Mt Cassidy to Blimit (Arthur’s Pass)
Mt Cassidy Track starts at Devil’s Punchbowl Falls at the northern end of Arthur’s Pass. The track first crosses the Bealey River, then climbs steeply through a pretty beech forest. On the NZ Topo Map,…
trips with the Christchurch Tramping Club (leading)
Tūpari Reserve Packhorse Hut Track + the Eye of the Needle
The new track to Packhorse Hut via Tūpari Reserve starts at the Kaituna Valley car park. It’s well signposted from the car park, and there’s a big map as well if you’re still in doubt….
The Gap and Ghost Creek
A big group of 22 trampers left Christchurch at about 7 am. After dropping off all passengers at Porter’s Pass car park, we repositioned most cars at Ghost Creek car park. It’s a wee car…
Mt Izard tarns
Two car loads of CTC trampers set off on a journey to check out four tiny-looking tarns that drain the basin between Mt Cheeseman and Mt Izard. From Texas Flat car park, we followed the…
From Sumner to Sumner (via Godley Head and Lyttelton Market)
After the somewhat violent and highly volatile weather last week, all CTC overnight tramps were cancelled, including my planned trip to Top Trent Hut. Since I was really keen to stretch my legs, I put…
Eye of the Needle, Mt Bradley, Packhorse hut and Mt Herbert
Lambing season track access restrictions finished on Friday at Orton Bradley, so I thought it’d be a good opportunity to check out some of the local tracks a couple of days later. I put a…
Castle Rock in Port Hills with kids
This was my second attempt to run a Helicopter Hill trip – and the second time it had to be cancelled, so we ended up in the Port Hills instead, aiming to climb Te Tihi-o-Kahukura…
Foggy Peak under full moon 2025
Another year, another trip to Foggy under the full moon. This time our party was very small – only six brave souls embraced the fresh breeze on a chilly Monday evening. We started from Porters…
Steepface Hill from Hutt Stream
Note The described route, including the GPX, crosses private land. You must obtain permission before following it. Steepface Hill can be climbed via Terrible Gully without the landowner’s permission. Route description The route starts at…
Purau Loops with kids
About 15 parents and 15 children gathered at Diamond Harbour Jetty around 9:30 to catch the 9:50 ferry. While the parents settled into conversation, the kids wasted no time forming their own little society and…