Little Domett and Little Domett Lower Saddle – 28 September 2025

01-The-start-of-the-day-look-at-Little-Domett-in-the-distance
02-Lone-Creek
03-Lone-Creek-Lodge
04-Climbing-out-of-the-basin
05-Looking-up-at-Little-Domett
06-The-broad-valley-below-with-Mt-David-in-the-distance
07-The-others-coming-into-veiw
08-The-valley-back-to-Lone-creek
09-The-last-climb-out
10-Group-two-coming-up-the-ridge
11-The-top-in-site
12-Big-Mt-Domett-1942m
13-Having-lunch-out-of-the-wind-on-top

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This trip was done in two groups, with one group seeing the opportunity of climbing Little Domett 1860m from a different area which gave them an easier direct route to the top. The other group did the Domett Lower Saddle, getting to a high point of 1158m.

The 1st group left town at 6.30am, an early start considering daylight saving had just started and one member leaving Dunedin at 5am. They met another member at the end of Domett Rd and 4WD into a hut called Lone Creek Lodge by Lone Creek. They then headed off up a 4WD track to the lower saddle and then cross-country and up a direct ridge to the top of Little Domett, making good time (despite the strong winds), reaching the top about 11.15am.

The other group left town at a more respectable time of 8am and drove to the end of Domett Rd, where they started their hike. Group two headed off up a 4WD track to a small saddle and then down into Lone Creek and up to the hut where the others had parked their vehicles. After a bit of a look around the hut it was then off up a track behind the hut and into a basin below Little Domett, which we climbed out of and sided around the lower ridge of Little Domett to a lower saddle, getting there about 11.30am. Group two was in radio contact with group one on Little Domett, and they had thought of hiking another hour over to big Domett at 1942m—but there were wind warnings for the day and it was starting to pick up, so they decided to stay put and have an early lunch and take in the views. Group two found a place out of the wind on the lower saddle, taking in the views of the mountains around us and down into the Waitaki Valley.

Group two took a leisurely lunch and got the call on the radio that the other group were on their way down, so we stayed put for a while and watched the other group come into view. Group two then when down a zig-zag track into a broad valley leading back to Lone Creek where we climbed back up to the small saddle and back to the cars, getting there about 10mins before the other group arrived in the 4WDs. It was then a quick catch up of everyone’s day before heading home.

Thanks to the farmer for giving us access to this area and the members that came along to enjoy it.

Rodney, David, Neil, Jonathan, Julian, Lynette, Jenny and Mike.

–Neville