Distance: 8.0 km (4.0 DOC hours) - Marked route - Moderate-hard terrain
Altitude: 1020m to 1635m. Gain: 888m. Loss: 968m . Gradient: 14 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6)

Marked route (6/9)
Uncut route, with markers normally within sight

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

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

Moderate-hard (difficulty: 4/5)
Tall, walkable scrub / large rocks, occasional waterfalls or gorges in rivers

Alpine weather (difficulty: 2/7)
Tramp on open tops, exposed to alpine weather

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

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

A very pleasant day trip from Fenella (or Cobb) Hut - this tramp (can be a loop or out & back or ...) takes the track to the far side of swimming tarn then climbs onto the ridge leading to SH1186. Drop a little into the saddle then follow the tape and cairns up to and across the base of Xenicus.

At the high point you could choose to leave the track and head W up to the Xenicus summit but the track descends to the valley floor and then climbs directly towards Mt Gibbs. We drifted to the left and higher ground but taking a middle course straight up the valley is better.

Climb more steeply to a saddle south of the summit then follow the ridge to the top. We chose to return to the saddle and drop off to the S and down to Round Lake but it is more usual to continue from the summit around the ridge before, on track, descending to Round Lake crossing the outlet and pick up the marked track to Cobb Lake.

Follow the track to the head of Cobb Lake - if the water level is low, you can walk along the edge - although the track through the bush is never far from the shore. Cross the outlet and a short climb brings you to a track junction. Left climbs back to SH1186 and the ridge to the swimming tarn. However, we continued down to Cobb Hut.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Cobb Hut, climb steeply to the W and the Cobb Lake outlet (passing a side track to the R which leads to SH1186 and the ridge to the Fenella swimming tarn). Continue across the outlet and around the TR of the lake (on the shore if the water level is low or on the track just inside the beech). The track crosses the inlet and climbs to Round Lake, initially parallel to the stream then more steeply away from it.

Finally the track swings to the left and the outlet of Round Lake. However, we left the track at a large boulder and climbed steeply through tall tussock to the midpoint between Xenicus and Mt Gibbs. Very high wind made Xenicus a risky proposition so, having gained the ridgeline, we turned left to Mt Gibbs summit.

Return to the midpoint and drop L into the valley, picking up cairns to lead the way. Cairns mark the track as it turns S and begins to climb to a high point under Xenicus. Then it's a gentle descent under Xenicus to the saddle below SH1186.

A short sharp climb to SH1186 the follow the ridge N to the Fenella swimming tarn and then to Fenella Hut.