Whitcombe Pass

Whitcombe Pass had been used by Canterbury and West Coast Maori, but was first publicised (and subsequently crossed to the west as far as the bushline) by Samuel Butler and John Baker in 1860. A complete but epic crossing to the West Coast was made by John Whitcombe and Jacob Lauper, but the journey ended tragically when Whitcombe drowned crossing the Taramakau River.