Kiwis planning on venturing into the outdoors this long weekend are being warned to take care.
Labour Weekend marks the traditional start of the summer tramping season and with warm weather forecast for much of the country, the NZ Mountain Safety Council (MSC) says it expects a high number of Kiwis will hit the outdoors.
"If you're new to tramping and getting in our country's outdoors, it's good to ease into it, start small, and ask for advice," said Mike Daisley, MSC chief executive.
"We are already seeing signs it could be a very busy summer across much of our country's awesome outdoor locations."
Daisley recommended using Labour Weekend as a chance to check your clothing and equipment in preparation for the rest of the summer.
MetService has forecast warm and humid conditions for most of the country this weekend, though there is also some wet weather in the mix.
Daisley said regardless of where you were heading you should continue to check the forecast right up to your departure.
MetService meteorologist Lewis Ferris on Thursday said for those in the South Island Saturday was the best day to get outside as a frontal system would start working its way up the country on Sunday.
Rain and strong northwesterly winds will dominate the west and south of the South Island for the better part of the weekend, he said.
"The North Island is looking a little less clean cut. There's a lot of lingering moisture around the majority of the island, this could mean low-cloud or fog in the morning."
Last week a ski touring group came across the debris of a massive avalanche in Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park promoting warnings for people heading into the backcountry.
Anyone heading into the backcountry is advised to check the MSC's avalanche forecast website and make sure they plan for avalanche hazards.
