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About Little Mt. Peel / Huatekerekere
The Difficulty Rating: ★★★★☆ (snow hiking / winter condition)
Little Mt. Peel / Huatekerekere, Peel Forest, is one of my most-visited hiking destinations in Canterbury. Standing on the front side of Tara Haoa Range, the peak overlooks Canterbury Plain and its hilly edge. The trails to the top of the mountain are usually popular with people who want a relatively easy and rewarding day hike.
Winter condition can make this hike much more challenging and that was what we encountered on our second trip. In June 2019, only several months after our first hike to Little Mt. Peel, we went to the trail again. Knowing the snow may have covered the area, we ascended via the easier Deer Spur Track. Shortly after setting off, we walked into a snow-white world where the wooden boardwalks were hidden under the deep snow. We literally moved inside a trench made of snow landed on the bush.
Even during this harsh condition, there was still a group of young guys ahead of us and a solo hiker who was about to finish the entire loop from the other way around. Soft and deep snow slowed us substantially. When we reached a spot where the trig and shelter were already in sight above us, we decided not to proceed as the following climb looked risky.
The strong biting wind numbed our fingers in seconds once we stopped and the attempt to shoot a time-lapse clip was impossible at the spot. So we turned back to a lower position, hiding behind the bush where the wind was not so unforgiving. We stayed there until it was dark. Although we did not make it to the top, but what we brought home is something we really value, a special experience and beautiful images that can last forever.
When snow is not an issue, the hike to Little Mt. Peel is straightforward (two-star difficulty). For more track information, please visit DOC website. Photos and trip comments from other hikes to this mountain are available in “Little Mt. Peel, a day hike” and “Little Mt. Peel’s Day and Night”.
