SAFETY & WEATHER

The Old Ghost Road traverses rugged and remote terrain ranging in altitude from near sea-level to more than 1300 metres. Weather can change very quickly and should never be taken for granted. Careful planning and preparation is required for a safe and enjoyable experience.

Before embarking on your journey, we recommend checking the most up-to-date forecasts. Good sources are MetVUW,  the New Zealand Metservice’s mountain and/or rural forecast, or NIWA’s specific Old Ghost Road forecast based on Ghost Lake hut.

For a great summary of key planning and preparation matters for tackling The Old Ghost Road, see the video at the bottom of this page from the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council. Whilst the focus is on mountain biking, much of the content applies to any mode of travel. The Mountain Safety Council has some additional great guides for planning and undertaking trips in New Zealand’s backcountry. Their Backcountry Mountainbiking Guide and their Multiday Tramping Guide are excellent resources that explain how the Outdoor Safety Code’s simple 5-step checklist for staying safe in the outdoors relates to these activities. We recommend these resources are consulted and applied before you embark on a journey along The Old Ghost Road.

The trail status page on this website provides the latest known information about track conditions.

To assist trail users with planning, key hazards (many of these depend on conditions immediately before or during your visit) may include:

• • Steep ground/slopes below the trail posing a fall hazard;
  • Steep ground/slopes above the trail posing landslip, rockfall hazard, or trail blockage (especially under a seismic event, heavy rainfall, or significant freeze/thaw activity);
  • Vast sections of trail under a vegetation canopy that can pose a treefall or limb/branch fall hazard, especially in high winds;
  • Open (uncovered) sections of trail, especially at altitude, that pose a risk of exposure (hypothermia) in adverse weather or heat-related illness (hyperthermia) in hot weather;
  • A significant length (13km) of trail above 1000 metres elevation, increasing the risk of occasional snowfall accumulation, impeding passage along the trail (note that snowfall can and does settle at lower elevations).
  • Unbridged creek crossings and low-lying ground that may flood or scour in extreme rainfall posing hazards if attempting to cross;
  • Rough and slippery trail surface (in places) that may pose a slip/trip hazard for trampers or riders;
  • Remote terrain with very limited/no mobile phone coverage meaning support or help cannot be raised by mobile phone (for this reason, you should carry a Personal Locator Beacon);
  • The risk of significant natural events (including but not limited to major weather and/or seismic events) that may prevent or inhibit safe passage/exit along the trail and which may require additional time on the trail (carrying a supply of additional food is always recommended);
  • Limited sight distances on corners (due to the narrow, winding nature of the trail) meaning the potential for meeting on-coming users with limited available stopping distance;
  • High seasonal (mainly January to April, but they can persist longer) wasp numbers in the lower altitude beech forest sections of the trail that may pose an allergy/anaphylaxis risk to trail users if stung; and
  • Gas cookers in the main huts that may pose as asphyxiation hazard if used inappropriately or left burning for extended periods.

The above list is not exhaustive, rather a brief description of key hazards. Every visitor to The Old Ghost Road is asked to undertake their own assessment of risks/issues that they may need to plan and prepare for and to have sound and effective contingencies in place.