Routes
Huts / campsites
Roadends
Summits
Passes / crossings
Scenic features
Junctions
DOC Land
Altitude: 355m to 2111m. Gain: 130m. Loss: 1857m . Gradient: 13 deg (Steep)
Skills: Occasional scrambles (3/7) Winter - Iceaxe/crampons (4/7)
From Mt Beaumont follow the broad ice-covered tops of Steadman Brow east over The Rotunda and down towards Cropp Knob. Progress is generally straight forward though a few brief 'steps' in the ridgeline involve scrambles down - generally on the northern face. Some report issues at 1625m, where a narrow section of ridgeline forces a brief detour into the head of a steep gully on the northern side of the ridge - but this was straight forward with the aid of an ice-axe when I visited.
A cairn marks the start of the descent to the Whitcombe, but the upper route is otherwise unmarked to the bushedge. Two slight spurs descend SE from the cairn with a gully between them. I descended the gully and sidled out onto the right hand spur at around 1200m.
The upper section of track is incorrectly marked on topomaps up to present (2020). The spur we have followed splits into 3 at the scrubline wit tussock gullies in between. The track starts somewhere on the northernmost of these 3 sub-spurs, not the southernmost as shown on the topomap - the difference being about 100-150m. The cut / marked track descends the spur to drop to the creek north of the knob indicated by map contours at 960m, and then ascends onto the knob/spur from the north side. From here the route of the cut/marked track is obvious, following the spur down as it parallels Chasm creek to reach the Whitcombe maybe 80m south of the Prices Swingbridge.
Prices Flat huts are located on the eastern side of the river at the southern end of the flats 1km south of the bridge.
4-6 hrs