Tobin AkehurstExplorer

Begin your adventure by hiking up the Temple Basin Ski Field access trail. Continue beyond the Ski huts to the upper basin below Mt Temple and B'Limit. Continue hiking under the rope tows to the saddle where the views will surly take your breath away.Once at the saddle mount the ridge-top to climbers right and ascend the crest on ledges and choss. Climbing is  class 3-4 and exposed in places. T...

Park in the gravel roadside parking area at the highpoint of Porters Pass. Follow the faint use path up the lower scree slopes of Foggy Peak northward towards the summit. Upon reaching the summit of Foggy Peak the alpine traverse to Castle Hill Peak becomes obvious. The hike between the two peaks is one of the best in Canterbury, a barren alpine ridge varying in width from one to a few hundred ...

From Queenstown drive to the Remarkables Ski Field. The road features incredible views of Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu, Shotover Canyon and the Southern Alps. The road takes you far above tree line into alpine high country.From the parking area it is a short (30-45 min) walk along a pleasant trail through alpine scrub and boulders to the lake. In summer the trail is uncrowded, but in winter this i...

Global climbing legend Fred Beckey once said, "[Mount Stuart is] without a rival as the crown peak in the central Cascades of Washington, Mount Stuart has been pronounced the single greatest mass of exposed granite in the United States".To ascend the mountain by is easiest route, the Cascading Couloir, one must be prepared to gain 8,300ft over what is often rugged, loose, exposed and remarkably...

The Grand Wash is a canyon in Capitol Reef National Park featuring several-hundred-foot-tall sandstone walls. The canyon walls are, for the most part, widely spaced, except for a half mile long section of scenic "narrows". Hike to nearby Cassidy Arch if you have extra time. Beware of potentially deadly flash floods, get a flash flood report from a ranger.

This route is not marked, riddled with loose rock, and requires climbing on narrow exposed ledges. There are often snow patches on the saddle and an unchecked fall will almost certainly result in a fatality. However, for experienced and well prepared parties this can be one of the most rewarding and exciting adventures in New Zealand.From the car park you can see your destination, Homer Saddle,...

Start at the Waterfall Track Car Park. Follow the Waterfall Track along Dog Stream and through thick beech forest until the intersection with the Mt. Isobel Track (all intersections are well signed). Here, a quick detour brings you to Dog Stream Falls. Return to the track and head up the steep and sometimes narrow path which leads you above tree line. Continue upward towards the eastern shoulde...

Begin at the trailhead at the end of the gravel road in Orton Bradley Park. The trail follows a stream through an impressive forest of Beech, Kauri, Eucalyptus and Cypress. The trail eventually emerges from the forest and begins climbing through pastures populated by sheep and cows.Follow the trail marking poles past the Mt Herbert Shelter to the broad summit. Summit views stretch out to the P...

Start this route at the Narada Falls Parking lot. This route starts by following Stevens Canyon Road until you arrive at Reflection Lakes after 1.5 miles. About halfway along the lakeshore a path breaks off to the right into the forest. This is a popular route so there is often a snowshoe path beaten in (during winter season). Follow the path, or if there is not one, find your own way through t...

Mt Ritter is a long climb, but it is worth the effort. Start out by establishing camp at Ediza Lake prior to your ascent. The SE Glacier route (first ascent by John Muir) follows the path of least resistance up the SE side of Mt Ritter.The route first gains a broad bench below Ritter and Banner Pk., then climbs through a band of cliffs, then over ledges and ramps before arriving at the edge of ...

Prepare yourself for the cutest walk you will ever go on! This short trail follows a stream filled with playful, furry, seal babies! Over a hundred seal pups come to Ohau Stream and Waterfall every winter. They come here to hone the skills they will need on their own in the wild while their mothers are out at sea hunting. The seal pups play in the waterfall, nap, bark and cough a lot. It's almo...

This trail is one of my favorite in New Zeanand. It wasn't so much 'built' as it was 'discovered'. The trail follows natural erosion and clean exposed flows of glacier carved granite walkways.You will enjoy thick, green rainforest, the reflective water of Pete's Pond, and a few long swinging bridges as you traverse the side of the canyon high above Waiho River.At trail's end you will find a roo...

The Routeburn Track is world famous, and with good reason. But the because it is a through hike that requires multiple hut reservations and an expensive car-shuttle or two day bus ride to complete, many people feel overwhelmed or underprepared. This day hike options allows you a no-strings-attached option to seeing the best parts of this 5-star hike.Start at the Routeburn Shelter end (East end)...

Park at the Craggyburn Valley Trailhead for a longer, more scenic hike, or continue driving to the Ski Field Parking at the road's end.The trail follows the true right bank of Craggieburn Valley as it climbs through a thick and scenic beech forest. After an hour it reaches the bush edge just short of the ski field. From this point follow a network of unofficial boot packs, trails, access roads ...

Immediately upon arriving, secure a permit to scramble down 1,800ft in one mile to the Gunnison River. There are no hiking trails below the rim of the canyon, and because of its relentless steepness and rock exposure, the only existing routes are incredibly steep and loose. To protect the delicate environment only 12 people are allowed per day.The route down to the river is a steep, vegetated r...

Several mountaineering routes start right off the road in Arthur's Pass making it a great alpine training ground with nearly endless opportunities. Many of the routes are just hiking routes in summer, but in winter snow piles up to transform them into steep, exposed and exciting climbs. I will outline the basics of the more popular routes below. There are place in order of difficulty, beginning...

Once you identify the parking area (Right turn off Glenorchy Paradise Road just before crossing the Earnslaw Burn, park a the bend in the road.) Cross the boggy meadow in a NW direction until you see the orange trail markers on trees.The trail below bush line is long, very rugged and covered with blowdowns, but clean water sources are plentiful. Once you break out of the bush you are surrounded...

Park at the well marked Saint James Walkway Car Park. You will find the Lewis Pass Tops Trail Head across the street. The trail begins by climbing steeply through beech forest and then breaks through the tree line before arriving at the ridge crest. The maintained trail ends here but the route is fairly easy to follow. Continue following the ridge crest past several ponds for a few kilometers.O...

Begin by parking at Barlow Pass and following the Gothic Basin Trail to Foggy Lake. Most of the trip's mileage is consumed by just getting to Foggy Lake, from here, the summit sits about 3/4 of a mile distant and over a thousand above you.Face the mountain and identify the obvious leftward trending ramp. Follow this ramp until you reach the prominent coulior leading to the notch separating the ...

To begin this hike park in the lakeside lot on the west edge of town and begin walking counter-clockwise around Lake Wanaka. The first destination you will reach is the famed Wanaka Tree, which is easily recognized by the crowds of people around it taking photos. A few tips for maximizing your opportunity to photograph this surreal and fanciful tree:a) Sunrise is the time to be there, there are...

From the parking area at La Sal Creek, just east of Medicine Lake examine the mountain and identify the prominent gully which feeds into La Sal Creek. Follow the old road bed north until its end and then travel cross country. Ascend the gully the the summit ridge between the northwest peak and the main peak and then bear south east along the summit ridge to the summit where you will find a cair...

From the parking area at La Sal Pass, follow a well defined but unmapped trail though meadow, brief forest, and then switchbacks up the prominent ridge just east of the summit ridge of Mt Tuk. Once on the ridge bear west (climbers left) along the ridge as it narrows. Depending on conditions the ridge could vary from an unenjoyable heap of rubble to an exposed knife edge of hard snow. From the s...

The trail starts out poorly, following a jeep road under high-tension wires. Shortly, though, the trail begins to switchback up the south face of Rock Mountain and the views, as well as the wildflowers, are remarkable.After switchbacking up the mountain, follow a ridge-line towards the upper basin. Once in the upper basin you are in an alpine playground. Visit Rock Lake, wander around, or go fo...

Park at the Lake Clearwater trailhead where you are immediately greeted by some of the best alpine views in New Zealand. The hiking track follows the lake shore around the west end before breaking off to the right and ascending Mt Guy in typical New Zealand fashion, without switchbacks. After a long and steep climb you arrive at Mt. Guy's summit where you are rewarded with 360 degree alpine vie...