Excellent winter scenery on the ascent up Crown Peak (1735m) from in Arrowtown, near Queenstown. 360 degree views from the summit are a highlight.
The walk up Crown Peak (1735m) from Arrowtown is yet another underrated hike near Queenstown. There were excellent 360 degree views from the summit rocks, and a variety of scenery with Central Otago’s roly-poly mountains and wrinkly ridgelines, some pointy peaks, valleys, the Wakatipu Basin, and a nice angle on Lake Wakatipu itself.
I think this would be best done in winter (depicted here), as the scenery was certainly enhanced by snow, and there was no shelter for the whole walk. The start and end of the walk is less interesting than the middle bits, and I can recommend a descent along the Bracken Saddle Track through an attractive narrow gully. Track notes at the end.
Note you can also climb Crown Peak from the Crown Range Road, which is shorter and a marked route only. There are various other walks to be done around Arrowtown, and here is a partial selection on the Arrowtown website. I very much enjoyed the ascent of Brow Peak.
Crown Peak ascent: The Scenery
Dropping down the New Chum Gully Link Track, with Crown Peak just visible at the back. Glencoe Station and Mt Beetham (929m).
Looking back at the track (section 12, Peters Way) as it winds its way around point 1080m. Brackens Gully Love the contrast of speckled tussock grass against snow, and high mountains in the background.
Looking down towards the Wakatipu Basin. Brackens Gully left, and and Mt Sale (1708m) right.
Sophia on the summit rocks.
Views from the summit
Crinkly textures looking down the Cardrona Valley towards Wanaka. I love the subtle textures and contrasts in this photo of (possibly) Quartz Knoll in the Pisa Conservation Area. The track to this peak and others in the vicinity starts at the big car park at the high point of the Crown Range Road. Looking towards Mt Sale. The Cardrona Valley at centre. The Remarkables (left), and Lakes Wakatipu and Hayes centre right. Mt Pisa in the distance I think.
One the way down
Leaving the summit. On the way down. The Gibbston Valley in cloud just off to the left. Looking back up at the summit. The afternoon lighting made for a more colourful shot on the way down than when we ascended.
Sophia was waiting for me at this picturesque spot. I can get delayed taking too many photos, but who can blame me with scenery like this. As you can see it was already golden hour but we weren’t even a third of the way down. The Gibbston Valley filling up with cloud. Sunset, only we had quite a way to go before we finished! A rather dusky looking image. Approaching a gully on the Brackens Saddle Track. Looking back up the gully on the Brackens Saddle Track.
Track Notes
We did the circuit portion in a clockwise direction, ascending up Peters Way, and descending along the Brackens Saddle Track.
Referring to the map below: Starting at the ‘you are here’ point (Ford St), we took 14a (Tobins Track), 8b (New Chum Gully Track), 9 (New Chum Gully Link Track), 12 (Peters Way), 11b (Miners Track), 16a (Crown Peak Track), then returned down 16a, 13 (Bracken Saddle Track, also referred to as “such and such” pack track on a sign at the end of 16a, but I can’t remember the name), Glencoe Road, walking west and north, then back to Tobins Track (signposted; 14b and 14a) and the final descent to the start. All pretty obvious, and I can recommend doing the circuit section in the clockwise direction as we did. Plan for a full day.
A map of the trails we took. Starting at the ‘you are here’ point (Ford St), we took 14a, 8b, 9, 12, 11b, 16a, then returned down 16a, 13, Glencoe Road west and north, then 14b and 14a again back to the start. All these tracks are well signposted. We were happy with doing the circuit section in a clockwise direction.
