ARTHUR’S PASS NATIONAL PARK National Park National PassArthur’s 216 © LonelyPlanetPublications at theedgeofnationalpark. high passes. Alsocovered are Cass–Lagoon SaddlesTrackandHarperPass, easiertramps routes, whilethe PassWaimakariri–Harman Route is achallenging four-day trampover two Crossing. Goat Pass Trackisagoodchoicefortrampersnewtopasshoppingandfollowing Island’sfamedTongariro tramp intheSouthIsland,withscenerythatrivalsofNorth time youwillbeboulderhoppingalong,orin,river beds. Moststreams are unbridged. saddles thatlinkthem.Cut tracksare usuallyprovided onlywhennecessaryandmuchofthe generally routes ratherthantracks,andinvolve followingthevalleysandthenclimbing altitude from245mattheTaramakau River to2408matMtMurchison. the rest isinWestland.This ruggedandmountainousarea, cutbydeepvalleys,rangesin of theSouthernAlps. ofitlieontheCanterbury Two-thirds sideoftheMainDivideand PassArthur’s NationalPark. the world.Butmostlyit’svisited bytrampers,whoarrive todoabitofpass-hoppingin andvisitorsfromalloveran immensealpinearea, thistinyvillagehostsclimbers,skiers surrounded byruggedpeaksandanurge toreach thetopofthem.As thegateway to From the moment you step offthetrainoroutofbusin PassArthur’s village,youare

HIGHLIGHTS Several trampsare covered inthischapter, including Avalanche Peak, thebestone-day There are manytracksfordaywalks,especiallyaround thevillage,butlongertripsare ofChristchurch,straddlesbothsides The 9927-sq-kmnational park,154kmnorthwest

Taking iteasyon inhot springsalongthe Soaking Climbingto Enjoyingthe viewofpeaksandglaciersfromthetop TELEPHONE CODE:03 Pass region rc (p230) Track Lake Mavis Cass–Lagoon SaddlesTrack ( p226 offGoatPass), abeautifulalpinelake Track www.softrock.co.nz/apis Waimakariri–Harman Pass Route ( p234 ), theeasiest alpineroute intheArthur’s

Avalanche Peak

www.christchurchnz.net ( p226 ) andHarperPass ( p220 ) ARTHUR’S PASS NATIONAL PARK 217 p219 p231 p233 p234 p236 pp222–3

Millia (1835m) River Mons Sex Cust SH7

Hurunui River Mt Longfellow (1898m)

Lake Waiau Sheppard Oxford 5 Lake Lake Taylor Sumner (1806m) Mt Barron Sheffield 1 Arthur's Pass Village 2 Arthur's Pass National Park Tramps 3 Harper Pass (Map 1) 4 Harper Pass (Map 2) 5 Harper Pass (Map 3) 6 Cass-Lagoon Saddles Track Forest Park Arthur's Pass National Park – Maps

Lake Sumner

(1832m) Mt Ajax P u k e t e r a k i R a n g e g n a R i k a r e t e k u P Staircase (1567m) 00 20 miles 40 km Springfield Mt Hochstetter Whilst George Dobson was selecting Dobson was Whilst George the didn’t get a pass na- didn’t get Dobson Edward Poulter (1723m)

Mt Tuke River Craigieburn 4 ‘best’ route across the island, two parcels across the island, ‘best’ route sent to Canter- from Hokitika were gold of followed, and in just one bury. A gold rush med after him but his son, Arthur, did. In did. In son, Arthur, him but his med after Dobson Arthur 1864, 23-year-old March jour- Edward brother and his 18-year-old Bealeyneyed up the valley and camped they The next day line. the tree above and de- crossed is now Arthur’s Pass what Otira Gorge. distancescended a short into was George, brothers, Arthur’s Another of commissioned to find the best route later from Canterbury to the west-coast gold referred who first fields, and it was George Pass’. to the pass as ‘Arthur’s SH73 Harper Pass (963m) ARTHUR’S PASS NATIONAL PARK •• History •• PARK NATIONAL ARTHUR’S PASS Lake Pearson (1337m) River Cass Mt Newcombe (945m)

Porters Pass

Kopara kariri

Lake

Ahaura Mt Pfeifer (1703m)

R a n g e g n a R Waima (1760m) Arthur's Pass National Park

River Mt Misery

Lake Mt Alexander (1958m) Lake n r u b e i g i a r C Haupiri Hochstetter 6 Lady Lake 3 (2195m) Mt Enys Arthur's Pass (924m) Arthur's Pass Lake Kangaroo 1 SH73 River Lake Bealey Spur Taramakau

Poerua Otira

Coleridge Paddock Hill (1135m) ( greenstone) on the greenstone) ( River Forest Park Craigieburn Moana Otira

Tunnel Rakaia Jacksons (1833m) Lake

(2272m) Harper Poerua Lake 2 Brunner Mt Rolleston Avalanche Peak Inchbonnie pounamu Stillwater Brunner

Wainihinihi

Shantytown SH73

Kumara (p239) Map

Paroa In September 1857, Edward Dobson tra- In September 1857, Coast West See Arthur's Pass National Park Arthur's Pass National

Runanga HISTORY passed through the Waimaka- often Maori early occupation their of riri basin. Signs where valley, evident in the Hawdon are The by hunting parties. was burnt the forest highly prized Arthur’s Pass National Park National Arthur’s Pass www.lonelyplanet.com west coast lured them occasionally across them occasionally across lured west coast through the easier and often Arthur’s Pass, Pass. Harper over route as far as Harper up the velled val- and possibly into the Taramakau Pass, turning back. However, it was ley, before who, in the 20-year-old European to same the first year, became cross the swampy saddle and descend the the west coast. to reach River Taramakau