The Avalanche Peak loop track is arguably the finest day walk/tramp on the South Island. It’s Definitely the best alpine day-loop on the Island! It is also VERY difficult and fatiguing, completely different than the mostlyeasy “Great Walks”. Your legs will probably be sore for days after this tramp!
Combining the Scotts Track and the Avalanche Peak Track for a loop starting/finishing at Arthur’s Pass Village, you’ll ascend 1,100 vertical meters to the summit and its jaw-dropping 360° views. The magnificent views at the peak (and on the way up) encompass hanging glaciers, barren craggy peaks, cascading waterfalls…and often a flock of Keas begging handouts. The route, as every DOC publication will tell you, is a fine-weather-only route. The weather can get brutally cold and windy above the bush line and change from fair to awful in minutes. Don’t attempt this track in blustery changeable weather—what’s the sense of tramping to a viewpoint peak when everything is clouded-in and there’s no views? Any i-Site on the island can call up to DOC’s Arthur’s office to get a local forecast—make sure you do. The weather on the West Coast may be grey and low clouds, but the weather up at Arthur’s may be brilliant sun the same day…thus, call ahead and find out. By way of comparison to the North Island’s famed Tongariro Crossing, the Avalanche Peak loop tramp is shorter, but more difficult, than the Tongariro—as there’s not one flat spot on the entire Avalanche loop.
Here’s an opinion on which direction to take: The VisCtr seems to direct people up Avalanche and down Scotts. I personally think that’s backwards. I say go up Scotts. Here’s why… Scotts track has all the views the entire way up—way more than Avalanche. Since the route is SO fricking steep, you’ll have to stop and rest plenty, so taking pix on the way up will be fun as each step delivers a better view of Punchbowl/Bridal Veil falls and Mt Rolleston. Thus, on Scotts Track rest stops become photo stops, much more so than on the Avalanche Peak Track where the views on the way up are limited. Also, what if the clouds come in when you’re half way up and shut down all the views? Well, climbing Scotts at least you’ve had good views and photos on the way up in case you decide to turn back. And thirdly, either route is so super-steep and rugged that coming down you’ll have little opportunity to look around—you’ll be watching each footstep… and be tired and more reluctant to whip out the camera anyhow. Once you’ve been to the peak, the descending views on Scotts will not impress as much as they do on the way up. ’Nuff said…I say to ascend the view track—Scotts—and then trudge the descent down Avalanche track.
TRAMP: Park in the Devil’s Punchbowl carpark. Walk out to SH 73 and go uphill along the roadside for 250m, cross the bridge and find the signed Scotts Track on the left. The grueling climb begins immediately and never lets up for about 2.5 hours to the peak. The Avalanche Peak track joins in from the left about 5 minutes below the top, signaled by the marker poles becoming doubled. The Avalanche route descends the obvious ridgeline angling down towards Arthur’s Village, steep from the junction. The descent will take about 2 hours, with the final 300- ish meters enlivened by the numerous cascades of Avalanche Creek Falls.
