Just to be perfectly clear – this is NOT a trail guide, map, etc. I’m not 100% sure we went the correct way.

It starts like the other hikes in the area, drive up to the parking area and start walking up the road. At the first fork take it to the right. Once at the first saddle find the old goat trail amongst the scree and follow it to the rock garden. Continue around the peaks then over Wye saddle and down by Lake Alta and back on the road to the parking lot.  The goat trail looks a lot more sketch than it actually is (that being said I wouldn’t do it if there was still snow on the tops). Many times rocky, scree covered skinny trails over extreme heights get me a bit freaked out but this didn’t really affect me at all.

I really enjoyed the walk along the face but after over an hour of boulder hopping I got a bit over it. There isn’t a ton of elevation gain and I read that it is marked as an “easy” hike that takes 3-4 hours. I wouldn’t call this easy due to the heights, the lack of trail, alpine nature, boulder hopping, etc. and the total loop took us 5 1/2 hours – we aren’t slow pokes – but maybe we missed the trail a bit.

Go prepared – good shoes, hiking pole(s), lunch, water, layers, etc. Not for kids or dogs.

Other hikes in the area are Lake Alta or just do the first 45 minutes of this hike to get you to an awesome view of Queenstown. On our list is still Double Cone.

Here is our little photo journal of our hike, enjoy and let me know if you have questions.

This first picture was taken from tramper.co.nz and shows where the trail cuts across the face of the mountain.

This path of the hike along the front of The Remarkables

To do this hike counter clockwise take the right fork. You'll finish coming over the saddle just to the left of the chair lift

 

Once at the top of the ski lift find the trail off to the left to get to the ridge

There is another higher viewpoint to your right from here. This makes a great short hike - about 45 min from the start

Looking back down the valley we just hiked up

From the saddle look for the trail on your left and start the traverese - Chris is on the trail

Maybe wearing grey isn't the best idea on a hike like this. Chris is a bit camoflouged

Stunning views of Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown from the trail

 

Nice view of the trail on the right

 

Yes, there is a trail there

I pretty much hiked the trail like this for a fair amount of it.

Surpisingly not as scary as it could be

The trail is just in the shadow, yes we came from there.

You know you are on a cool hike when scenic helicopter flights are flying below you. (It's small but hidden in the mountains over the word "on".)

Lunch break after walking along the front of the Remarkables - about 2 hours from the start

Chris found a circle rainbow around the sun

 

On lunch rock

After lunch we finished with the skinny trail and made it to the rock hopping section. Definitely not on a “trail” just headed in the general direction. We saw a small rock fall start ahead and above us on the mountain. Made us not waste anytime in this section while not rushing too much and twisting an ankle. Many of the rocks are wobbly and barely balancing on whatever they landed on. It was pretty exhausting mentally and physically. We crossed a couple snow patches as well.

This is after about an hour of rock hopping, with another hour to go

 

I come equiped with my own skis

Our snow tracks

 

Looking down Wye Valley- you can hike out through there. The walk finally got a bit easier without so many rocks

 

Looking down at the tarns above Wye creek valley

 

Not sure we were on the "trail" but we can see where we want to go

 

Ahh! After 5 hours of hiking we can see the end is near

 

Half way down from Wye saddle

Beautiful Lake Alta - only 30 minutes to the car now.

Hope you enjoyed this! Let me know if you come to New Zealand – we’ll take you on a hike!