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DOC Land
Altitude: 617m to 1210m. Gain: 614m. Loss: 58m . Gradient: 5 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Occasional rivers (3/6)
Tussocky flats stretch up the length of the Whitestone valley to near its head and provide easy travel. From the side valley that drops down from the Kiwi Burn Saddle, head up the Whitestone, mainly on the true left, but crossing as required for the best travel.
Any of the ridges that lead up through the bush on the slopes of Snowdon Peak will probably provide a decent route up onto the tops. The one we chose didn't look obvious from the valley floor, but once under the trees it was straight forward enough. Enter the bush on the true left of the stream draining Pt1248 and after a short distance angle uphill. Good animal trails can mostly be followed all the way up the ridge to the main northeast ridge of Snowdon Peak at about the 1060m contour. An animal trail lead straight to the clearing shown on the topomap, about 2 hours from the Whitestone flats. There's sheltered camping here but finding water might be a problem.
From the clearing, head southwest along the Snowdon northeast ridge. The terrain is rolling in the bush but pretty open. The bush turns suddenly to the open tussock and light ankle high scrub of the tops. Ascend the moderate slopes of the ridge to reach the high terrain around the1200m contour. Pt1248 is a short detour to the south with extensive 360 degree views.
West of Pt1248 a cross a gully and climb a low ridge to over look the Upukerora valley. Traverse southwest to reach the Snowdon slip, an extensive scree slope which drops down to jumbled terrain around Pt706. There's some brief, dense, scrub around a gully near the top of the northeast corner of the scree slope, so the best way down is to hug the bush on the northern side of the gully to reach the main scree slope.