Popular track may reopen soon

ONE of the most popular day walks in the Mount Aspiring Park, closed since July 2019 due to erosion undercutting the track, could reopen this summer.

Department of Conservation operations manager Mike Tubbs said the department was working towards rerouting 600m of the damaged Rob Roy track ‘‘but the new track would need to reach our track standards before it can be safely opened to the public’’.

The department closed the Rob Roy track on July 22 last year when a ranger putting in avalanche warning signs noticed the track had been eroded.

Mr Tubbs said finding an alternative route that would not be affected by erosion took some time, but the new alignment stayed outside the identified rock fall and land slide zones.

An assessment of environmental impacts had been completed, pricing was under way and the department was working with contractors on their availability, he said.