McPherson Talbot Traverse
A classic Darran Mountains Traverse
Moderate Alpine Climbing
- Distance
- 12 km
- Ascent
- 1.4 km
- Descent
- 1.4 km
Climb 6 of New Zealand's Most Iconic Peaks
Tick 6 classic New Zealand summits, including the country's highest mountain - Mount Cook - and its most aesthetic - Mount Aspiring.
Alpine Climbing, Hiking Easy, Moderate, Difficult
Also in Otago, New Zealand • Southland, New Zealand • West Coast, New Zealand
Description
"The Land of the Long White Cloud" (as New Zealand is affectionately known) is home to some gorgeous - and iconic - mountains and this guidebook describes how to climb 6 of them. There are a couple of day routes in here, including Queenstown's best known alpine climb - the traverse of the Remarkables - and then 4 big alpine adventures on some of the southern hemisphere's most famous mountains - Aoraki/Mount Cook and Mounts Sefton, Tasman and Aspiring.
New Zealand's famously wild mountain weather makes alpine climbing in the country an occasionally frustrating activity, but also an immensely rewarding one when the stars align and you tick off a major route. As such, it might take a while for conditions and weather to allow you to reach all 6 of these summits, but the sense of satisfaction will be all the greater when you do.
While you're waiting for the mountains to be sunny and welcoming, there is some superb hiking (or "tramping" as the locals call it) to be done on the South Island and much of it is documented in FATMAP. Perhaps the most famous hike of them all is the Milford Track, the so-called "Finest Hike in the World" -
Routes included
Raspberry Creek to Colin Todd Hut
Rainforest and glaciers
Moderate Alpine Climbing
- Distance
- 24 km
- Ascent
- 1.9 km
- Descent
- 471 m
Mount Aspiring Shipowner / North West Ridge
The classic ascent of Mt Aspiring
Moderate Alpine Climbing
- Distance
- 6.6 km
- Ascent
- 1.2 km
- Descent
- 1.2 km
Grand Traverse of the Remarkables
Queenstown's classic mountaineering journey
Moderate Alpine Climbing
- Distance
- 7.6 km
- Ascent
- 710 m
- Descent
- 710 m
Pioneer to Chancellor hut
A spectacular glacier journey
Easy Alpine Climbing
- Distance
- 7.6 km
- Ascent
- 6 m
- Descent
- 1.2 km
Centennial to Pioneer hut
A gorgeous high glacier traverse
Easy Alpine Climbing
- Distance
- 6 km
- Ascent
- 335 m
- Descent
- 319 m
Almer hut to Centennial hut
A wild journey into the Southern Alps
Easy Alpine Climbing
- Distance
- 5 km
- Ascent
- 677 m
- Descent
- 25 m
North Shoulder of Mt Tasman
A remote and exposed ridge traverse to a perfect summit
Difficult Alpine Climbing
- Distance
- 11 km
- Ascent
- 1.4 km
- Descent
- 1.4 km
Aoraki / Mt Cook - The Linda Glacier Route
The classic route up Aoraki
Difficult Alpine Climbing
- Distance
- 10 km
- Ascent
- 1.6 km
- Descent
- 1.6 km
Mt Sefton West Ridge
A stunning and remote summit on the West Coast
Difficult Alpine Climbing
- Distance
- 15 km
- Ascent
- 2.8 km
- Descent
- 2.8 km
Copland Valley Track
Explore the south island’s wild west coast with this 2 day out-and-back adventure.
Difficult Hiking
- Distance
- 47 km
- Ascent
- 1.6 km
- Descent
- 1.6 km
- •
- •
- •
- •
- •
- •
- •
- •
- •
- •
- •
Related guidebooks
4 routes · Hiking
The Finest Walk in the World: Milford Track
4 routes · Alpine Climbing
The Summit of New Zealand : Climb Aoraki/Mount Cook
4 routes · Alpine Climbing · Hiking
New Zealand's Matterhorn : Classic Routes on Mt Aspiring
10 routes · Alpine Climbing · Hiking
Mount Tasman and More: Westland Alpine Climbs
4 routes · Alpine Climbing
1 Day Alpine Adventures on New Zealand's South Island
5 routes · Hiking
Hike New Zealand’s Epic Te Araroa Trail
10 routes · Hiking
Hike the Land of the Long White Cloud
18 routes · Alpine Climbing · Hiking
The Ultimate Mountaineering Challenge : Climb The Big 10
7 routes · Hiking
The Best Day Hikes Around Queenstown
9 routes · Hiking
New Zealand's Great Walks
- •
- •
- •
- •
- •
- •
- •
- •
- •
- •