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DOC Land
Altitude: 1007m to 1373m. Gain: 398m. Loss: 40m . Gradient: 12 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6)
If coming up the Routeburn from Howden Hut continue following the track for another 3 minutes once past the small bridge over Sunny Creek. Keep an eye on the uphill side of the track, look for a normally dry water course draining off a grass slope which climbs up the hill, pretty much the only break in the bush between Earland Falls and the toilet. If you're coming from Lake Mackenzie, follow the track past the long drop toilet for another 30 metres around the next corner.
Leave the track and climb the grass slope up through low alpine trees. In March 2021 a well marked trapping line marked by triangles attached to free standing poles climbed up into Sunny Creek. A large low rock is climbed past and the trees are left behind. Once clear of the trees, cut to the right (south ) beneath a small gully of scrub then continue climbing to the east, between the scrub and a bluff. There is a break in the bluff with a broad shelf which leads down into the gully at the mouth of the Sunny Creek hanging valey, if you wish to head over there. The top of the Sunny Falls has great views over the Hollyford, with some secluded nearby camping, and the Sunny Creek creek bed can be followed up to the valley head to avoid the scrub.
The trapping line keeps climbing the slope to the east and follows the easiest terrain along the northern wall of the hanging valley, bypassing all the scrub that surrounds the stream. The trapping line meets up with Sunny Creek just down stream of the upper ravine so cross to the true left here.
Follow moderate slopes up past more and more boulders. When the creek splits up into smaller tributaries (not really shown on the map) the most direct way to the lake involves crossing all of the branches but keeping on the true left of the most western branch. Follow this up to the lake outlet. There's good camping on the southern side of the lake.
There's another small lake at the source of the middle branches hidden up amoung boulders at about 1400 metres under Peak 1620.
Pt 1611 is a steep but moderately straightforward scramble up a loose scree slope all the way to the top. The views overlooking the dying glacier east of the ridge stretch all the way to Lake Wakatipu.
In March 2021 the trapping line went right up to Sunny Lake, went around its southern side, and then continued on up the slope to the northwest of the lake. It seemed to keep going northwards into Roaring Creek. The main ridgeline running southwest to Pt1494 is dotted with tarns for camping and has a spectacular outlook over the Hollyford, if somewhat exposed.
Routeburn - hanging valley mouth: 30 minutes
Hanging valley mouth - Sunny Lake: 1h-1h30
Top of Sunny Creek - Pt 1611: 1h
Sunny Lake - Pt1494: 1h