Mt Isobel (1319m) is said to be Canterbury’s most climbed mountain. One reason would be good accessibility, sitting as it does just on the edge of the popular resort town of Hanmer Springs. But it is a very nice mountain, with wide open views over mountains, valleys and the Hanmer Plains, forested lower slopes with colourful heath vegetation higher up, and some rugged rocky sections to boot. Walking from Jacks Pass is fairly short, and there are great views the whole way.
There are a couple of steep sections on loose rock/dirt to contend with on this route, although nothing that should put off a semi-regular hiker. Nevertheless, there are a few other options to walk up from the south or east, including visiting a 41m waterfall along the way. See my track notes at the end.
Mt Isobel from Jacks Pass: The Scenery
Track Notes
This is a marked track the whole way. It’s fairly short but there are a couple of steep loose sections. Nothing too difficult though. There are various other options to climb the mountain or visit other nearby attractions, and you can get more information from the DOC website.
