Mountain maps full of track errors

Trampers' lives could have been put at risk after potentially deadly mistakes crept into maps of the Ruahine Range.

The latest batch of Topo50 maps, which are the official topographic map series used by New Zealand emergency services, and available to trampers and hunters, have been printed with tracks that have never existed or no longer exist, tracks put on the map in the wrong place, or tracks included that are no longer deemed safe to use, the Manawatu Tramping Club says.

Chief guide Kim Fraser discovered the maps were wrong when she took some groups through the eastern side of the Ruahine Range.

One of the main safety hazards she noticed was poled routes being shown as tramping tracks.

"Poled routes are generally on the tops above the treeline and alpine skills are needed at certain times of the year, under certain weather and track conditions. Sound navigational skills are also most certainly needed under some weather conditions as this can make the route impossible to navigate without them, even with sparsely placed poles along the route."

She wants people to contact the Department of Conservation immediately if they know of any other errors so a corrections list can be made and sent to Land Information New Zealand, which produces the maps.

"Maps should not be wrong. It was just lucky with the groups I took out that I had the old maps on me as well."

Department area manger Jason Roxburgh said the new maps had been created using the same technology as that used in GPS systems, mostly created by aerial photos.

"If people find mistakes in new ones, let us know."

Land Information New Zealand national topographer Geoff Howard said many tracks were hidden under native forest and therefore could not be seen from satellite imagery.

"We are reliant on up-to-date information being supplied to us from the Department of Conservation, tramping clubs, individuals and so on."

He was unaware of the errors the tramping club had discovered, and wanted to hear from it. "Once we are notified of any errors and provided with the correct information, we will immediately update our topographic database."

- © Fairfax NZ News