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DOC Land
Altitude: 806m to 1525m. Gain: 865m. Loss: 153m . Gradient: 7 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7)
From the turn off on the Routeburn, follow the track up to Key Summit and make your way up to the top of the nature walk where the Lake Marian lookout is. From the seats at the lookout head southeast across the bog 5 metres from the lookout and head south down the eastern side of a boggy tarn on the crest of a low ridge. A wooden footbridge crosses the bog and an obvious ground trail enters the scrub on the southwest edge of the main ridge. The trail leads southwards through the scrub for a few hundred metres. Once clear of the scrub the open Key Summit ride head southwards for kilometres, becoming the Livingstone Mountains. Head southwards, sticking to a light ground trail which normally follows the highest point of the ridge. An obvious fault line runs southwards from about Point 1086 and the ground trail runs roughly parallel to it. South of Point 1086 drop down to a cluster of tarns on the ridge with fantastic if exposed camping, about 1 hour from Key Summit.
Continue heading south, climbing past Pts 1115 and 1328 to the 1417. Tarns along the away provide more camp sites. Descend down to the saddle at 1361. Climb moderate tussock and scree slopes to gain the ridge northwest of 1543 and follow it up to the summit. The 360 degree views from 1543 are spectacular.