Arthurs Pass is a small alpine village of approximately 50 residents and is snuggled amidst the steep hillsides of the Southern Alps of New Zealand’s South Island. The village is located 5 kilometres south of the pass, at approximately 740 metres above sea level, between Mount O’Malley and Avalanche Peak at the centre of the Arthurs Pass National Park. The actual pass is the highest over the Southern Alps and is one of the major crossing points over the mountains for road users via Highway 73, and rail travellers, being the route of the daily TranzAlpine Express service from Christchurch to Greymouth. This small village maintains a Visitors Centre, which provides interpretive displays and information on the local area for walkers, hikers and climbers, and also offers accommodation, food services and retail outlets selling crafts, groceries and fuel.
Historically Arthurs Pass was known as a crossing point over the mountains from early times by the Maori who travelled to the west coast for the treasured pounamu, or greenstone. This route was brought to the attention of Arthur D. Dobson, a surveyor of Canterbury, who was searching for a better way over the mountains to assist European settlers and gold prospectors reach the west coast after gold was discovered in 1863. In 1864 Arthur D. Dobson surveyed the route and, although originally thought to be too difficult, due to the precipitous Otira Gorge, his father Edward Dobson cut a road through the valley in the winter of 1865. In the 1920’s the Midland Rail Line was constructed over Arthurs Pass which connected Christchurch and Greymouth, and was hailed as a feat of engineering requiring 16 tunnels and 5 viaducts over its 225 kilometre length. Today the TranzAlpine Express which travels between Christchurch and Greymouth is recognised for its exceptional scenery and considered one of the ‘Great Train Journeys of the World’!!
The Arthurs Pass National Park, which straddles the main divide of the Southern Alps, is comprised of many peaks over 2,000 metres, large scree slopes, steep gorges and wide braided rivers and offers visitors a range of short walks, extended hikes, plus rock and ice climbs. Taking an overnight hike through these rugged mountains allows time to reach remote glaciers and pristine alpine terrain of gorges and tarns. There are approximately 30 hiker’s huts that can be used for shelter by the public, which are maintained by the Department of Conservation. For climbers, the park is a mountaineering mecca, offering a huge choice of classic climbing routes, including specialised challenges for ice and rock climbers. The most accessible mountain is Mt. Rolleston at 2275 metres which can be climbed in a day from Arthurs Pass. The highest mountain in the park is Mount Murchison at 2,400 metres.
Located approximately 40 kilometres south of Arthurs Pass is the Craigieburn Forest Park which during the summer offers enjoyable walking through well formed tracks amongst mountain beech and shrubland, and during the winter, the park offers skiing at Broken River and Craigieburn Valley Ski Areas. Known for its popular Cass-Lagoon Saddle Track and the Goat Pass Track, the park has 12 hiker’s huts available for trampers.
During the winter months of June to October, the popular Temple Basin Ski Area, which is located above Arthurs Pass, caters for all levels of skier and snowboarder.
Please note – the weather in the Arthur Pass and Craigieburn areas is unpredictable and visitors are advised that they must be prepared for rapid changes at any time of the year.
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