Hiking and Day Walks in South island

Hi Normz, There are plenty of day walks in the South Island that can be done in winter by people with less experience, and a few longer trips. Basically - sticking to valley / coast trips, on marked tracks with no unbridged crossings is what you need. The main risks in September are rain / rising rivers (hence the 'bridged tracks recommendation). Snow will still be present at high levels (maybe >1400m) and avalanche conditions may still be present in the high stuff. Thisis a wet time of year and so you need to dress to expect rain (or snow if you're higher up). The two best known longer walks are: - Able Tasman coast track - Hollyford valley. Both are low level coastal or valley floor trips unlikely to be closed by weather. The only risk with the Hollyford is that the access road does sometimes get closed for a day or two by snow, but that's unlikely as late as Septemper. The down side with walking it that early is that the jetboats that bring walkers back to the start don't operate until October so you'd need to walk there and back. The Able Tasman is a through walk, and transport companies exist to take you back to the start. Day / overnight walks ============== There are hundreds of day / overnight trips. The following are just some ideas I occasionally recommend for beginners (listed south to north): Southland: - Green Lake hut (Lake Monowai) (moderate, overnight) - Kiwi Burn Hut in the Snowdon forest (Mavora Lakes) (easy, overnighter or day walk) Otago: - Greenstone Hut or Caples Hut - (easy overnighter into the lower end of either the Greenstone or Caples valleys. The top end of these valleys may be subject to avalanche risk, but the lower end will be fine in your timeframe) - South Temple Hut (Twizel) (moderate, overnight) Canterbury: - Nina Hut (Lewis Pass) (Moderate, overnight) West Coast: - Blue pools / Blowfly Hut (Paringa) (Easy, day/overnight) - Welcome flat? - check conditions but apparently a great trip with hot pools at the hut Nelson: Mt Arthur Hut (Motueka) - easy - loop walk day / overnight Captain Creek Hut (Pelorous bridge) - easy - overnight As I say there will be 1000s of these trips out there. Your best bet is to check in with the local DOC office in the region when you arrive and ask for suggestions as they (hopefully) will know the current conditions.

the hollyford at that time of year has a reasonable chance of a lot of storm damage on the track, slips and fallen trees.

Yes. Should have said more clearly - most of the above tracks suffer damage over the winter once in a while - so check the conditions of any trip you plan by calling into or phoning the local DOC office. But dont let that put you off completely - asking when you arrive you'll find out what, if any, areas to avoid. you'll find places to go, don't worry.

Hi madpom, thanks for your tips! will put it to good use!

Should be mid-Spring, last month of ski season. Would expect sunnier days & not so much snow on easy tracks around Mt Cook. Of course, snow could still happen. Sealy Tarns track probably okay by then. Why not continue up towards Mueller Hut and get the view from the top of the Stairway to Heaven ?. Take water !. If not Sealy Tarn, then the Valley walk is still good. 4 suspension bridges take you up the valley to Hooker lake. https://gtnewzealand.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/p1150446.jpg From the Hermitage, you can book the boat rides on Tasman Glacier Lake. http://www.glacierexplorers.com/ http://res.cloudinary.com/anzcro/image/upload/c_fill,g_south,h_400,w_1280/v1370934942/l-tasman-glacier.jpg

Hi Pro-active, i would love to continue to mueller hut but based on DoC website from sealy tarns to mueller hut route is considered complex avalanche area i think therefore I wasn't thinking of doing that and we are inexperience. nevertheless i love that picture and scene from hooker valley! i will definitely do that! appreciate your input! cheers mate!

snows unpredictable at that time of year, there was a lot of it last yeat

Waynowskis words are true ! Expecting a weather forecast more than 3 -6 days out is crazy talk. Becomes way less accurate. More of a guess. But, in general terms ...? And if it does happen to snow thereabouts, it's an Alpine setting. DoC will give you a recommendation closer the time, if you ask. If the track IS good, it continues on from Sealy Tarn much as it you've already done. View just gets better.

thanks for all your input! i guess the rule of the thumb is to check with local DoC for weather and have plan B. hope that the weather treats me well!