Distance: 10.2 km (7.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 1293m to 1946m. Gain: 957m. Loss: 797m . Gradient: 10 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - 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

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

Snow / ice often until December. Ice-axe and crampons required in these conditions

Ascend from the Wye Valley to the pass south of pt2990. If coming down-valley, a sidle from 5km upriver avoids all the steep stuff. Otherwise a direct ascent of the spur leading to pt2127 is a steep but viable option. Stay below bluffs at about 1600m and sidle down-valley past pt 2071, pt2090, then once gentler slopes appear above sidle / climb to the saddle south of pt2090.

The descent to the outlet of Lake Hope is far steeper then indicated by the map, and bluffs appeared to block the way at the northern end of the saddle. However, reasonable steep slopes (snow when I visited in November) descended from the south end of the saddle to the valley floor.

Follow the South Wye downstream until the corner where it swings west. From here sidle the south face of the valley at around 1500m until a clear route to the saddle at pt1659 is visible, and then make the climb to the saddle. An easy descent takes you down into Two Mile Creek. Two Mile Hut is about 800m downriver in the next basin downstream.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description