Hiking New Zealand: Isthmus Peak

Isthmus Peak is a local, off-the-radar hike outside of  Wanaka, New Zealand. Don’t think twice, don’t question the steepness, just do it.

Only, I’d recommend *not* being hungover. I can explain.

After our trek to Mueller Hut, our foursome pointed our campervan towards Wanaka, one of the most spectacularly awesome towns I’ve ever visited. Our two friends wanted a break from both hiking and campervan living, so they stayed in town while Will and I took the van to a holiday park. It was pouring rain that evening, so we stayed home and Will cooked me a delightful dinner…complete with wine.

That’s the tricky part when you come from high altitude living. When I drop down to sea level, I can handle my alcohol like whoa. Before I realized what was happening, I had downed an entire bottle of red wine all by myself while Will looked on and laughed at me. I didn’t even feel drunk; I just felt sleepy!

Needless to say, the next morning called for an early wakeup and I wasn’t feeling it. We had agreed to meet our friends back in town by 1 pm which meant we had to drive to the trailhead, get up and down Isthmus peak, and drive back to town pretty darn quickly. I hadn’t really paid much attention to the hiking stats, so I dawdled along, drinking my coffee and wondering why I felt so blah.

Will eventually packed up the van {thanks darling!} and shuttled my now-acknowledged hungover self to the trailhead. We pulled into the parking lot around 8:30, and he gave me a quick glance.

“Are you going to be able to do this today?”

Photos are by both Will and Heather Balogh Rochfort

And that’s what so embarrassing about being hungover. Even though I felt like hell, there was absolutely no way I was going to bail on the hike because of my poor life choices. Will was so excited to tackle this local hike; how could I not join him? I assured him I felt fine, hefted my backpack on my shoulders, and focused really hard on putting one foot in front of the other.

Out of the gates, I knew I was in for a world of hurt! Like all hikes in New Zealand, Isthmus Peak was steep! The first hill was a short-but-wicked incline that left me gasping for air and searching my skin to see if wine was oozing from my pores. Of course, this could all be in my head because Will appeared to be trucking along just fine.

The trail was untrammeled, so much so that we frequently trekked through meadows of thick grass. I was on the struggle bus, but I could also acknowledge that the scenery was absurdly beautiful.

Jagged peaks jutted into the blue sky with the glimmering Lake Hawea behind us. Since it was early morning, we had the trail completely to ourselves to enjoy the warm morning sunlight. The trail is totally exposed so we dealt with ferocious wind gusts. The air would feel warm and calm, lulling me into a sense of comfort. Then, I’d turn the corner and be smacked in the face with what felt like hurricane-force winds. {Again, I could be exaggerating. I wasn’t actually feeling great!}

We climbed and climbed, and climbed some more. I really wanted to stop and take a break, but we were pushing the clock: we needed to get back to town by our 1 pm cutoff. So, I accepted my self-induced misery and vowed never to drink wine again.

After an eternity of climbing, we reached the summit and were rewarded with epic views. Isthmus Peak is aptly named for its location between two lakes: Lake Hawea to the east and Wanaka’s Lake Wanaka to the west. If you looked out towards the skyline, you could even see glimpses of New Zealand’s southern Alps!

Hiking Isthmus Peak

Mileage: 9.9 miles {roundtrip}

Elevation Gain: 4544 feet

Skill Level: Advanced {Not technical, just steep!}

Parking: Yes, at the base of the peak

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