Arthur's Pass

Arthur's Pass is an alpine crossing of the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand. It is at a height of 920 metres above sea level, and marks part of the boundary between Westland and Canterbury, 140 kilometres from Christchurch and 95 kilometres from Greymouth. The pass lies in a saddle between the valleys of the Otira River, a tributary of the Taramakau in the west and the Bealey River in the east. Arthurs Pass seen from the slopes of Avalanche Peak. ... Arthurs Pass seen from the slopes of Avalanche Peak. ... The Southern Alps is a mountain range which runs along the western side of the South Island of New Zealand. ... South Island The South Island forms one of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the North Island. ... The West Coast is one of the administrative regions of New Zealand, located on the west coast of the South Island. ... The New Zealand region of Canterbury mostly comprises the Canterbury Plains. ... For other uses, see Christchurch (disambiguation). ... Greymouth is the largest town in the West Coast region on the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council. ... The Taramakau River is located in the northwest of the South Island of New Zealand. ... The Bealey River is a small river located in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. ...

The pass is named after Sir Arthur Dudley Dobson, who led the first party of Europeans across the pass in 1864. He had been informed of the presence of a pass which had been used occasionally by Maori hunting parties by a West Coast Maori Chief, Tarapuhi. It is also believed that writer and explorer Samuel Butler had seen the pass several years earlier, but was unable to explore it at that time.The timing was perfect, as the West Coast was soon to be hit by a goldrush, and easy access to the Tasman's coast became imperative. 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Te Puni, Māori Chief Māori is the name of the indigenous people of New Zealand, and their language. ... Samuel Butler Samuel Butler (December 4, 1835 - June 18, 1902) was a British writer best known for his satire Erewhon. ... For the Neil Young album evoking this phrase, see After the Gold Rush. ... Satellite photo of the Tasman Sea The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand and is a south-western segment of the South Pacific Ocean. ...

Arthur's Pass Village

State Highway 73 passes over Arthur's Pass and is the highest of only three roads crossing the Southern Alps, the other crossings being the Haast Pass and the Lewis Pass. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1400x1050, 543 KB) Arthurs Pass Village, South Island, New Zealand. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1400x1050, 543 KB) Arthurs Pass Village, South Island, New Zealand. ... The New Zealand State Highway network is a network of roads covering the North and South Islands. ... Gates of Haast The Haast Pass is a mountain pass in the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand. ... The Lewis Pass is a mountain pass in the South Island of New Zealand. ...

Previously prone to be blocked by landslides or avalanches, the road on the western side of the pass has seen extensive civil engineering work in the late 1990s. Most notably, the Otira Viaduct, near the settlement of Otira and spanning 440 meters of unstable terrain, was completed in 1999. In modern usage, civil engineering is a broad field of engineering that deals with the planning, construction, and maintenance of fixed structures, or public works, as they related to earth, water, or civilization and their processes. ... // Events and trends The 1990s are generally classified as having moved slightly away from the more conservative 1980s, but otherwise retaining the same mindset. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

Arthur's Pass Village, a hamlet about 5km south of the pass, is a popular base for exploring Arthur's Pass National Park. Arthurs Pass National Park is located in the South Island of New Zealand. ...

External Links

• Arthur's Pass mountaineering conditions