Rotorua's Shane Lash (fourth from the left) during a trip to Mt Ruapehu in January.
Rotorua's Shane Lash (fourth from the left) during a trip to Mt Ruapehu in January.
A local student is looking forward to escaping Rotorua's chilly winter with a hike in America's summer climate.
Shane Lash, a Year 12 student at Rotorua Lakes High School, will hike the Appalachian Trail this week as part of the gold level Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award.
"I'm excited andkind of nervous, but mostly excited," Shane said.
"It's going to be much warmer there. It's freezing here."
The Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award is for young people aged 14 to 25 looking to challenge themselves. The path to the award could take many forms depending on the individual.
Undertaking a four-day expedition alongside fellow gold level candidates was one method of fulfilling the adventurous journey section.
Shane's aim was to reach gold level by the end of this year. He accomplished bronze in his first year of high school, silver in his second, and had been working on gold since the start of his third.
Following the hike, he would just have the community service and non-physical skill components left to complete.