Routes
Huts / campsites
Roadends
Summits
Passes / crossings
Scenic features
Junctions
DOC Land
Altitude: 38m to 3114m. Gain: 5322m. Loss: 6842m . Gradient: 9 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Glacier travel required (7/7) - Occasional rivers (3/6) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot, avalanche risk (3/7)
Altitude: 38m to 295m. Gain: 336m. Loss: 198m . Gradient: 3 deg
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)
Follow the track on the TL of the Karangarua
Altitude: 177m to 1525m. Gain: 707m. Loss: 1438m . Gradient: 12 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot, avalanche risk (3/7)
Poled Route
Altitude: 909m to 2372m. Gain: 1575m. Loss: 112m . Gradient: 12 deg
Skills: Glacier travel required (7/7)
From Horace Walker Hut, climb through a short scrub section to reach the stream draining the Wicks Glacier. It may be possible to avoid the scrub by following the Douglas River to between the first two streams on the TR below the lake and then ascending. Once through the scrub, continue up the tussock slopes to reach the scree and eventually the remnants of the Wicks Glacier. There were some un-crossable crevasses at Xmas 2017 and we had to traverse SE until finding a way through. Once through the icefall, Wicks Col is easily obtained. The descent to the Horace Walker Glacier was straight forward and then the long snow plod to Welcome Pass.
Altitude: 2337m to 3114m. Gain: 777m. Loss: 45m . Gradient: 18 deg
Skills: Mountaineering (6/7)
Traverse the Douglas Neve and ascend to the base of the summit pyramid on the NW ridge. Climb to summit.
Altitude: 2337m to 3114m. Gain: 45m. Loss: 777m . Gradient: 18 deg
Skills: Mountaineering (6/7)
Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey
Traverse the Douglas Neve and ascend to the base of the summit pyramid on the NW ridge. Climb to summit.
Altitude: 1225m to 2622m. Gain: 593m. Loss: 1750m . Gradient: 16 deg
Skills: Mountaineering (6/7)
This route involves technical mountaineering. Traverse the Douglas Neve towards the base of Mt Brunner. Choose a gully to climb to reach the slopes NW of Mt Stephen. The gully we chose at Xmas 2017 involved two 30m seemingly vertical ice steps (pack hauling for leader), a 50m rock pitch (easy but wandering) followed by another 80ish metres of steep snow to reach the top of the rock buttress. From the top of the buttress, the snow was easily gained and Mt Stephen was easily reached.
The SE ridge of Mt Stephen to the dip where the snow can be regained is difficult with an exposed traverse on the SW side of the ridge past a gendarme on loose rock (little protection) and with real rock climbing moves. This is probably OK with a day pack, but with full packs, it was extremely difficult. Once past the gendarme, the ridge is straight forward; choose the best spot to descend to the snow.
There was a large schrund at the base of the initial snow slopes however the rock directly below Mt Stephen was easy scrambling and the schrund was crossable at the northern end. Once over the schrund, travel is straight forward past Mt Thomson to reach the slopes above Harper Flat. It is an easy tussock descent to the flats.
Mt Thomson is climbed from the W ridge with a short rocky section that may require belaying depending on conditions.
The gathering point of many a great pakeha explorer
Altitude: 758m to 2102m. Gain: 918m. Loss: 1344m . Gradient: 16 deg
Skills: Snow / ice (5/7)
Moir's guide provides a good description of the route to Douglas Pass and over The Gladiator, past Mt Howitt and the descent to Christmas Flat. In the mist, the GPS was useful on the descent. There were rough tracks through the scrub past large rocks to reach the Karangarua River proper.
Altitude: 177m to 846m. Gain: 173m. Loss: 842m . Gradient: 5 deg
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)
The Karangarua Valley track is well-marked.
Altitude: 38m to 295m. Gain: 198m. Loss: 336m . Gradient: 3 deg
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)
Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey
Follow the track on the TL of the Karangarua