Ever wanted to visit a lake that reminds you of the whimsical flying circus elephant Dumbo with his large flappy ears? Dumb-bell Lake, above Lake Ōhau, is as charming as the cartoon elephant Dumbo and well worth all the climbing.
A Solo Alpine Mission Above Lake Ōhau to Dumb-bell Lake
Dumb-bell Lake is a place I have wanted to visit for years, mostly because of its whimsical name. I’ve always playfully imagined finding flying Dumbo elephants there! Having thoroughly enjoyed previous trips in the area to Gunsight Pass and Maitland Pass, a loop around Dumb-bell Lake quickly became a top priority.
While down south with Tony, a spare day after climbing Mt Gladwish provided the perfect window for a solo day trip. As we drove around Lake Ōhau, a thick valley fog blanked the landscape which initially disappointed me that I wouldn’t get any views to make the trip worthwhile. I started running with the optimism of climbing well above the inversion layer.
Heading Up Freehold Creek Track
The first section of the Freehold Creek Track forms part of NZ’s thru-hike, the Te Araroa Trail. At this time of year though, I didn’t see a single person though. The climb up to the bushline travels through lovely beech forest—a stretch of the track I thoroughly enjoyed.
As this was a spontaneous trip, I hadn’t done any prior research into the route. Part of this was due to a lack of time, but it was also an intentional choice. I wanted to experience the pure joy of navigating strictly by map and making my own route choices, rather than relying on popular route descriptions from the internet.
After leaving the main track near the Freehold Creek waterfalls, I stumbled across a foot-trail and a few yellow snow poles. I later discovered that there is a Department of Conservation (DoC) sign just above where I turned off the Freehold Creek track, though the route itself through the Freehold Creek Basin is only very lightly marked.
Route Finding: Navigating to the “Pinnacle”
I decided to challenge myself by aiming straight for the peak named Pinnacle rather than taking the easiest line. However, frozen scree quickly scuttled that plan.
Top Tip: The simplest route is to head northwest from point 1479 to point 1922 up a gentle grassy slope.
Due to the icy ground conditions, I ended up looping around the basin to point 1922 instead. It meant some extra elevation and excellent boulder-hopping practice!
It was then along a broad ridge to the summit of the Pinnacle. Hilariously, the “Pinnacle” is not at all jagged—it’s just a minor bump in the ridge that you could easily walk over without even realizing. Despite its unassuming shape, it offered spectacular views down to Lake Ōhau and across to the Barrier Range.
Reaching the Frozen Serenity of Dumb-bell Lake
From the ridge, I decided to cut around the southern end of Dumb-bell Lake to traverse along its western side. The ridge leading to point 1887 looked like it could get a bit gnarly, and with winter daylight hours ticking away, I didn’t have a lot of spare time if I needed to retreat, especially after a later start.
Dumb-bell Lake was every bit as beautiful as I had imagined. The northern end was skimmed with a thin layer of ice. The sun was hitting the water perfectly when I arrived, creating an incredibly serene atmosphere. I noted a few camping spots for possible future overnight trips.
And as for my search? Unfortunately, I didn’t find any flying Dumbo elephants with big flappy ears—but I definitely looked!
Climbing Mt Sutton (2,007m)
The climb out of the lake basin presented a few icy patches, though these were easily avoided. While the most direct line is to climb straight through a steep basin towards Mt Sutton, this southern face was holding multiple patches of snow. I was worried about encountering frozen scree—which feels like trying to walk on marbles and can be incredibly dangerous.
Opting for a line I felt more comfortable with, I took a more circular route. I decided to head east and sidle the ridge south of Mt Sutton. While I was also on the southern aspect of this ridge, it had less snow and scree. I only had to put my crampons on once to safely cross a single section of hard snow that I couldn’t kick steps in.
From there, it was an easy sidle back along on the northern side of the same ridge and along to the summit of Mt Sutton—a sneaky 2,000-metre peak. The summit views were phenomenal, stretching all the way down the lake toward the Hopkins and Dobson Rivers, with a clear view of Aoraki / Mt Cook dominating the horizon.
The fun downhill run: Ohau Skifield Road
The descent from Mt Sutton to the Ohau Skifield was straightforward, requiring just a bit of care to avoid icy patches around the stream.
Reaching the top of the skifield access road, I was actually looking forward to stretching my legs on the 9.6km downhill run. The run down was beautiful and so much fun. I passed some massive icicles hanging from the roadside waterfalls and watched the sunset and alpenglow paint the surrounding peaks.
My timing couldn’t have been better. Just as I reached the locked gate at the base of the access road, Tony pulled up in the car to meet me.
It was an absolutely fantastic day out in the Lake Ōhau backcountry, and it has left me incredibly motivated to come back and explore more of this stunning area.
Top Tips: Topo Map BZ14 Mt Barth
Backcountry navigation required. The snow poles to Dumb-bell Lake from Freehold Creek are very sporadic. In autumn-spring, alpine gear may be required.
Distance: 26.2km | Elevation: 2,041m | Time: Allow 8-10hrs
In the ski season, the Ōhau skifield access road will be open. When closed, you may be able to get a key for the gate from Lake Ōhau Lodge to drive up the skifield road. Currently, a 4WD is required due to road damage.
Trip completed May 2026.