Lauri Naulapää
The views over Kaikoura and the coastline are well worth the effort. The summit also offers a nice spot for camping overnight to enjoy the sunset and sunrise. The odds are you'll have it all to yourself.
5.0
Apart from the amazing views the best thing is that you can start this hike straight from Queenstown town center and finish it off with a nice cold pint back in town. It is a very popular hike so expect crowds on any but rainy days (I did have the summit all to myself once but then again it was snowing up there). As a side note you can get snow at the summit even in the middle of summer so be prepared for quick changes. If you want a bit of challenge and avoid the crowds for a spell on the way down you can take the less used ridge route. After the saddle when the track deviates from the ridge line (at Pt. 1049) just keep on the ridge and it will take you all the way down to the gondola. It is not a marked path but it is well-trodden.
5.0
You might have to wait a bit for a good weather windows but it's well worth it. It's fun hiking and mild scrambling up to the saddle. I would also recommend continuing further towards Barrier Knob as far as you are comfortable with. That part starts with hiking and then turns to easy scrambling on good solid rock until the last iffy part to the summit.
5.0
Another option for reaching the Mt Somers Summit on the circuit is to take the slope up from the west. There is no marked route but it is easy to follow the gentle slope all the way up to the summit. Going counter-clockwise after the Bus Stop overhang the track crosses a small stream. This is the last stream on the topo map before The Rhyolite Ridge Track junction. After the stream veer off the track and follow the spur southeast up on the south side of the stream. Then just follow the slope east all the way up to the summit. Take the normal marked route back to the main track.
5.0
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