Nelson Lakes National Park lies around Lake Rotoiti and Lake Rotoroa, with the village of St Arnaud on the edge of it. It marks the northern end of the Southern Alps, with beech forest, river valleys and steep, rocky tops.
The club's trips here are hut-based: Angelus Hut, Blue Lake, and the Travers and Sabine valleys, with John Tait, Coldwater, Speargrass and West Sabine huts coming up often. There are also alpine trips, and the Angelus ridge needs care in poor weather.
Easter and Labour Weekend are the traditional club trips here, so April and October stand out in the reports. In winter the high country holds snow.
Highlight trips
Mole Hut2015 · Easy-Medium
St Arnaud and The Camel – and the rusty summit tin2021
Traversing Travers, konquering Kehu2018 · Alpine 2
Hopelessly head over heels for Hopeless2018 · Alpine 2
Holy Cupola!2018 · Alpine 1
Dodging lazy trees on Waiau Pass2023 · Fit
Lake Rotoiti Circuit, Nelson Lakes2016 · Easy-Medium
Thunderstorms and dehy meals: Travers-Sabine Easter adventures2023 · Medium-Fit
Moss Pass2015 · Medium
Mt McKay – Nelson Lakes2009 · Alpine 1- From the newsletterNelson Lakes – St Arnaud ExpeditionPLACE: St Arnaud TIME: 8:00 am DATE: Labour Weekend Saturday 22 October After a lengthy photo session the St Arnaud punters were soon on their way up onto St Arnaud Range. Not without effort mind you!! Up on the range travel was straight forward with ankle…
- Trip reportEastertime at Mt AngelusT’was a bright and clear morning as the six members of the Easy trip set off around Lake Rotoiti on the start of their Easter trip. Enthusiasm was high and the smell of Dimp strong. After a solid and determined tramp for all of half an hour, we took our first…