The Mahu Whenua Traverse pulled me back. Two years after my last trip, I found myself planning another five-day ski tour through the Harris mountains. My mate Stephen was keen, and when a few others couldn’t make it, I put the word out to the Alpine Club. Nico and Simon jumped aboard, and our team of four was set.

A Southern Start and a Light Pack

With the avalanche forecast sitting on the dangerous side, we decided to start from the south, hoping the snowpack would settle as we moved into more challenging terrain. Determined not to overpack, I whittled my gear to the essentials—3.4 kg of food for four nights and five days.

Anthony kindly drove us up the wild Macetown road in AT’s ute, a route of endless river crossings where the water sometimes washed over the bonnet. From there we climbed 1,000 m toward Advance Peak, the last 50 m a crawl through waist-deep snow.

Sunshine, Avalanches, and a Retreat

Monday delivered perfection. I skinned up Mt Hyde in a tee shirt under a bluebird sky. But the east face showed a fresh size-2 avalanche. The ridge looked gnarly, so we backed off and returned to St Just Turk for the night.

Life in the Turks

The Turk huts are a highlight in themselves—warm, cozy, and cleverly designed.
Simon summed it up beautifully:

“The Turks were just so comfortable, warm, and cozy. They’re light and airy, while also being well insulated and very warm. The beds are comfortable, especially with the extra sleeping bags or blankets to use as a pillow. Even the long drop is not so bad—it barely smells and the clear plastic brings in a bit of light. It makes it almost comfortable.”

With a pull-out table, cooker, and a water tank just outside, hut life felt almost luxurious for the mountains.

Whiteout to Powder Paradise

Tuesday brought a cold whiteout. We huddled in our emergency shelter for breaks between carving powder turns. The next morning, Nico realised he’d left his crampons, axe, and shovel behind—so he and I made a two-hour round trip to retrieve them.

Our luck turned on the way back: fresh powder and blue skies filled the St Just bowl. We spent the afternoon lapping perfect snow.
Simon later told me,

“There were multiple times during the trip when I was skinning along a ridge or upper valley that I stopped to remind myself that I was in the mountains in perfect conditions, doing an activity that I love.”

The Long Slog and a Cozy Finish

A brief blizzard led us to Vanguard Turk, where we devoured a “tapas” of four different freeze-dried meals before collapsing into bunks.
Stephen appreciated the evening comfort:

“What I really like about the Turks is that at the end of the day, they’re warm and you can relax.”

Final-Day Exposure

Day five dawned crystal clear and bitterly cold. Our most technical section lay ahead: the crampon traverse to Vanguard Peak.
Stephen described it as his standout moment:

“The moment that stood out for me was the crampon traverse on the way south toward Vanguard Peak. It was just a beautiful day and the exposure really makes me feel alive.”

For Simon, it was the toughest part:

“I’m not comfortable with exposure at heights, and when we needed to put on crampons and climb up to the ridge, I was worried we were putting ourselves in a precarious situation. I was very relieved to get over the edge onto the platform and up the top.”

We moved carefully across the ridge, then skied down toward Māori Saddle and the Shotover, finding patches of snow and even tussock turns as low as possible.

A Legendary Pickup and Lasting Stoke

Anthony met us at the road end in his bright green Skoda, a welcome sight after five days of skinning, powder, and storms.

The Mahu Whenua Traverse once again delivered everything I love about the mountains: camaraderie, challenge, and the simple joy of moving through wild country. Five amazing days, countless ridgelines, and a bucket load of mountain stoke—I’ll be back.

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Trip Stats

• Duration: 5 days, 4 nights
• Route: Macetown → Advance Peak → St Just Turk → Mt Hyde → St Just Turk → Vanguard Turk → Māori Saddle
• Highlights: Bluebird powder laps in St Just bowl, cozy Turk huts, exposed crampon ridge to Vanguard Peak

Whether you’re a ski tourer eyeing the Turks or just looking for a winter adventure, this traverse is a reminder that the best adventures are those shared in wild places, under big skies.

Check out https://mountainturk.org.nz/ to join the club and book the turks