March 19th, 2019. Arthur’s Pass, New Zealand.
Round Trip: 5 hours 15 mins. Elevation Gained: 1053m.
Easy sustained Scramble
There is heaps of information available on Avalanche Peak 1833m from DOC and they are certainly your most reliable source for up-to-date trail information. Given that this is the only DOC track leading up to a summit in Arthur’s Pass, it sees a fair bit of foot traffic. DOC also suggests 6-8 hours for the round trip.
We have found that the DOC times are usually quite generous. In dry conditions and with a reasonable level of fitness, 4-6 hours is realistic. In terms of scrambling – make no mistake this is in fact a scrambling route – it is sustained easy scrambling via Avalanche Peak Track. Nothing overly difficult, but to a hiker not accustomed to scrambling this will likely feel very hands on throughout the trip.
One perk of going when we did (time of year and time of day) was the early morning fog cover. As the sun rose and intensified this burnt off the morning fog: we literally found ourselves hiking above the clouds! It’s only happened on occasion for me and is a very surreal feeling.
Once above the trees you are in proper sub-alpine territory. Expansive mountain ranges all around and the view only gets better the further up you go. It is worth noting that we had perfect weather conditions for this trip; it is easy to imagine how stormy weather could complicate things especially on the summit ridge.
Take advantage of the DOC marker’s by sticking to them. Yellow for the way up, and orange for the trip back down via Scott’s Track. While Scott’s Track was wetter versus the first tract, the scrambling was much easier via Scott’s Track. Trekking poles definitely recommended if you value your knees!
Right then the summit push. It is also hands on but nothing technical by any means (still easy scrambling). Like any scramble you should only continue this in dry ideal conditions as there is enough exposure to cause serious harm if you should slip (even deaths in the past). From where the two tracks intersect the summit is short push ahead and the views are fully worth the final effort.
Conclusion: A fun half day trip, with hands on scrambling, fantastic views, and a great experience. While there was steady traffic along the tracks, the majority of other hikers seemed to be genuine and friendly.
Lastly – make sure you bring enough water for the day. Despite the numerous waterfalls off in the distance, there was zero access to water once on the track itself. 10/10 this stands out as one of our favourite hike-able peaks in the South Island.
Steep Sheep 