Distance: 10.3 km (8.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 736m to 1383m. Gain: 1688m. Loss: 1516m . Gradient: 19 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Occasional scrambles (3/7) - Streams (2/6)

Unmarked route, clear (7/9)
Unmarked route, follows obvious geography (river, spur, trail, etc)

Secondary, unmapped (4/5)
Route not on maps, an alternative recognised access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate-hard (difficulty: 4/5)
Continuous moderate climbs

Easy-moderate (difficulty: 2/5)
Tussock / river-gravel / open bush / cut track

Occasional scrambles (difficulty: 3/7)
Tramp with some scrambles and exposure to falls

Streams (difficulty: 2/6)
Small streams, danger only in extreme weather

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

No description

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

A good high route joins Oonah Saddle with the Micaburn Saddle via the eastern flanks of Mt George.

From the Oonah Saddle a straight forward route takes you down the stream into the valley below and then down the flanks/spur on the true left to reach the lake at its north-east corner.

Cross the head of the lake where there are marginal campspots to the base of the creek draining saddle 1052 to the west. A strong deer trail climbs the face south of the creek (on its true right) leading through steep wooded faces to the tussock valley above. From the bushedge an easy ascent leads to tarns and views to the west coast from saddle 1052.

The climb to pt1400 starts steep and you need to plan your route carefully between bluff systems. However, things become gentler/easier after about 100m. Cross pt1400 and follow the ridge over pt1370 (or skirt it to the west) and then descend to the saddle between the two lakes.

Moir's route descends SE from the saddle to the long thin lake. The initial 20m of descent is very steep (sketchy) and not much fun. The lake is best passed on its northern shore to its mouth where the remains of a hut can be found. From the lake mouth make a gentle sidling climb south picking out good terraces on the eastern flanks of Mt George. I crossed the main stream on the face at 1200m and joined the SE ridgeline at 1300m - Moir's inidicates a slightly lower route

(It also looks straight forward (and safer) to continue south from the saddle between the two lakes and pick up the broad terrace at 1300m-1340m on the eastern face of Mt George. This avoids the steep descent to the lake and looks a much more straight forward sidle. I suspect that the Moir's route is historic from the time that the hut at the lake was in existence)

Travel down the SE ridge of Mt George to the Micaburn saddle is straight forward so long as you have visibility to avoid getting bluffed.

There are good sheltered dry campspots around tarns at the saddle

5-8 hrs

See also route from Moir's Guide South: Ed 7. Pg 132. Mica Burn Saddle to Oonah Saddle