Mount Oxford

Descargada 28 veces

 -43.27021994, 172.09338083

Si
1223 m	1356 m
1220 m	348 m

			Total
	6.65 km	8.21 km	14.86 km
	2h 13min 52s	2h 1min	4h 14min 52s
	2.98 km/h	4.07 km/h	3.5 km/h

  Descargar track gps

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

This hike climbs Mount Oxford (1364 m), followed by Oxford Hill (1340 m). Although Mount Oxford is the main objective, adding Oxford Hill makes for a worthwhile extension if you're happy to continue beyond the main summit.

The hike starts from Coopers Creek car park, where there is plenty of parking available as well as public toilets. From the car park the route follows the official Mount Oxford Track maintained by the Department of Conservation (DOC).

The first section of the track was a little muddy the day I hiked it, although that will obviously depend on recent weather conditions. The trail starts with a gentle gradient that gradually becomes steeper. At around the 4-kilometre mark the climb becomes much steeper and remains that way until reaching the summit of Mount Oxford. The DOC orange markers make the route easy to follow all the way to the summit.

After approximately 5.6 kilometres the track leaves the bush and the views begin to open up. From here you get good views across the Canterbury Plains and into Lees Valley. It's another kilometre of climbing before reaching the summit of Mount Oxford, located about 6.65 kilometres from the start.

From the summit you continue to enjoy excellent views over the Canterbury Plains and Lees Valley. From here you can also clearly see Oxford Hill, the second summit of the day. To reach it, descend approximately 75 metres from the summit of Mount Oxford before making a left and leaving the marked track. From this point onwards the route is completely off-track.

The terrain between the two summits is considerably slower going than the ascent to Mount Oxford. The ridge is covered with tussocks and numerous spaniards (speargrass), making the walking slower than on the marked track. After about 900 metres you'll arrive at the summit of Oxford Hill.

After spending some time on the summit we returned following the same route. The off-track section back to Mount Oxford requires the same care as on the way out before rejoining the marked Mount Oxford Track. From there it's simply a matter of retracing the trail through the bush back to Coopers Creek car park.

Overall, this is a rewarding hike that combines a well-marked forest climb with an off-track ridge traverse to a second summit. The official Mount Oxford Track is straightforward to follow thanks to the DOC orange markers, while the extension to Oxford Hill provides an extra challenge for those who don't mind some off-track travel through tussocks and spaniards.