Ben Lomond (Otago)
| Ben Lomond | |
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| Te-taumata-o-Hakitekura | |
Ben Lomond in spring, from near the start of Ben Lomond track on Cemetery Hill ( misnamed Bob's Peak)
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,748 m (5,735 ft) |
| Coordinates | 45°0′25.2″S 168°36′56″E / 45.007000°S 168.61556°ECoordinates: 45°0′25.2″S 168°36′56″E / 45.007000°S 168.61556°E |
| Geography | |
 Ben Lomond
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| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1860 by W. G. Rees & N. von Tunzelmann |
Ben Lomond is a mountain located close to Queenstown, New Zealand. It was named after Ben Lomond in Scotland by the early shepherd Duncan McAusland. The summit lies approximately 4 km northwest of the town centre, and reaches a height of 1,748 metres (5,735 ft). Connected to Ben Lomond is the large but slightly shorter Bowen Peak (1,631 m) and Bob's Peaks while nearby is the dominant feature of Queenstown Hill. There are scenic views available from a range of places on the mountain with the very top giving a 360 degree panorama of much of the Wakatipu Basin including Lake Wakatipu, The Remarkables Mountains, Cecil Peak and Walter Peak.
The Ben Lomond track can be accessed via three main routes that start at the One Mile Carpark, the access road on Lomond Crescent or from the Skyline Building on Brecon Street. If using the third option the easiest form of access is via the Skyline Gondola which takes you part way up the mountain, with foot access from the same location via the Tiki Trail.
Alternative much harder routes are from the Moonlight Track strating at either Moke Lake or Arthurs Point which both lead to the Ben Lomond saddle. There are also several entrances in the suburb of Fernhill.
The main track runs through exotic Douglas Fir forest upwards passing occasionally through Mountain Beech before opening up into tussock grasslands. The track follows a ridgeline up to the saddle between Ben Lomond and Bowen Peak before becoming quite steep for the summit track to the top.
There are many smaller tracks other than the one that leads to the summit: The 'Fernhill Link Track' is an easy grade track that links the suburbs of Fernhill and Sunshine Bay with Queenstown. There are several bridges that pass over streams. The Fernhill Loop Track is a large medium fitness level walk or bike that runs through Mountain Beech forest but is currently closed due to maintenance issues. From the One Mile Powerhouse carpark there is a track that runs up and follows a stream through native forest, later on it turns into Douglas Fir forest. These tracks are just a selection of many that criss-cross Ben Lomond's slopes.
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Wikipedia