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The frozen Molesworth

July 19, 2026

The frozen Molesworth
After this latest snow dump we feel so lucky to have spent time just before it immersing ourselves in the Molesworth. Access in winter can be a challenge, snow and ice on the passes and we just heard that the rivers in Rainbow got blown out after the last rain/snow storm I imagine these are impassable now as they get gauged out very quickly.
It's very cool to see others just as passionate about the area as us - when we turned up it made me laugh to see another ute had skis in the back (although they had biked in) nothing was going to stop them going in! It would have been a very long flat ski!
Highlights of this trip were biking across a frozen trunda before and during dawn, -5 to -10 degrees. Much better than on the way back when it unfroze and the wheels got clogged up. Watching the full moon set as the first light warmed the hills. Watching the mist rise off the tarns and as the sunlight hit them. Some of these big tarns stayed frozen all day! It was funny to see the geese coming in hot not realizing they were frozen and skating across the ice as they landed. Going outside for a wee at night under the full moon, not particularly enjoyable but the full moonlight on a completely frozen landscape was surreal. The best - the warm sunlight hours soaking in the warmth and taking in spectacular snowy mountain tussock views.
The Molesworth art in progress - view.








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