WALK1200KM

WALK1200KM

Off the Beaten Track

Off the Beaten Track

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The campsite below Ball Pass overlooked the Tasman Glacier. Photo: Peter Laurenson

Kaitiaki Peak, Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park

Canterbury Hikes

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Peter Laurenson

A tramper, occasional climber, photographer, editor and writer, Peter has been adventuring for more than 30 years.

By Peter Laurenson

A night with a guardian

Since George Mannering and A. P. Harper first crossed Ball Pass in January 1890, it has become one of the better-known spots in the Southern Alps. We set off from the Whitehorse car park in calm weather and soon realised that our choice to go west to east was a good one. Doing it this […]

About the author

Peter Laurenson

Peter is a tramper, occasional climber, photographer, editor and writer. His adventures, spanning 30+ years, come together on his website ‘OccasionalClimber’. Richmond-based, Peter is editor of FMC’s Backcountry and has published three books: Occasional Climber (2013) and Khumbu (2021) and Aotearoa Light (2025).