Distance: 1.3 km (1.5 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 975m to 1375m. Gain: 486m. Loss: 86m . Gradient: 27 deg (Steep)
Skills: Prolonged scrambles (4/7) Winter - High avalanche risk, iceaxe/crampons (7/7)

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

Primary, unmapped (2/5)
Route not on maps, but is principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Steep (difficulty: 5/5)
Steep climbs of >1000m

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Low scrub in open or bush / river rocks

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

None (difficulty: 1/6)
No unbridged river crossings

High avalanche risk, iceaxe/crampons (difficulty: 7/7)
Ice axe and crampons required, high/prolonged avalanche risk

This route is up an avalanche chute.

A steep narrow scree chute climbs from the forks of Basin Creek to Back Basin Hide. The route starts on a scrubby scree face directly opposite the forks. A boulder 20m upriver on the true left has a cairn on top. 1 piece of flagging tape was present (2014) 20m up the route.

Climb the scree face which quickly narrows to a 5m wide chute. This is very steep and not good screen, but more gravel on a packed surface. Climb this to the 1200m contour where it forks. Take the western fork which leads directly to the hide. You can cut out to the left un the upper sections of this route onto the spur where open beech may provide easier travel. The hide (biv) is at 1400m just inside the bushedge on the left of the chute.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description