Queenstown region 4 days

[Ndevr]

I'm hoping someone can provide some thoughts/advice:

I have 4 full days available to hike (tramp) in late February following some work based in Queenstown. I prefer the road less travelled.

I know very little about the area, but the 3 below hikes have sparked my interest:
> George Sound (one-way or rushed return)
> Dusky (not sure which half is best, or rush full length excl. Supper Cove)
> Cascade/Rees

Other options I've considered:
> Routeburn/Greenstone or Routeburn/Caples (crowds?)
> Kepler or Hollyford (crowds?)
> Hump or Motatapu or Gillespie Pass or Rabbit Pass

Also can Routeburn be enjoyed as a very long day walk? Is Ben Lomond worth doing?

Any thoughts I would be grateful.

Ndevr

[wayno]

> George Sound (one-way or rushed return)
> Dusky (not sure which half is best, or rush full length excl. Supper Cove)
> Cascade/Rees
Rabbit pass

none of those mentioned above are for the faint hearted. the weather can and does stop people in their tracks on those tracks, sometimes for days, when heavy rain raises unbridged water crossings making them impassable
cascade is dangerous in any rain at all

cascade and rabbit pass have had multiple fatalities, there was a recent fatality in good weather on rabbit pass. its vertical and not for the inexperienced.

even in good weather george sound and the Dusky track are very rough, dusky has massive amounts of mud, some of it deep, and tree roots , and steep climbs and descents
the DOC website mentioned at the top of the NZ forum has information about these tracks
routeburn cab be very crowded at either end with day walkers, key summit is usually crawling with people, and in the huts, kepler is crowded in the huts.

a lot of the other walks have already been mentioned on the forum, some extensively, they are usually straight forward but the weather can still cause problems.
greenstone and caples overcrowded in the huts in summer.

[Ndevr]

Thanks for the insight and prompt response Wayno.

Sounds like I better have a back up plan for another walk if the weather prior or expected is foul and water levels high....a walk that doesn't require pre-registration.
When you refer to Dusky being muddy, is it like Frenchman's but on a much larger scale (e.g. Sodden Loddens in a wet year)?
It sounds like Cascade and Rabbit Pass are like Eastern Arthurs towards the Final Ascent (basically a no-go in rain).
I'll keep reading up.

Ndevr

[wayno]

Dusky is extremely muddy. about 500 people a year do the dusky, you'll get that in less than a week on the routeburn with overnight hikers alone.
gillespies can be problematic in heavy rain as well
ben lomond is a great day walk in good visibility.
motutapu is straight forward but exposed and goes up and down a lot, need reasonable fitness.
hump ridge is pretty straight forward, they sell food at the first hut and an option to helicopter your gear to the top.

[Ndevr]

Just to circle back; we had a great couple of back-to-back short tramps in NZ late February, spending 48 hours on the Caples / Routeburn followed by 2.5 days on the Cascade Saddle / Rees (Raspberry Ck to Muddy Ck). It may sound rushed but it really wasn't, we still had time to sidetrip Conical Hill etc. The weather was mostly favourable, especially over the Pylon, with arguably the best view I've ever seen, amazing countryside. And yes Wayno you and the warnings are spot on, it's not for the faint hearted (especially if in poor weather).
Ndevr

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

...over the Pylon, with arguably the best view I've ever seen...

I'd agree with that... the Cascade Saddle area is some of the best scenery I've seen anywhere. Views in all directions, bookended by Dart Glacier and Mt Aspiring/Rob Roy on either side, and loads of mountains and valleys in between.