Queenstown to Wanaka options
Hi,
I am planning a trip to the South Island next February (it's been an annual trip for the past 2 years).
We're exploring ways to go from QT to Wanaka. The two routes I've come up with so far are:
- Arrowtown - Macetown - Matatapu track - Wanaka (60km-ish)
or
- Wanaka - Cascade saddle - Rees or Dart Valley - Glenorchy
Does anyone have any opinions on these?
I've read that Cascade Saddle needs to be done from Aspiring Hut to Dart hut, as the Pylon is too steep to descent in reverse.
Which is the more stunning route?
Thanks, Ian
21 comments
Dart Valley to Cascade Saddle might not be so easy as the bridge is out of action, so you'll have to cross a pretty fast flowing river.
Boots are also important in respect to ankle support.
I can recall several times i've had a southerly, in the middle of summer dumping inches of snow which remains for a day or two. That's certainly possible at Cascade saddle. Didn't they have snow down to 1000m near Arthurs Pass last week?
I wouldn't underestimate the Motatapu. It's an excellent route. If using the huts though, you can expect a few people this time of year.
Expect snow any time of the year. We were at Dart hut February 1, all mountains got a fresh sprinkling.
Cascade Saddle route is a worn path now. Has been since the Dart landslide a few years ago. You never set foot on tussock. You do still have to pull yourself through some small bluffs though. "The pylon" doesn't exist anymore, its a heavily snow poled highway at the top which crests the ridge slightly west of where the pylon use to be.
The route is still highly dangerous under snow and ice, but in the wet, shouldn't be a problem, certainly way less dangerous then it used to be.
its not about stepping on tussock, what has happened in the past is people slip and fall onto tussock and then slide out of control. it's happened several times and killed several people
1
"Slippery wet tussock" is mentioned 4 times in this thread, implying that you climb up on it when in fact you don't. I don't hear anyone complaining about tussock on any other track. I was just up the Routeburn to Lake Wilson on the weekend, no-one warned me about falling off the Routeburn and sliding down wet tussock, I think that's an implied hazard anywhere.
Yeah I agree with yarmoss. Threads like this tend to slip on their own metaphoric wet tussock. The doom and gloom has been stated many times. Let the thread be about what the original poster wanted.
I've slipped plenty in scarpa m3 boots. Let the trail runner heed the warning after that we have no control.
you cant compare the routeburn to the cascade route, at all, they are poles apart , the warn area on the cascade route is often just wide enough to place your feet, the routeburn is a footpath.. and it zig zags steep sections or has stairs in it... i easily found myself straying off the climb to the pylon in places because the track wasnt that obvious in places...
as i've said, people have slipped and fallen on the cascade route..
the route
https://tramper.nz/16602
1
That's actually a very good photo, Wayno. Its often hard to show the steepness of terrain, but having the river in the shot at the top gives an indication of the gradient of the climb/descent. Well done!
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Forum | Tracks, routes, and huts |
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Started by | Ultrakid |
On | 24 February 2018 |
Replies | 20 |
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