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DOC Land
Altitude: 857m to 1511m. Gain: 1157m. Loss: 761m . Gradient: 15 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Prolonged scrambles (4/7) - Streams (2/6)
A relatively easy route leads up the west branch of the Minaret Burn to a low 1400m saddle with the Albert Burn. Bluffs make the descent into the Albert Burn tricky necessitating a 1.5km sidle west to reach a reasonable spur down into the valley, crossing a couple of tricky gullies. This last section crosses numerous avalanche paths and is not recommended when snow loading is present.
From the top fork sin the Minaret Burn, nose into the bush and pick up the spur climbing NNW between the two creeks. Well travelled deer trails lead up the spur, connecting a series of more open grassy gullies, but sections are scrubby and it can be slow going. Tall scrub / bush is left behind at around 1050m - from where it is possible to sidle tussock / low scrub faces into the head basin of either fork of the Minaret Burn.
To reach the western fork, make a sidling climb west from the bushline as soon as vegetation / terrain allows it. you are aiming to hit the valley again at about 1150m above the waterfalls 2km upstream - just above where the valley swings north. From above the falls travel st straight forward on the valley floor on low tussock / dry river channels all the way to the saddle at 1460m.
There are two options to descend to the Albert Burn. The shortest is to descend the spur heading due north, west of the dry gully indicated on the map. Where the spur bluffs out it is necessary to make a very steep sidle through low scrub / tussock into the 'dry' gully and then carefully descend that to the valley floor. I have not attempted this route but have examined it from the valley floor and confirmed that is is possible though very steep & exposed. Erosion int he gully could easily make it impassable.
The recommended route is longer. From the saddle make a sidling climb west (upriver) to around 1500m. Do not drop too far down the face or you will end up crossing a series of steep, treacherous guts above tall bluffs below. Cross the first three streams shown on the map. The last two of these are deep steep guts and care is required to choose good crossing points - which do exist. 200m beyond the last stream pick up the moderately steep spur dropping north to the valley floor. One brief steep section exists at around 1400, but with plenty of vegetation it's a safe route down.
Top Forks - Albert Burn flats 3-5 hrs