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DOC Land
Altitude: 767m to 1618m. Gain: 877m. Loss: 27m . Gradient: 14 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6)
From Spence Hut cross to the true left of the western tributary and follow this up the hill and into the bush. Climb steadily, keeping above the stream initially as it gorges beneath you, but follow the slope in a more westerly direction as it leaves the stream behind. Its a steep but rapid climb, a brief but dense scrub belt guards the bush line. Once through the bush, follow the open tussock ridge line up the hill side.
If you are heading to the Telford Burn or Wairaki Peaks then you probably want to sidle around the large basin near the stream, but keeping above the scrub belt. Otherwise, easy travel leads up past an alpine wetland and up to the stream shown draining the large tarn. A very steep bank is climbed up, and the tarn is reached shortly after. There is some nice looking camping here. If you are heading for the Revelation Peaks you want to climb north from the tarn to Pt 1503. There is a secondary peak southwest of 1503 which looks un-climbable from the main ridge line. Much easier to bypass it. Otherwise, climb south and then west to reach the main ridge line. Pt 1483 also looks awkward to get over, but can be bypassed on scree slopes around its western side. South of it, the ridge line is a straight forward climb all the way up onto the summit of Spence Peak. The 360 degree views from here stretch from Lake Manapouri in the north to Stewart Island in the south. There is good camping to be had by the cluster of little tarns back down by Pt 1483.