Distance: 2.6 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 1042m to 1588m. Gain: 613m. Loss: 394m . Gradient: 23 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Prolonged scrambles (4/7) - Streams (2/6)

Unmarked route, clear (7/9)
Unmarked route, follows obvious geography (river, spur, trail, etc)

minor (5/5)
A viable route, not widely used

Moderate-hard (difficulty: 4/5)
Continuous moderate climbs

Easy-moderate (difficulty: 2/5)
Tussock / river-gravel / open bush / cut track

Prolonged scrambles (difficulty: 4/7)
Scramble, frequently on exposed ridges, spurs, faces

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

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

From the large tarn on the McKellar Tops make your way to the true right side of the southern branch of Pass Creek. There's a large triangular slabby bluff about halfway up the mountainside above which can be bypassed on either side. The route line drawn on the map here bypasses it to the east. Climb to the northeast on snow grass slopes until past the slab, then head to the northwest above the slab to resume climbing to the northeast again. Alternatively a more northerly line from Pass Creek will take you up scree and grassy slopes west of the slab

Keep climbing to gain a snow grass ridge descending to the west of the major rocky ridge above to the east. North of the grassy ridge cross scree slopes into a basin directly under the main west ridge of Pt1777 at about the 1500m countour. A steep slabby slope leads up to the lowest point of the skyline, ascend the slab, watching out for loose scree. Finally the main west ridge is gained just west of the 1600m contour. The ridge can be explored to the northwest for magnificent views of the Hollyford and Darran mountains. There's even a tarn up here for camping if you're not being blasted by the prevailing nor-wester.

Descend to the northeast into a small valley. Head around to the east to observe Pt1777 and scree slopes dropping down from underneath it. You need to get onto the scree slopes, but to do this a fairly steep snow grass slope must first be sidled across, directly above bluffs. Don't attempt in wet conditions, and an ice axe might be useful. Once on the scree, descend to the northeast. Care is required as the scree is very loose and steep. At the bottom of the slope, cross rolling rocky terrain, picking your way down a series of slopes and bluffs. Curve around to the northwest above large bluffs to reach a second scree slope which descends steeply down past a gully with a small stream in it.

At the bottom of the 2nd scree slope cross more grassy/rocky terrain, again curving around to the northeast. There is a smallish flat area for camping, about 20m above the lake, otherwise cross the stream to its true left and descend the final slopes to Lake Roberts where there is a tiny flat area with room for 2-3 tents just to the west of where the stream has formed a small headland jutting into the lake.

In general the shores of the lake are sloped and not suitable for camping on, but there is a decent flat area at the eastern head of the lake, south of the main inlet stream.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Ascend slopes to the south of Lake Roberts to reach the foot of the first scree slope which lies to the west of a ravine. Climb the scree then cut to the southeast to reach the foot of the upper scree slope. Climb this to near the top where the bluffs to the west of the scree slope are at their lowest and there's a break in them allowing exit to the west. Sidle across the tussock slope above the bluffs and climb around to the northwest to gain the main western ridge of Pt1777.

The break in the slabs provides the ramp down to the south to the lower gully. From here the snowgrass ridge descending east to west is gained, and moderate slopes descended to the southwest to reach the Pass Burn southern branch and the McKellar Tops.

Alternatively, the east-west ridge can be descended, staying on the ridge line all the way down to about the 1260m contour, where the eastern branch of Pass Creek can be crossed to its true right side. Don't be tempted to look for a more northerly route between 1200-1500m as there are big bands of slabby bluffs. Once across Park Creek head northwest, picking a line through one last band of bluffs at about 1200m, to descend down onto the saddle east of Pt1197. From here routes drop down to the Routeburn Track north and northwest of Pt1197.