Birchwood Station Boutique Trail 2023/4

Please note: If desired, this trail has
been designed to “clip” onto the Musterer's Mountain Pack Trails” especially
for our customers who love more time in the saddle

With stunning views of the Ahuriri Valley National Park

Riders will need to be in Queenstown the evening before this
ride begins as we have an early start on the first day.

Day 1 –pickup in Queenstown at 8:00am delivered to Birchwood
Historic Homestead at 10:30am

5 hours riding _ Ride that mountain Range

Morning tea will be served at the homestead on your arrival. 

The horses are saddled and once we have packed our lunch boxes and cameras into the
saddle bags, we are off on the first of our wonderful adventures into this
picturesque National park. The mountains flank our trail making us feel very
small in comparison as we head into the valley following the meandering Ahuriri
River. 

We climb to the top of the Mnt Gladwish mountain range to a height of 1600 meters above sea, 

on an old four-wheel drive track. This is an exhilarating ride through native beech forest 

(filled with red mistletoe in the springtime) and into the high
golden tussock to the top of the ridge. At the mountain peak we look down to the West, 

the Dingleburn River and Leaning Mnt (2097 meters above sea,) to North East we see the 

headwaters of the Ahuriri River and the Barrier mountain ranges stretching out before us. 

Weather permitting, we enjoy lunch in this heady and breath-taking environment
before heading back down the track following our footsteps to the homestead
where hot showers and a nice glass of wine await us. Back at the homestead the
horses enjoy a beautiful grassy paddock right outside the homestead so we can
watch them all evening. Time to relax and enjoy wine and nibbles followed by a
home cooked wholesome farm dinner and one of Angie’s famous deserts.

Day 2 – 6 ½ hours riding 10 am start_ explore the valley
and climb canyon creek gorge

A hearty farmhouse breakfast to set us up for the day, lunchboxes
packed and cameras charged we head down to saddled horses. 

Today’s ride see’s our adventure head deep into the magnificent Ahuriri Valley. 

Our trail meanders along a well laid trail heading into the breath-taking valley.

The ice blue river threads its way over stony river beds that
the South Island is so famous for. The Department of Conservation have spent a
great deal of time and money on the preservation of the Black Stilt, the
numbers of mating pairs has increased significantly under their care.. We will
be sticking to the tracks to prevent any disturbance to these wonderful
birds.  After three and half hours we stop at the base of the beautiful
gorge, here riders can either, 

Enjoy a quiet lunch beside the horses 

or 

Climb canyon creek, which affords stunning views over the
valley 

We retrace our footsteps to the homestead; the view looking down
the valley is so very different on the return journey in such imposing mountain
country. Our second evening at the homestead sees us enjoy a Kiwi barbecue in
this beautifully established garden with its natural landscape setting.

Day 3 – 5 ½ hours riding 9:30 am start _Show us the Snowy Gorge

After a full farmhouse breakfast, lunch boxes full we saddle up.
Today we are heading to snowy gorge. 

Crossing the spectacular Ahuriri River we make our way down the
tussock laden valley to today's destination the green lake at 1200 meters above
sea. This is a beautiful crystal-clear tarn set in the heart of the mountains.
Large trout cruise the edges and there is time for a lunchtime swim. 

We ride to a small bivi hut for a hot drink. Today’s views are
outstanding in the snowy gorge, surrounded by snow-capped mountain ranges.
After lunch we ride out of the mountains back to the homestead and enjoy our last
wonderful evening together.

Day 4 Heading home carrying the magic of the mountains in our hearts

@ 9:30> 10 am the taxi driver will be waiting to take you back to your Queenstown destination.

Riders will reach Queenstown at approximately 12:30 > 1pm

Note: We may change the order of days in which we do these
rides as we choose the best days weather to summit Mount Gladwish