Stewart Island - North West Circuit - Winter
I'm contemplating doing the North West Circuit on Stewart Island in early July. I've read a few trip reports, but thus far haven't found any trip reports of doing the circuit in the height of winter.
I'm looking at doing the trip in a pretty leisurely form, taking 9-10 days so that I'm not too pressed by the short days, and have the option of spending a second night at a couple of the huts.
Has anyone got advice on this trip in winter and also perhaps thoughts on putting in some very long days to bypass huts.
I'm an experienced back-country traveller, and quite happy to walk at night - so feel free to offer your thoughts, or point me to any existing winter trip reports.
Cheers
Rob
I understood that it's a mudbath at the best of times, and winter is likely to be pretty muddy
have you seen photos of the track, ones like these??
http://frozenbrody.blogspot.co.nz/2010/03/stewart-island-northwest-circuit.html
have you tramped this part of the country in winter before? do you realise how bad the weather can be in winter? ie very cold very windy and very wet
Cheers - not too concerned about the mud, sounds like the coastal bits make up for it. I'm wondering just how much worse the mud is in winter - my thoughts are that it's a relatively wet place anyway, and so there may not be a huge variation through the seasons?
I've seen those photos thanks - once again, not put off by what I see. Also, re the weather, I've had more than my fair share of winter mountaineering and tramping, throw in a Southern Traverse and other experiences for good measure - and so I give respect to the likely conditions - they aren't taken lightly. I've got thirty years of back-country experience in all manner of environments.
heres what the weather did there last july
http://obanweather.southlandnz.com/July2011.htm
one way to work out the question of mud might be to go through the weather month by month here,, the more rain the greater likihood the mud will be worse?
http://obanweather.southlandnz.com/
Great weather resource thanks - I've also looked at Jul 10 and it's quite consistent. The good news is that the average daily temp is warmer than where I live (south of Christchurch.
What I've seen thus far - expect rain every day, and the cold days (as expected) are due to the passage of a southerly air mass.
reminds me,, a friend said it rains less in fiordland in winter than summer because the air holds less moisture in the colder weather, so this might translate to stewart island, he didnt say how much it varied, although you can't compare it to jan and feb when rainfall is at it's lowest. he mmay have been refering to when it actually rains it rains less on average..
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| Forum | Tracks, routes, and huts |
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| Started by | robhoult |
| On | 4 June 2012 |
| Replies | 28 |
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