Queenstown is stuffed with people trying to sell you adventures. Erinna and I caught the gondola up the hill a few times for some mountain biking. Turned out to be much more downhill than we were expecting!
Plans to spend a few days in the high peaks of Mount Aspiring National Park were put on hold as the weather turned wet and grim. Erinna and I chanced a trip up Breast Hill to the east, which turned out to be cloud and rain free with a stunning sunrise as well. One of my favourite ever wild camping spots, and the closest to a mountain summit that I've ever spent the night.
Just down the road from Arthur's Pass lies a discrete little turning into a nature reserve car park. Venture down the path and you enter Cave Stream, a waist deep, freezing cold, underground river which winds its way through the hillside to emerge a kilometre or so upstream. The small plaque casually suggests that a headtorch and shoes might be helpful. A very cool little subterranean adventure.
We really wanted to hike the day trip up Avalanche Peak and so after our descent from the Robert Ridge, Erinna and I raced around to Arthur's Pass and set up camp, fending off the night-time attack of the cheeky Kea parrots.
In the morning we shot up the 1000m ascent to the summit just before the clouds closed in. After the steep ascent, Avalanche Peak culminates in an airy, exposed ridge to the top with great views of the glaciers clinging to the surrounding peaks in Arthur's Pass National Park.
A two day trip of stark weather contrasts. The 6+ hour ascent to the Angelus Hut along the Travers-Cascade Route was walked in heavy rain and poor visibility. After a night in the hut to dry and refuel, we returned along the Robert Ridge Route and down the Pinchgut Track in glorious sunshine with a cracking inversion in the valleys below. The ridge had been described as something akin to Crib Goch by some of the DOC staff but it turned out to significantly more benign - much to Erinna's delight!
The Abel Tasman coastline is pretty and touristy, but the actual five day coastal hike is fairly monotonous. Erinna and I caught a boat around to one of the bays and opted instead for a single day trek back via Cleopatra's Pool.
