Rees and Dart Tracks explained
| Rees and Dart Tracks |
| Photo Size: | 230px |
| Location: | Mount Aspiring National Park, New Zealand |
| Length: | 63km (39miles)[1] |
| Trailheads: | Chinamans Bluff, Muddy Creek carpark |
| Highest: | Rees Saddle |
| Highest M: | 1471 |
| Lowest Name: | Chinamans Bluff carpark |
| Lowest M: | 400[2] |
| Difficulty: | medium |
| Season: | Spring to Autumn (open all year) |
| Months: | late October to mid April |
| Sights: | Alpine views, lakes, forests, tussocklands, rivers |
| Hazards: | Hypothermia, high winds, rocks, roots, snow, rain, avalanche |
| Surface: | dirt, rock, roots |
The Rees and Dart Tracks form a tramping (hiking) circuit which is located in the South Island of New Zealand. The trailheads are far apart requiring transport planning in order to tramp or run the track. The track allows access to the Cascade Saddle Track[3] [4] in which one can see the Dart Glacier and allows access to the Matukituki Valley.
Access to the Dart Track is via the Chinamans Bluff carpark and which is near the Dart River while access to the Rees Track is via the Muddy Creek carpark near the Rees River.
History
In 2014 a large slip blocked the Dart River and caused a large lake to form. Many sections of the track were destroyed or underwater.[5] In 2017 after three years a new section of the Dart Track was opened that was higher up than the original.[6]
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Rees-Dart Track . DOC . 4 January 2024 . 4 January 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240104081333/https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/otago/places/mount-aspiring-national-park/things-to-do/tracks/rees-dart-track . live .
- Web site: Chinamans carpark shelter . tramping.net.nz/ . 4 January 2024 . 4 January 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240104081340/https://tramping.net.nz/huts-routeburn-greenstone-caples/chinamans-carpark-shelter-dart-river-mt-aspiring-national-park . live .
- Web site: Rees Dart Track, Mt Aspiring National Park . tramping.net.nz . 4 January 2024 . 4 January 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240104081334/https://tramping.net.nz/routes/rees-dart-track-mt-aspiring-national-park . live .
- News: Fuchs . Don . Rees-Dart Track, NZ . 4 January 2024 . . 4 July 2016 . 4 January 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240104084743/https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/australian-geographic-adventure/adventure/2016/07/rees-dart-track-nz/ . live .
- Web site: Baker . Che . New lake blocks Dart River track . Stuff . 6 January 2024 . 6 January 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240106054935/https://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/9581857/New-lake-blocks-Dart-River-track . live .
- Web site: Walker . Meghan . Dart Track reopens after three-year closure . March 2017 . Wilderness Magazine . 6 January 2024 . 26 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220526024930/https://www.wildernessmag.co.nz/dart-track-reopens-three-year-closure/ . live .
