one. As for season two -- don't know yet. So much work! I hope to make it though.
Hard times. Glad you made it back.
Thank you, and thanks for watching.
What a breathtaking journey through such stunning countryside, so glad the TH-cam algorithm gods threw this my way. Looking forward to more and thanks so much for all your effort.
I'm so pleased that the TH-cam Algorithm Gods introduced my crazy trip to you. Sometime in the future there will definitely be more. New Zealand is incredible!
Thoroughly enjoying your series... seeing all the places I would love to visit and maybe one day realise. That part of the Southern Alps is a tough environment and many a seasoned tramper has injured themselves in there, sometimes followed by extraction. You did the right thing but how amazing you came right back to that very spot to continue! Was it a broken ankle? So glad there was no lasting damage.
Will there be a continuation of the journey on You Tube coming soon?
Thanks so much for the kind words, Janey! Yeah, that part of the Alps is intense -- and not to spoil anything, but it didn't get much easier when I returned. I broke my calf bone (the fibula) in my lower leg. Ouch. But it's healed now. Yes, there will be a TH-cam continuation of the trip of the footage from when I returned, but not sure when I'll have time to edit it. Hopefully soon!
@@HankLeukart Ouch that is a serious break - how you managed to pitch a tent while you waited... A lady I know dislocated her shoulder down a slippery bank which meant pressing the button too. Glad all is mended now and look forward to the continuation of your series.
Oh no 😢 hope your leg heals fast. Thanks for the great viewing!
Thank you, Natasha! I'm happy to report that my leg is already healed (these videos were filmed awhile ago) and I'm hiking again!
So sorry about what happened :( But you're a brave man. You fell but you stood up. Keep going !! Looking forward to seeing your next videos ;)
Thanks for the kind words. Yeah, it was a very unlucky incident, but I survived and continued on!
Will this story have a happy end a finishen journey?
there is more to come, but I've been slow to edit it
Loved these videos. I can totally see myself doing this one day. 2 things im curious about is how you decide what route you took and were you got information for your trip from
Hey, Megan! I cobbled together info from a variety of sources, including internet blogs, DOC (NZ National Park service) brochures and websites, and topo maps (NZ Maptoaster, Garmin, & Gaia GPS). The route I chose was a custom route I created by looking at topo maps, getting ideas from blogs, and sometimes following the existing Te Araroa route (which is like NZ's Appalachian Trail).
Hey Hank you are amazing! Thanks for sharing :-)
I really hope to see the adventure to be continued. What do you think? ;-)
Hi! So glad you liked watching the series. Yes, there are a bunch more episodes that have been filmed -- I need to edit them together!
This would be so wondeful! I was so pleased to travel through New Zealand last year, it was such a great adventure and experience. Now I want to go back, back to hike Te Araroa!
Well, that was an interesting plot twist.
More like a foot twist.
For sure!
when did the haircut happen..?? :)
Haha, that's what you took away from this video? :) I got the haircut during my "luxury rest day" with the French trio in a small town where I grabbed my food drop for Stage 6.