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About Lake Alta, The Remarkables Ski Area
The Difficulty Rating: ★⯪☆☆☆ 1.5 (only to Lake Alta)
★★⯪☆☆ 2.5 (To the saddle on Wye Creek Route under Pt 2050)
Lake Alta, the alpine lake in The Remarkables Ski Area, is an ideal destination for a short day hike near Queenstown. The area is hidden on the other side of the prominent The Remarkables range, not in sight from Queenstown.
When the snow is absent, the walk from the ski field buildings to the lake is fairly simple. You may go beyond Lake Alta by following Wye Creek Route which leads to a saddle under Pt 2050. I remember the climb to the saddle had a rocky section with a few cairns marking the way. At the saddle you have the view above the lake and also the upper valley of Wye Creek (Wye Creek Basin) where features several beautiful lakes.
Even navigation is not difficult, it is important to choose a safe route whenever the trail is not obvious to follow and decide how far you can go safely, particularly when there is snow on the trail. The trail may be invisible while the snow still covers the landscape including the lakes in the area. Please be well prepared for the winter condition and be aware of the associated risks. You may check ski field’s condition from their webcams. To know more about the track, please visit DOC website.
My first trip to Lake Alta and the saddle above Wye Creek Basin is in October 2017, a snow hiking in the mid-spring. All the lakes were still frozen or snowy, making them almost indistinguishable from the surrounding. My partner and I visited the area a while later when most of the snow was gone. We camped by one of the lakes in Wye Creek Basin. Photos and comments of this hike are in the post, “The Remarkables, Lakes of Wye Creek Basin”. In early 2018, I went to Wye Creek again and then veered to camp on the ridge under the peaks of Double Cone, mentioned in the post, “The Remarkables, on the Shoulder of Double Cone”.
