Up in the Central Otago high country, this one climbs to over 1682 metres and opens out to big views across rugged tops and tussock. On a clear day the vistas from the top are the payoff, though it can be foggy as anything up there, so it's worth checking the forecast before you head up.

The road up the mountain is a steep climb and descent but fairly straightforward. A few folk reckon it could be done in 2WD in good conditions. The northern side drops down towards Piano Flat, where the tracking gets rougher and ruttier, so capable 4WDs are better suited to that section.

Conditions vary a lot up on the exposed tops, and they can be quite different from the descent. After rain it turns into a long, bumpy, muddy trip. Good idea to travel with a second vehicle given how remote and exposed it is. Consistently rated one of the better high-country drives going.