Plans for winter?

Used to hit the Eyre Mountains in winter when I was in West Otago. Clear valleys and snow on the tops - good fun in winter. Somewhere you can get into in most conditions. Have to find a new winter playground now. See where I end up living when the casts come off: Southern Ruahines on the doorstep at the moment, and Northern Tararuas. Plenty of valley options.

Have you climbed Helen Peak in the Eyre Mountains?. I recently found out that it was named after my Great Grandmother. Jane Peak is named after her Sister in Law. The are both on my to do list. Winter tramping can be great. The nights get a bit long if you are in a tent. I tend to avoid snow these days but the tops are not always snow covered so most trips are possible Also tramping for 2-3 hours into a hut on a clear frosty Friday night is great therapy after a week in the office.

Best time of the year. Where do i start. Less people about huts to myself, fires at night, rain on the roof, crisp clear mornings, days with potential, temperatures to walk in without feeling depleted, the thrill of changeable weather (im a sucker for a good storm). Its a time to appreciate the individual character of huts and the fireboxs that warm them. Bring it on

The only thing I do not like about winter tramping is that going for a swim is not a pleasant experience. Also no sneaky trout fish on many rivers :( I do love a fire in a hut, especially a open fire and you can sleep in the glow. But I do hate it when the only wood is still green but getting the fire going is half the fun.

i reckon tramping in winter is great, i like to get challenged by the weather conditions that winter can bring and then get to a good hut and relax. mind you daytramps are not as much fun, do not tend to stay long at a hut because i tend to start cooling down pretty quickly so get going to keep warm, am heading up the hill soon for a bit of a walk, even though its cold and wet

Hey pmcke, how awesome to have some peaks named after your family - what an honour! How did you find that out?

Not been up Helen's - merely admired it from Irthing Biv. Looks like a nice winter climb though, or an easy summer one from the hut. How'd they get the peaks named after them?

Simple, they were first there. My Great Grandfather and his brother were the first settlers on the Waimea Plains in the 1850s, they named those peaks after their wives. The brother though is the one that trampers would be the most familiar with, he was the first european to go up the Greenstone to somewhere around Lake Howden where they looked down the Hollyford and saw Martins Bay. He decided that area was no good for grazing sheep so, after owning a string of properties in the area, he went to Mexico where he had a huge ranch. The locals however didn't like him putting fences up so they shot him. The Lake at the head of the Greenstone (Lake McKellar) is named after him. I believe the Mavora Lakes are named after his horse, but I am not entirely certain of that.

Saw some snow out that way when I looked at Easter...Much of it is high attitude so most likely to be snow unless it has washed/melted away! The huts are stocked with coal tho since many are above the bushline. On the Turoa Side(The mountain Rd) you gotta be careful as tarseal and ice prob aint a good combo(you have to walk a couple km downhill or uphill depending on direction) Probably best to check out the metservice website and their webcam things.