The Mt Judah Track (near the small town of Glenorchy) leads you up into the Whakaari Conservation area and offers a little history in a magical outdoors environment with mountain, lake and braided river views which are more rewarding the further you go.
This historic area displays not only the beauty of the land, also relics and actual mining equipment, telling tales of the mining that occurred in the last 100 years. There are three historic/day use only huts with displays taking you back to days gone by, plus one DOC hut which three bunks where you can stay for the night. This hut, the Heather Jock is sitting at the top of a loop track high on Mt Alaska which takes 3-4 hours (one way) from the carpark at the base of the hill.
You can link the Mt Judah Track with the Mt McIntosh Loop (8-10 hr return) if you are looking for a longer walk the the Whakaari conservation area. Mt McIntosh hut (4 bunks) sits on the ridge of the next mountain over from the Heather Jock hut, and offers truly amazing views of the head of Lake Wakatipu and the surrounding mountains.
View a pdf DOC brochure The Head of Lake Wakatipu or email us at info@easyhike.co.nz for more information.