Mt Guy Circuit, Hakatere Conservation Park, Canterbury NZ

Expansive views of the Ashburton Lakes and Southern Alps from the top of Mt Guy (1319m), then a pleasant walk back below the mountain.

Mt Guy Circuit, Hakatere Conservation Park

On our first time up Mt Guy the summit was clouded in, so we returned on a clear day in early spring to give it another go. There are wide open views of the Ashburton Lakes, flat plains, distant Southern Alps, and various other lumpy/ rolling mountains and hills. It’s a fairly short if rather steep climb up to the summit, and you could return from there for a short day out. But to extend your fun I can recommend a circuit going off-track north-west from the summit and returning by the Te Araroa and Eastern Link tracks.

 Track notes at the end.

Mt Guy Circuit: The Scenery

Mt Guy Circuit, Hakatere Conservation Park
Mt Potts (left, rear), which we climbed last year.
Mt Guy Circuit, Hakatere Conservation Park
The Southern Alps viewed from the shore of Lake Clearwater.

Mt Guy Circuit, Hakatere Conservation Park

Mt Guy Circuit, Hakatere Conservation Park
The Southern Alps and Rangitata River.
Mt Guy Circuit, Hakatere Conservation Park
Sophia backed by the Southern Alps.
Mt Guy Circuit, Hakatere Conservation Park
Lake Clearwater and Lake Camp.
Mt Guy Circuit, Hakatere Conservation Park
Lake Emma and Lake Roundabout.
Mt Guy Circuit, Hakatere Conservation Park
Mt Taylor and friends to the north-east.

 

Mt Guy Circuit, Hakatere Conservation Park
The view north.

Mt Guy Circuit, Hakatere Conservation Park

Mt Guy Circuit, Hakatere Conservation Park
Looking south-east.

Leaving the summit now to travel WNW…

Mt Guy Circuit, Hakatere Conservation Park
Great lumpy topography to the north-west.

Mt Guy Circuit, Hakatere Conservation Park

Mt Guy Circuit, Hakatere Conservation Park
Walking back along the Eastern Link Track. Mt Harper to the right, which is a great mountain to climb.

Track Notes

Mt Guy Circuit, Hakatere Conservation Park
Going clockwise it’s a vehicle track, then a marked route up the mountain to the summit. From there head WNW on tussock and down the mountain on a spur to a tarn to meet the Te Araroa track. Take a left onto the Eastern Link Track back to the outward route along Lake Clearwater.

Going clockwise it’s a vehicle track, then a marked route up the mountain to the summit. From there head WNW on tussock and down the mountain on a spur to a tarn to meet the Te Araroa track. Take a left onto the Eastern Link Track back to the outward route along Lake Clearwater. More info on tracks in the area on the DOC website.

Author: Edward Hathway

I'm a clinical psychologist and keen hiker.

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