Rainbow over Matukituki River, West Branch

Mt. Aspiring National Park is an excellent destination for serious hikers and climbers seeking to get away from the crowds and overdeveloped tracks at some of the more accessible parks. Access is from Wanaka via a long gravel road. Here a rainbow is seen over the Matukituki River on the trail to Aspiring Hut, which makes a good central base for exploring the surrounding country, and serves as a starting point for the relatively difficult Cascade Saddle route. (Dec. 24, 1995)

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