Archives For Mount Aspiring

Visitor Centre Ranger Don Herron tackles Cascade Saddle and is rewarded with spectacular views of Mount Rob Roy, Mount Avalanche, Mount Aspiring plus many other peaks and glaciers.

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By Chrissy Wickes, Biodiversity Ranger, Te Anau.

I love tramping in winter. If the forecast is good then there is nothing better than a frosty walk to a cosy hut.

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Exploring Mount Aspiring National Park

We recently walked up to Aspiring Hut. This is a two and a half hour walk up the beautiful West Matukituki Valley to a hut with grand views of Tititea/Mount Aspiring. Tititea means “glistening peak” and is the tallest mountain in Tititea/Mount Aspiring National Park, rising to 3033 metres.

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A frosty morning

It is an easy flat walk to get to the hut, following the West Matukituki river and surrounded by mountains. You really do feel like you are in the heart of the mountains yet it is less than 60 kilometres from Wanaka.

The next morning we woke to a kea jumping on the roof.  It was a frosty morning  so woolly clothes, gloves and hats were needed.

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Keeping warm

Check out the DOC website for information on Tititea/Mt Aspiring National Park and other great activities in the area.

Today’s photo of the week was taken on the Rees-Dart Track, a 4-5 day tramping circuit which follows the Rees River and the Dart River through farmland and the southern part of Mount Aspiring National Park.

A massive landslide recently cut off tramping access through the Dart Valley.

Tramping in the Dart Valley. Photo: Keith Miller.

An alternative temporary track was opened on Monday which has restored tramping access. Trampers are advised to stick to the alternative route at all times for their safety.

The track provides great views of the lake and landslide from this route, particularly on Sandy Bluff.

This photo was taken by Keith Miller | CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.