Two Arthur’s Pass peaks for the price of one! An excellent circuit on easy but exciting terrain. Ridges, rocks, and bush tracks all in one outing!
This trip is specifically aimed at beginner mountaineers wanting a taste of rugged ridges and unmarked terrain in the Arthur’s Pass mountains.
Leader: Yif Swery [[email protected]_] or find me on social media for questions
Date: Saturday 3rd May (Sunday is the backup day in case of weather)
Gear Required:
Helmet
Hiking boots
Sufficient early winter clothing
Sleeping gear (only if you wish to stay at the lodge the night before)
Previous Experience Required: Even though this is a fairly straightforward route, it’s still a long day in the mountains with a fair bit of excitement. You will need to have a good level of fitness (7+ hours out there) and a good head and balance for walking
on uneven rocky terrain.
Party Size: Maximum of 7 additional people
Itinerary:
Friday 2nd May: Carpool from Christchurch in the evening after work and spend the night in Kennedy Lodge in Arthur’s Pass Village (Optional, you are welcome to drive
from Christchurch on the day of the climb if you are happy to wake up earlier) Saturday 3rd May: Start our walk-in at the Punchbowl car park @ ~7:30am
Walk up the Cons Track and reach the first summit of the day: Mt Cassidy. Continue along the ridge to the second summit and highest point of the day: Blimit @ 1921m.
Drop down the ridge to Temple Basin and finish off the day walking down the easy-going Temple Basin Track, with a little bit of road walking back to the start to finish up a full day loop.
Expect the climbing day to take between 7–10 hours.
Plan B:
If the conditions (especially at this time of the year) are rough or unfavourable for this big day of climbing, the backup Plan B will be going up Castle Hill Peak instead.
Resources:
Arthur’s Pass – Hiking Routes
