The Cascade Saddle Track, also known as the Cascade Saddle Route, is a alpine tramping track in the

Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Aspiring National Park is in the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand, north of Fiordland National Park, situated in Otago and Westland regions. The park forms part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Site. History Moun ...

, New Zealand that takes approximately four days to complete. It is known for its "spectacular" views but is considered an expert-level track due to the hazardous conditions.

Description

The route is typically undertaken from east to west and links the

Matukituki Valley The Matukituki River is a short braided river in the Southern Alps (New Zealand), Southern Alps of New Zealand's South Island. Both its West Branch and East Branch originate from the Main Divide mountain ranges near Mount Aspiring / Tititea. Th ...

with the Dart River valley. The start of the track is accessed from

Wānaka Wānaka () is a popular ski and summer resort town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. At the southern end of Lake Wānaka, it is at the start of the Clutha River and is the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park. Wānaka ...

and the end of the track links with the Rees and Dart Tracks, with the exit towards Queenstown. Accommodations are available along the route in the Aspiring Hut and in the Dart Hut. There is a steep scrambling climb from Aspiring Hut towards the Cascade Saddle itself, reaching a maximum elevation of . The views of Matukituki Valley from the

saddle A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider of an animal, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is equestrian. However, specialized saddles have been created for oxen, camels and other animals. It is not know ...

have been reported as "spectacular". The route then follows the left bank of the Dart River and includes views of the

Dart Glacier The Dart Glacier is an approximately glacier located in Mount Aspiring National Park, in the upper reaches of Otago, New Zealand. The glacier is the primary source of the Dart River / Te Awa Whakatipu, one of the main inflows of the nearby Lak ...

. The tramping route has been highlighted as one of the most dangerous, both in New Zealand and worldwide, due to the hazardous alpine nature of the track. The route is maintained by the

Department of Conservation Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

, who recommend it is best attempted by experienced trampers. A 2014 proposal to install safety rails was not adopted, partly so as not to encourage attempts by less-experienced hikers.

Incidents

In 2005 an Irish doctor, Donal Deery, lost his life on the Cascade Saddle in a fall to save the life of his partner. In 2012, a senior software engineer employed by

Google Google LLC (, ) is an American multinational corporation and technology company focusing on online advertising, search engine technology, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, consumer electronics, and artificial ...

, Frank Spychalski, died on the Cascade Saddle route after falling . There have been a number of other fatalities reported, with at least 10 lives lost over several decades.

References

{{Authority control Hiking and tramping tracks in Otago Mount Aspiring National Park