The A4 map of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing has been enlarged to A3 with a consequent scale change to 1:30 000.  The route information on the Crossing has been expanded with much more detail and there are several notes explaining the volcanic landforms that are met on the way.

This area has long been a gap in NewTopo’s coverage of interesting places to go.  The new map covers both the Round-the Mountain Track and the popular Pouakai Circuit at a scale of 1:65 000.  Focussed on the mountain with its radial drainage and the vegetation skirt defined by the circular National park boundary, the map is stunning in appearance and useful in the field.

A second map of Stewart Island tracks is expected to be published before Christmas.

In April I walked the Rakiura Track on Stewart Island and was inspired to produce a map focussed on that adventure.  At 1:45 000 the map is large enough to show everything you need to know.

Contact with the Department of Conservation (DOC) staff at Oban (Halfmoon Bay) convinced me that there was a need for an additional large format map showing the North West and Southern Circuits.  This map is at a scale of 1:65 000 and is expected to be published before Christmas.

You will have arrived at this blog via NewTopo’s newly refreshed website. The content is much the same but has been updated and we think it is much more interesting to explore and easier to read. Thanks to Sylvia in London. The site is now hosted in the US. Maybe in ‘the cloud’, who knows? Comment on improvement is welcome, here or in private to [email protected]

NewTopoBlog is back, after a rebuild of the main NewTopo Maps Web site. It will take us a little while to get it back in shape, with lots of news about new maps, the new Web site, and other doings in New Zealand and world cartography.