Description

If you are looking to make it up to a summit within the Arthurs Pass area but not wanting it to be too technical Mount Cassidy is a great ski tour.

Being that this is just above the Temple Basin ski lodge its a relatively straightforward climb and at any time you can easily turn back and ski down to the lodge.

Since the summit is located on the main divide this peak offers spectacular views of the surround area and it’s a nice and semi steep run back down to the lodge.

This is a popular zone but it is easy to spread out and get nice turns. Leaving from the Temple Basin Parking lot you can either put your ski gear on the gear lift or just hike up with it on your pack.

Hiking the switchbacks up the valley you will finally arrive in the flats of the upper basin after 400 meters of climbing.

Once at the main lodge it is time to put your skis on your feet and start heading up the Twin Creek basin on your lookers right.

You can follow the main drainage before the terrain steepens but make sure that avalanche danger is low as you are exposed for most if not all of this ski tour. Once the aspect steepens it is time to make your way around the lower cliff bands by heading to the lookers right and gaining elevation, while this can be done via skinning in good snow it is always smart to carry crampons just in case.

Once getting above the first lower cliff bands you can now go through a gap in the upper cliff bands and keep gaining elevation until arriving on the high col just northeast of Mount Cassidy.

From here just follow the ridge up to the summit and look out among the surround terrain in the Arthurs Pass area. Heading back down is straight foreword by loosely following your tracks into back down to the lodge.

After this is is time to hike back down to the parking lot.

If all goes well you can throw your skis onto the gear lift and walk back down before retrieving it.

If it is not open than you will just have to walk down with your gear in hand. For more pictures and the full story check out this link https://www.whereiskylemiller.com/new-zealand/devils-punchbowl/