On the Rocky Mountain Summit Track walk you will get fantastic views of Mt Aspiring 2158Mt, Roy’s Peak 1569 Mt and look across to Treble Cone Sky Field plus stunning views of Lake Wanaka. Only a 20-minute drive from Wanaka shopping centre.
If you don’t have enough time for this big walk then take the easier Diamond Lake Walk.
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• Location: Wanaka, South Island, New Zealand
• Distance: 8 km
• Time needed: 3 Hours
• Difficulty: Hard
• Wheelchair Access: No
• Route: Round Trip
• Elevation: 767m
• Wet Feet: No
• Toilets: Yes
• Dogs: No
• Mobile Coverage: Yes
If you get off to an early start, you might snap a perfect mirror photo of the Diamond Lake as you pass by. Within 30 minutes you will be at the Diamond Lake Lookout. This section of walk I found very interesting with the steps running up the side of rock formation and walking through the bush.
From the Diamond Lake Lookout, you break out into the sun and great views of the valley below. The next turnoff will be the Western Track to your left. Then on to the Wanaka Lake turn off in about 25 minutes. You can save yourself some time and give the lookout a miss. There are better views to be had on the top of Rocky Mountain Summit Track at the lookout.
The next turnoff is at the Plateau this is around 20 minutes. The track is narrow and steep. With one short but steep section to climb. There is a short track to the right just 10 metres before the next turn off, this track runs off to another lookout. At the Eastern and Western tracks turn off, stop and listen, you might hear the frogs in the pond to your left. Turn right and head off to the top of Rocky Mountain Summit Track Lookout, this section of track is very narrow and steep.
This 40 minute climb was amazing, nonstop views of Lake Wanaka but I had to watch where I put my feet the track was narrow, very narrow and it is a long way to roll to the bottom. We could not have picked a better day for this walk. No wind to speak of and no clouds, a perfect day.
At one stage 18 people were sitting in the sun enjoying the view of Lake Wanaka at the summit of the Rocky Mountains.
With my 12 power binoculars, I could see the cars parked up at Treble Cone sky field. When it was time to go home we just got up and headed back the same way. We did not see a sign to show us the way to the Western track.
We doubled back down the narrow track to the plateau and back to the Western and Eastern track turn off we pasted on the way to the top, from there it was a five minute walk across the plateau to the start of the Western track.
The Western Track is easy to follow, and a lot easier on the feet then the Eastern Track. You don’t get the fantastic views of Lake Wanaka, but this track has it own special views of Treble Cone Sky Field and the incredible Mount Aspiring national Park. There is an interesting rocky George to work your way through and a short section of bush before meeting up with the first Eastern and Western sign post you walk past on your way up to Rocky Mountain Lookout.
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