The park's ecosystems are varied and rich, with lush beech and podocarp forests on the wetter western slopes, home to native birds such as the kea and great spotted kiwi (roroa). Higher up, the alpine zone is marked by snow tussocks, herb fields, and hardy plants like the Mount Cook lily, which thrive in the harsh, windswept conditions. The drier eastern slopes feature open grasslands and subalpine scrub, providing habitats for species like the New Zealand falcon (kārearea).

Arthur's Pass holds a deep cultural significance for the Māori, particularly the Ngāi Tahu iwi, who have long used the area as a passage between the coasts for trade and resource gathering. Known as "Te Ara Pounamu" or "The Greenstone Pathway," the pass was historically significant for its role in the transportation of pounamu (greenstone), a highly valued material in Māori culture.

The weather in Arthur's Pass is notoriously unpredictable, with sudden shifts from clear skies to intense rain, snow, and high winds—something we experienced firsthand. We had planned an overnight hike together, but the weather had other plans. Despite this, we managed to hike up Avalanche Peak, a popular 1,833m mountain next to Arthur’s Pass village and explored Bealey Spur Hut. Even during the rain and wind, we visited Devil’s Punchbowl Waterfall, witnessing its full, powerful flow. The experience left me eager to return to Arthur’s Pass as soon as possible.

To better understand Māori culture I have read Nic Low’s Uprising, a book in which he describes the cultural legacy, importance and history of Māori crossing paths over the Southern Alps. One story captured my attention closely - Raureka’s journey. To cite the story from his book:

“The story goes that Raureka was a rakatira (high rank) from Kāti Wairaki who left her home on the coast and headed into the mountains. From the Main Divide of the Alps, ridges extend like fingers towards the coast at Hokitika, with thickly timbered valleys and swampland in between. Lake Kaniere lies in one of these valleys. On reaching the head of the lake, Raureka walked up the Styx River, crossed over into the Arahura River and continued south until she stumbled across a pass to the east. The lake at the top is called Whakarewa (Europeans called it Browning), and the pass in Māori is Nōti Raureka. Legend has it that she was the first person to cross the Alps. Raureka emerged from the mountains starving and at her wits’ end. According to kaumātua James Russell from Arahura, she wandered down the Rakaia River to the area around Te Umukaha (Temuka) on the plains, where she encountered a group of Ngāi Tahu men hewing a canoe. They took her in, fed her and warmed her by the fire. In return, she laughed at their inferior tools. She unwrapped a brilliantly sharp toki pounamu and demonstrated the keenness of the blade.”

Realizing that the pass is part of the Three Passes Track, rated as a New Zealand classic, I decided to follow the journey of Raureka in the opposite direction - crossing the Main Divide of the Southern Alps, from Arthur’s Pass to the West Coast, exiting through the Styx river. Completing this hike in four days was a true test of my experience and patience, with several challenging white river crossings and route-finding skills.