Last month I decided to climb a hill that can be seen from home that I'd never got around to walking up before. It was Mt Misery which is the prominent mainly bush covered hill that sits west of the Hokitika Gorge tourist attraction.

The hill was tackled by using the Hoki Gorge swingbridge then walking up river to Minnow Creek & then following it toward Murray Saddle. One of the southern ridges was then followed to the summit. The traverse was continued to the Hokitika Gorge swingbridge completing a loop that took 7.5hrs of reasonably demanding travel. (Much of the route was through bush or scrub country. The ridges on Mt Misery are untracked)

The photo shows an old trig beacon on the NE high point of Mt Misery. It was toppled but I stood it up for the photo. The view beyond Misery is of part of the Hokitika and Whitcombe catchments. Frew Saddle, Kea Pass & other old haunts made the views compelling but conscious of time I didn't linger long and started the descent at 3pm.