Each year the Trust selects a team of individuals from the Youth Services as well as special applicants from local high schools to complete our signature trip. The purpose of the Southern Alps Traverse is to physically and emotionally challenge the young people involved with 180 Degrees Trust programmes. The young people will learn, demonstrate and further develop necessary skills, such as goal setting, discipline, respect for others and the environment as well as accomplishing great physical and mental challenges and endurance. These outcomes will be achieved on our journey navigating the 243km trip from the West Coast, to the East Coast of the South Island.

We set off from Christchurch and drive over to Hokitika. We then begin to make our way back to New Brighton over 6 days, using a combination of mountain biking trails, hiking trails, private and publicly owned huts and rivers for jetboating, rafting and tubing. We arrive back in Christchurch on Friday and have an award ceremony where all families and friends of 180 attend.