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A Guide to Mt Somers
Mt Somers (Te Kiekie) lies nestled in the scenic foothills of the Southern Alps and serves as the gateway to the stunning Hakatere Conservation Park. Interestingly, Mt Somers is an extinct volcano, and its volcanic origin shows in its fascinating geology. There are visible faultlines & cooling fractures—jagged pillars have been formed by the cooling…
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Mount Thomas: A Complete Guide
Mount Thomas lies nestled in the scenic foothills of the Southern Alps. Much like its neighbors, Mt Somers and Mt Oxford, it is a highly popular Canterbury day walk that also offers brilliant opportunities for easy, front-country overnight tramping trips. Best of all? It’s just a short, easy drive from Christchurch, making it the perfect…
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Mt Izard & Mt Cloudsley: Winter Alpine Tramping Guides | Craigieburn
Craigieburn Forest Park offers some of Canterbury’s finest winter alpine day trips. If you want the joys of snow and strapping on crampons to summit peaks over 2,000 meters—all while returning to a hot shower and a warm bed by nightfall—these two classic routes climbing up Mt Izard & Mt Cloudsley are for you. While…
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Craigieburn Forest: Nervous Knob & Hamilton Peak Loop
The Nervous Knob & Hamilton Peak Loop in Craigieburn Forest Park in Canterbury offers a rewarding shorter day trip complete with sweeping ridgeline views and a fantastic scree run. Other fantastic day trips in the Craigieburn Range are trips climbing Mt Izard & Mt Cloudsley; or the multi-day Cass-Lagoon Saddle Track. Or in the nearby…
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Tramping Gunsight Pass, Ruataniwha Conservation Park
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Hiking the Benmore-Annavale Loop & Sugarloaf Summit
Looking for a fantastic Canterbury day walk that packs in native beech forest, a tidy backcountry hut, and expansive alpine views without requiring a full weekend? The Benmore – Annavale Loop in Thirteen Mile Bush, capped off with a detour up Sugarloaf Summit (Pt 1203), ticks every box. Nearby to this are other fantastic day…
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Mt Potts: A Winter Loop in Hakatere Conservation Area
If you are looking for an incredible winter backcountry mission near Christchurch, tramping Mt Potts in the Hakatere Conservation Park should be right at the top of your list. When an airline luggage mishap leaves you stranded at the airport without your alpine gear, this stunning 4-day loop via Mystery Lake, Potts Hut, and Boundary…
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A Snowy Mt Oxford & Lower Salmon Creek Biv Loop
The Canterbury Foothills such as Mt Oxford, Mt Thomas and Mt Somers offer some of the best front-country tramping in New Zealand, especially when a sudden winter storm turns the ridges into a magical winter wonderland. After spotting a perfect weather window paired with cheap flights to Christchurch, I jumped at the opportunity for a…
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Climbing Mt Gladwish: The Uniquely Cheerful Gem in the Ahuriri Valley
Mt Gladwish (1,861m) is a peak with a uniquely cheerful name nestled in the rugged Ahuriri Valley. While it hasn’t been climbed particularly often in the past, its inclusion in the newly published New Zealand Alpine Club (NZAC) book The High Pathways by Paul and Shelley Hersey is rightly putting it on the radar for…
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The Princess Bath: A Winter Transformation on Mt Princess
