Really spectacular views of mountains and valleys on this lesser known walk in Mt Aspiring National Park, including a nice side angle of Mt Earnslaw at 2830m of elevation.
We did this walk for the first time on about our seventh trip to New Zealand, and I can’t understand how it had remained under our radar for so long. After a moderate amount of time in very atmospheric beech forest, the walk emerges above the tree line to a saddle for the first views of mountains and valleys in Mt Aspiring National Park. But the views get really spectacular when you take a right turn off-track up to point 1290m. There are views of rugged mountains in various directions, including a great angle on Mt Earnslaw, which peaks at 2890m of elevation. (Mind you, the impressive Earnslaw Glacier is on the other side of the mountain; you can visit this in a really gruelling day walk that we did a year or so earlier).
There’s about 800m change in elevation on this walk. We also did this walk in winter 2019, when the scenery was even more spectacular, and also my photography was a bit better: click here to see those photos.
I took a nice photo at breakfast on the morning of the walk…
The view at breakfast before we left the house: Cecil Peak (1978m) viewed from Kelvin Heights. They don’t call NZ the land of the long white cloud for nothing.
Track Notes
When you leave Sugarloaf Pass its a steep climb through tussock to a plateau, then continue on for fabulous views at point 1290m or thereabouts.
The walk starts at the beginning of the famous Routeburn Track, which we’ve done sections of a few times, but after a short while you take a right turn at a signposted junction, and ascend steeply up through beech forest. Continue past the treeline to a saddle, then ascend steeply off-track to the right until it levels out, then a little further along you reach a minor peak at 1290m of elevation. Behold the views.
We returned the way we came, but the track continues on at the saddle and can be done as a long day circuit back to the road leading to the Routeburn car park. However to do this circuit you’ll want to park your car somewhere near the Lake Sylvan turnoff, and maybe hitch a lift down to the Routeburn car park, or else park two cars at both points to avoid a longish walk along the road.
The views start as soon as you hit the car park. This is the start (or end) of the famous Routeburn Track, as well as this walk.
Sugarloaf Pass to Point 1290m: The Scenery
Still on the Routeburn Track here. Climbing steeply through beech forest after turning off the Routburn Track. Tame birds posing for photos. A bog. Climbing higher. Fungus. Mossy. Above the treeline looking back towards Lake Wakatipu. Into tussock grass. First look at Mt Earnslaw from a point a bit past the saddle. I backtracked in order to then walk up the hill to point 1290m. The views started to ramp up. A very small Sophia is bottom centre left. A panorama looking back towards Lake Wakatipu. The Rockburn Valley. The sun was a little awkward for photos in this direction so some glare on a few shots. Mt Earnslaw (2830m), with a little bit of the Dart River in the centre. Probably Mt Somnus to the right (2293m of elevation). Mt Earnslaw (2830m). The Earnslaw Glacier is on the other side. We visited that a year and a half before – very impressive. I wanted to get the tarn in shot because they remind me of the Lake District in England where I lived from about 3 months to 4.5 years old, and where I did my first regular walking (also in North Wales). Sophia bottom centre. Mt Earnslaw, and the Barrier Range to the left. A very satisfying and wide panorama looking west-ish. These mountains were quite imposing. A bit of glare on this photo unfortunately.
Sophia looking towards the mountains that skirt the first section of the Routeburn Track, which is in the valley below. A hairy forest. Life’s a beech…
I may have allowed a bit too much colour saturation in this photo, but the rocks were pretty purple. Very mossy. And a beer afterwards: One of the best stouts I’ve ever drunk, brewed locally in Queenstown. Moonlight Track Peat Stout by Altitude Brewing.
