Mt Charon & Dumblane, Hanmer Range, Canterbury NZ

A long but excellent walk to the summit of Mt Charon (1560m) from Jacks Pass, also taking in the peak named Dumblane (1303m). Great views and very attractive heath vegetation. 

Dumblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range

We wanted a quieter walk to do on our first trip to the Hanmer Springs area, and this was a great choice. We met nobody else on a Sunday doing this long but very enjoyable walk to the summit of Mt Charon (1560m) via Dumblane (1303m) from Jacks Pass (870m). The very colourful heath vegetation was a real highlight, as were the views towards numerous other mountains, over the Hanmer Plains, and into a few valleys. Going as far as Mt Charon felt satisfyingly remote, but the much shorter trip to only Dumblane and back would also be a good option.

Track notes at the end.

Mt Charon & Dumblane: The Scenery

Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Very maroon as we began the relatively short ascent of Dumblane.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Bluffs on the way up.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Colourful heath as we walked the last bit to the summit of Dumblane.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Sophia on the summit of Dumblane (1303m). Looking north here.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
From the summit of Dumblane (1303m), or at least quite nearby.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Looking back down to Jacks Pass and the Clarence River Valley.

On our way from Dumblane to Mt Charon in these next pics…

Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Such colourful heathland. This was a real highlight of the walk.

Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range

Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Loved the colours and patterns of these plants.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Mt St Patrick (1774m).
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Looking roughly east along the ridgeline from point 1437m to the summit of Mt Charon at 1560m.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Getting close to the summit.

Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range

Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Looking north from the summit of Mt Charon.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Me on a knob, where I took a few photos. Sophia took this on the summit of Mt Charon.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Looking north-west from the summit.

The rest of these photos taken on the way back…

Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Sophia looking towards Maukuratawhai.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Looking east.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
I liked this mountain Maukuratawhai (1615m), which looked quite climable only it’s on the other side of the Clarence River.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Ghost Gully centre, which joins the Styx River coming from the left, and then the Clarence River, which runs left to right here. Maukuratawhai to the right.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Returning to Dumblane.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
I liked these alpine plants. Not sure of their name.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Looking up to Dunblame.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
So colourful.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
We drove up the Clarence River Valley the next day as far as Lake Tennyson. Viewed here with the help of my telephoto lens.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
So many interesting alpine and subalpine plants on this walk.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Descending back down from Dumblane.
Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hanmer Range
Maukuratawhai centre left.


Track Notes

Dunblane and Mt Charon, Hamner Range
A marked track as far as Dumblane, then off track to Mt Charon, although there are some old metal poles leading you down from Mt Dumblane for a while. (They eventually lead you down into the valley to the south – not sure where after that.)

A marked track as far as Dumblane, then off track to Mt Charon, although there are some old metal poles leading you down from Mt Dumblane for a while. (They eventually lead you down into the valley to the south – not sure where after that.) We got our track notes from Canterbury Foothills and Forests, but the map here should be enough info.

It’s fairly easy walking the whole way, and navigation will be straightforward in good weather. I estimated the walk to be 16-17km long with about 1000m change in elevation: it will take roughly 8 hours at a steady pace. The most tiring ascent is probably to point 1437m on the way out, although the shorter descent and ascent on the western side of Dumblane is quite steep.

Walking only to Dumblane and back would be substantially shorter, but still quite a nice walk.

It starts off on a vehicle track from the car park at Jacks Pass, but soon turns into a foot track.

Author: Edward Hathway

I'm a clinical psychologist and keen hiker.

7 thoughts on “Mt Charon & Dumblane, Hanmer Range, Canterbury NZ”

  1. Thanks for the inspiration and the trip notes! We did this today in very good conditions, with plenty of stops for snacks, photos and water it took us 8 hours. In case this helps anyone: our GPS measured the distance at just over 19km, with 1400m of elevation gain.

  2. The silvery leaf plant looks like the leaves of a Celmisia (mountain daisy), probably Celmisia semicordata. You have Celmisias in some of your other alpine pics. All very nice!

    1. Hi Molly. I can picture the flower now. I probably haven’t noticed the leaves so much when the flower is blooming. They are very nice 😀👍

  3. Awesome review of Mt Charon. Have climbed Dumblane several times, and didn’t even know this mountain existed. Climbed Makuratawhai a month ago. Will definitely get to Hanmer and try Charon! Thanks again.

    1. Oh good. Glad I could help. I’ve wanted to climb makuratawhai for a while. How was the river crossing?

      1. It was about knee-height, which was an easy crossing. Definitely a relentless climb, you think you can see the peak about 3 times! Good luck and make sure to post about it if you do get to the top. Cheers

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