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About the hike on Alex Knob Track
The Difficulty Rating: ★★⯪☆☆ 2.5
Alex Knob, a mountain 1303 m tall, stands near the super famous town, Franz Josef, in West Coast. The climb to its top is normally a day hike. In my opinion the hike is more rewarding than Franz Valley Track and Roberts Point Track, the other two popular tracks nearby. The walks on these two tracks are fine if you have limited time or are inexperienced. But Alex Knob Track offers more challenges and views for hikers who can spend more time.
The highlight of the hike is at the top of Alex Knob where you will have a clear view toward Franz Josef Glacier within a few kilometers in the front. You will be looking at this glacier at a height, like the DOC says: “without taking a helicopter flight.” The scenery from the surrounding mountains to the coastal area is superb as well. Providing you are as lucky as us, cloud inversion can make the scene dreamy.
My partner and I went to Alex Knob in early 2020, which was our last hike before the pandemic spread the whole NZ. We ascended around 1100 m to reach the peak. In spite of the substantial elevation gain, we did not find it a difficult hike even with all the camping and camera gears in the backpacks.
The hike on the trail was so plain that I could not remember anything before we arrived the top. The track was not busy at all with only a few hikers at the summit. We found an ideal campsite a short distance from the summit and set up our tent facing the glacier hidden in the fog. Two people waited around for a while in the hope of a clear moment to see the glacier but they all left with disappointment.
Chances are usually left for well-prepared people like us. Not long after we became the only two persons there, the fog dissipated and cloud dropped below the glacier! This magical moment was captured by my time-lapse photography gears, which was always the best prize for a hard work. Good weather lasted all night until the next morning when we left the site, keeping me busy without enough sleep. This was the only overnight hike we had in West Coast. Since the trip we did not tramp as much as before.
Overall I highly recommend this track to all hikers. Go to see Franz Josef Glacier before it retreats too much!
