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On the west coast of New Zealand's South Island the Park is a hikers and mountaineer's dream with more than 100 glaciers and rugged snowy peaks rising over 2700 metres.
Mt. Aspiring National Park is New Zealand’s third largest park covering 355,518 hectares from the Haast River in the north to the Humbolt Mountains in the south. Its most famous hiking trail is the Routeburn Track, one of New Zealand's Great Walks, but there are many other beautiful trails. The Cascade Saddle is a challenging route well marked by bright orange standards and rock cairns. Day 1 Raspberry Creek to Aspiring Hut (2 1/2 hours)
The alpine style stone and wood hut has superb views of Mt Aspiring (3037 metres) from the floor to ceiling windows. This comfortable hut has plenty of magazines and books to read after watching the light fade over Mt. Aspiring. Day 2 Aspiring Hut to Dart Hut (9 to 11 hours)
From the Saddle there are some amazing views. Below is `Heads Leap', a 1000m sheer rock face leading down to a valley. Dart Glacier is also in view and above - Mt. Aspiring dominates like a lord. At this altitude the Kea, the world's only alpine parrot, is commonly sighted. They are mischievous thieves who will take anything they can lay their beaks on, but for all that, they are real charmers.
The glacier is retreating and today is a shadow of its former self 18,000 years ago in the last ice age when it extended a further 135km to the southern end of Lake Wakatipu.
Many hikers come up the Dart River and use Dart hut as a base for a day trip to Cascade Saddle, return to Dart hut and continue down the Rees River. Not a bad idea as it avoids a 9 – 11 hour day carrying a heavy pack. Day 3 Dart Hut to Shelter Rock Hut (4 - 6 hours)
Day 4 Shelter Rock Hut to Muddy Creek (6 - 8 hours)
How to Get There
When to Go
Safety
Other Trips
The copyright of the article Hiking the Cascade Saddle in Alpine Adventure Travel is owned by Rosemary Findley. Permission to republish Hiking the Cascade Saddle in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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