Routes
Huts / campsites
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Summits
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Junctions
DOC Land
Altitude: 993m to 1191m. Gain: 214m. Loss: 148m . Gradient: 5 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6)
The highest point of McKellar Saddle is marked with a small sign post. Leave the boardwalk here and cross boggy terrain to the north and begin climbing up the slope. Pass by a series of tarns as you follow the ridge line up with great camping. At about the 1100 metre contour observe grassy and scrubby terraces which make their way northwards up the west flank of Peak 1449. Traverse north staying above the bush line, slowly climbing from 1100m with the goal of hitting the northwest ridge of Peak 1449 at about 1200m. A flat rocky vantage point here has fantastic views of the surrounding area.
Sidle northeastwards above some boulders until lightly scrubbed slopes lead down to easy grassy terrain north of Peak 1449.
If you wish to climb Pt1449, continue sidling to the east until under steep slopes which lead up to the saddle between Pt1449 and Pt1459. Climb to the saddle, where more initially steep slopes lead up to the southwest. The gradient eases off at about the final 100m to the summit, which is very broad with rolling terrain. The views of the area are better away from the physical summit. Pt1459 is also a simple summiting to the northeast of the saddle.
Down at the 1200m contour cross the tops, past tarns and boulders incorrectly marked as "Rock outcrops" on the topomap. The large tarn east of Point 1085 has great camping at its southern end. From the summit of Point 1085 you used to be able to almost look straight down into the front window of Howden Hut (destroyed by land slide in February 2020).
Pass Creek and its tributaries are all deeply gulched so head east from the large tarn and cross the southern tributary high up before following its true right side north. You could try and climb around the eastern tributary between some bluffs before descending down into the northern tributary, but in my opinion the easiest route is to descend into the eastern tributary through scrub, then rock hop down to where the north tributary comes in and climb the north branch briefly. A large boulder, easily seen from the tributary junctions has a grassy slope on its true right side which leads up out of the gulch and onto open snow grass slopes of Point 1197. Climb to Point 1197 to enjoy fantastic views.