Category: South Island
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Pinchgut Hut, Mount Thomas Forest Conservation Area, Dec 2025
Back in Christchurch after a Christmas tramp in Otago and a shorter one in the McKenzie Country, we had a day and a half to spare and went looking for a short overnighter close to the city. We’d also reconnected with the third member of our team, Charlie, who’d been staying with Nicola’s parents in…
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Minarets, Aoraki/Mount Cook NP, Jan 2025
Following a very long lay-off from mountaineering, and likely the result of some sort of mid-life crisis, I decided that 2025 was the year to give it another crack. To achieve my goals I contacted Doug from Aspiring Guides in Wanaka in mid-2024. Over the next few months we sorted out where my level was…
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Hopkins & Huxley Valleys, Ruataniwha Conservation Park, Dec 2024
Driving back from Otago, having just finished a Christmas trip through the Caples-Greenstone, Nicola and I found ourselves with a few days up our sleeve. It was finally a chance to explore the country beyond Lake Ohau: specifically the Hopkins and Huxley river valleys, a place I’d read about in enough hunting, tramping and alpine…
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Caples-Greenstone (Conservation Areas), Dec 2024
Instead of a family Christmas this year, Nicola and I decided to head into the hills for our short summer break. I was recovering from a recent leg injury, so was looking for something that wouldn’t be too difficult or too long. The Caples-Greenstone loop in Otago fitted the bill nicely. We chose to walk…
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Heaphy Track, Kahurangi NP, Dec 2023
We were a day late getting to the start of the track due to low cloud delaying our departure from Wellington then not being able to land in Takaka for the same issue. So our day 1 involved what was planned to be our first two days, and powering through 41.7km to James Mackay Hut.…
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Travers Valley, Nelson Lakes NP, Sep 2017
Back in September 2017 Guy Land, Jon Parker and I spent a few days at Nelson Lakes National Park. After a cold night tenting at St Arnaud’s Lake Rotoiti campground we caught a water taxi to Coldwater Hut which is about as appealing as its name suggests. From there we headed up valley for a…
North of the Saddle 