Mount Fox Route

Mount Fox Route is an expert out-and-back from Thirsty Culvert to the 1,345 m high point and back. The full walk is 7.4 km (4.6 mi) return; DOC allows 8 hours. From a start around 150 m above sea level to the high point, you gain about 1,200 m on a rough, steep route. I’d set aside the full day and do it only if you’re comfortable with sustained climbing and finding markers in open country. The glacier and coast panorama is the reward, and it depends on getting above the bushline before cloud closes in.

The route starts opposite the small parking area at Thirsty Culvert and climbs a spur through bush. It’s steep most of the way to the 1,021 m trig, and the track is rough underfoot. Expect roots, rocks and boggy patches, with a few places where hands help. Mud can make the same ground slippery on the way down, when tired legs are doing a lot of braking. The distance looks modest on a map; the height gain and rough footing make the day.

Reaching the trig leaves another 324 m of elevation to climb. The route continues across grassland on blue and orange markers to the 1,345 m high point. Keep following the markers rather than turning around at the trig if you have the weather, time and energy for the full route. The return uses the same steep line, so leave enough time for a careful descent.

Above the bushline, mist or cloud can hide the markers and make the route hard to pick out. This happens regularly, especially in summer afternoons, so start early and choose a clear weather window. The mapped line ends about 130 m before the 1,345 m point; the marked route carries on over the open grassland. Follow the blue and orange markers for that final stretch, and don’t guess your way ahead if cloud has closed over it.

At the high point, the Southern Alps and Fox Glacier (Te Moeka o Tuawe) fill one side of the view. Turn around for coastal forest and farmland running out toward the coast. It’s a rare place to see both the glacier and the lowland coast from the same high point. If the view is clear, keep the tussock ridge in the foreground with the glacier and snowy peaks behind it. Cloud can hide the view, which is why the early start matters.

Thirsty Culvert is about 3 km south of Fox Glacier township on SH6. Driving south from town, the small parking area is on the right and the route starts across SH6 on the left. DOC advises carrying drinking water and warm, waterproof clothing because the weather changes quickly. Check track conditions with DOC before you go. Dogs are not allowed on the route.