A new walking track in north Canterbury is set to open this week, the result of a decade of community effort in Ashley Gorge.
Skyline Track Completion Marks Milestone
The four-to-five-hour Skyline Track, located an hour from Christchurch, reaches an altitude of nearly 800m and winds through rugged terrain above the Canterbury Plains.
Volunteers have spent approximately 15,000 hours cutting and marking the route over the past 10 years. Supplies were initially flown in by helicopter before being hauled along the track by volunteers, who also installed steel posts and bright orange markers to guide trampers.
“I was absolutely determined the skyline trail was going to go in before I was too old to get up the hill,” said Ashley Gorge organiser John Burton, who is 75 years old. “And here we are, I’m still up the hill and the skyline trail is going to be finished today.”
The track is mostly on land managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC), with a small section crossing private property. DOC will conduct annual chainsaw work and maintenance on the trail.
Canterbury’s Skyline Track will operate year-round and is scheduled to open this weekend.
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