Arthur's Pass
One of the two major crossings from the East to the West of the South Island, Arthur's pass is a thin road through beautiful mountainous terrain, some of the most beautiful that NZ has to offer.
There are a huge number of hiking tracks in the region, from half day wanders through to strenuous multi day hikes. Information is available on the Department of Conservation website, but there are many more options than even these guys mention. Pick up a good hiking book in a store or hook up with a hiking club to find the less well known tracks.
In the winter, the region has many small club fields, including Cragieburn, Broken River, Temple Basin and Porter Hights. While not as extensive or flash as the bigger fields, they're worth checking out (and I hope to spend a whole winter in there some time, visiting them all).
