29th January 2014 – Oxford Forest Conservation Area, Canterbury.
This is a cracker peak with stunning views across the Canterbury plains. Nearest township is Oxford, and access to the peak is from the Coopers Creek Carpark on Mountain Road. Also accessable from the Wharfdale Track, or directly from the Wharfdale Hut.
Elevation starts at 360m from Mountain Road giving you a good 1000m ascent, starts off easy, then gets steeper from about halfway.
It was a cracker hot day when my fiancée and I climbed up and it took us over 4 hours in the heat. We have since climbed it again in 3 hours on a less stifling day, which is the DOC time to the peak.
You can make a circuit out of this one and drop back down the other side to the Wharfdale Track and back along the Korimako / Link Track to Coopers Creek Carpark, total DOC time of 7 hours.
- KING OF THE CASTLE KIWI - 