Hiking the Ben Lomond track in Queenstown

Oh Queenstown. You fun loving, adventure bearing, bunging jumping, jet boating adrenaline town you… I didn’t really go there to do any of those things.  Except for the fun and adventure part. Heading to Queenstown just after New Years isn’t really the ideal thing for me, busy streets, crowds of people, lines.. you get it, but heading there for a hike up the famous Ben Lomond track… yep that’s more than ideal!
If you are in Queenstown visiting, I do suggest you should check out all those things.  Plan you trip with the Ulitmate Guide to Queenstown!

So ya, just after New Years, Chris and I headed up the Ben Lomond track in Queenstown. It had been a while since either of us did a long walk but we decided we were going up so that’s what we did.

The Ben Lomond track starts at the beginning of the Skyline Gondola which is on Beacon Street. You can also start near Lomond Crescent.  Both starts take you up a steep path climbing about 400 meters in one hour. I’ll be honest though, we decided to go up the gondola and come down knocking off about an hour and 40 minutes off our round trip.

Doc has a great map here showing where to start.

I know! We cheated! I feel like we had good reasoning though. One, a 7 hour round trip would have done me in. I mean I hike a lot but I still know my limits. Two, we were driving back to Methven that same day.  So we didn’t want to be too exhausted for the 5-hour drive home. And three, well we just wanted to treat ourselves!

It was a tough track I will admit.  It’s not really super steep until the last hour or so but it is a gradual incline the entire way up.  Pair that with gusting wind and let’s just say I needed more than a few breaks getting up and was happy with our decision to take the Skyline Gondola up!

It’s a well known and a well-walked track so the path itself is easy.  Nice and wide.  Construction workers were out building steps in places.  It’s really nice!  The track is shared with mountain bikers so you do have to watch out and be mindful of those around you.

We started around 830 in the morning by the time we got off the gondola.  It was pretty quiet when we started walking but got a lot busier as we were coming down.  I’d say many start between 10 am and 11 am.

I loved this walk.  I think it was just a bit harder than Roy’s Peak, in my opinion, but it was a walk that reminded me why I love to go up mountains.  Above anything else, photographs, Instagram, all of that its the challenge.  The physical and mental challenge to get up the mountain.  I feel like I was tested a lot in those aspects going up the Ben Lomond track but that feeling when I got to the top was like no other.  The last half hour was a struggle.  There were no tears or thoughts of turning around but every part of me was going I’m done, I’m done!  My legs were sore. My lungs were tired. And until Chris said, here’s your challenge, don’t let the ones behind me, pass me, that competitive side kicked in and said, ‘right, get up the damn hill!’ So I pushed, we got to the top, almost blew over and found some rocks on the side to take shelter in.

It was marvelous, to say the least.  The views were amazing the whole way up.  Wildflowers blooming, the lake in the background, rugged mountains, actually the perfect outdoor hiking experience! I was tired by the end of the track but the feeling of accomplishment was a high I rode on for the rest of the day.  It’s a good challenge to say the least.  The summit sits at 1748 m making an elevation gain from the bottom of just over 1400m. Although yes, we skipped the first 400m, a gain of 1000m is not too shabby.

If you wanted more hiking goodness, check out Lake Alta in Queenstown!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Distance: 3.3 km
Elevation: 1784 m (1438 m gain)
Time: 6-8 hour return
Difficulty: medium
Track: easy walking track but gets difficult after the saddle.  Walking poles are useful up to the summit.

– dogs are allowed!

Be prepared:
– watch out for mountain bikers
– this is an open track the whole way
– brings lots of water!
– sunscreen, hat
– snacks!

Have you hiked Ben Lomond in Queenstown? What did you think? Any other tracks you liked?

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