Routes
Huts / campsites
Roadends
Summits
Passes / crossings
Scenic features
Junctions
DOC Land
Altitude: 92m to 2458m. Gain: 3825m. Loss: 4237m . Gradient: 10 deg (Steep)
Skills: Glacier travel required (7/7) - Occasional rivers (3/6)
Altitude: 508m to 756m. Gain: 313m. Loss: 237m . Gradient: 56 deg (Flat)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)
The line is only a sketch. Access varies with the river conditions.
Altitude: 594m to 688m. Gain: 94m. Loss: 0m . Gradient: 20 deg (Flat)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)
The line is only a sketch. Access up the riverbed varies with the river conditions.
Alternative sections of 4WD track climb the southern valleyside to bypass river crossings if flows are high. Slower but dry. No crossings of the main river are required but several sidestreams must be crossed, including The Growler. These were 'dry feet' crossings after 12hrs of light rain when I visited.
Altitude: 680m to 879m. Gain: 218m. Loss: 20m . Gradient: -6 deg (Flat)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)
The line is only a sketch. Access varies with the river conditions.
Altitude: 889m to 1886m. Gain: 997m. Loss: 0m . Gradient: 9 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Snow / ice (5/7) - Occasional rivers (3/6)
Cross St Winifred Stream and follow Eric Stream to Dummy Col, generally on the TL.
Altitude: 1886m to 2140m. Gain: 318m. Loss: 64m . Gradient: 16 deg
Skills: Glacier travel required (7/7)
We chose to ascend the slopes to a point above Hidden Col; this then required descent to pass under the icefall from McClure Peak. It may be better to cross Hidden Col itself. Traverse to below the unnamed col and ascend steeply (there was a 15m rock step in Jan 2015 that required scrambling).
Altitude: 2135m to 2458m. Gain: 323m. Loss: 0m . Gradient: 28 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Mountaineering (6/7)
Straight forward snow and rock until a steeper section below a false summit. A short rock step required the rope to reach the summit.
Altitude: 2135m to 2458m. Gain: 0m. Loss: 323m . Gradient: 28 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Mountaineering (6/7)
Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey
Straight forward snow and rock until a steeper section below a false summit. A short rock step required the rope to reach the summit.
Altitude: 2135m to 2293m. Gain: 200m. Loss: 42m . Gradient: 9 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Mountaineering (6/7)
Traverse under pt 2245m to the slopes on Dennistoun. Work your way up through several schrunds to reach the summit.
Altitude: 2033m to 2293m. Gain: 48m. Loss: 260m . Gradient: 29 deg
Skills: Mountaineering (6/7)
Descend the NW slopes of Dennistoun Peak. Continue a descending traverse with a large shrund to reach the slopes below Malthus Peak. Traverse to the shoulder NW of Malthus.
Altitude: 1905m to 2332m. Gain: 429m. Loss: 178m . Gradient: 12 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Glacier travel required (7/7)
Descend to Stewart Saddle and traverse to the Little Amherst Glacier. Ascend to the low point E of pt 2337m. Cross flattish slopes to gain the W ridge of Shyness.
Altitude: 1905m to 2332m. Gain: 178m. Loss: 429m . Gradient: 12 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Glacier travel required (7/7)
Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey
Descend to Stewart Saddle and traverse to the Little Amherst Glacier. Ascend to the low point E of pt 2337m. Cross flattish slopes to gain the W ridge of Shyness.
Altitude: 2081m to 2185m. Gain: 104m. Loss: 0m . Gradient: 15 deg
Skills: Mountaineering (6/7)
Climb the steepening snow on the W face to reach the rocky summit ridge.
Altitude: 2081m to 2185m. Gain: 0m. Loss: 104m . Gradient: 15 deg
Skills: Mountaineering (6/7)
Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey
Climb the steepening snow on the W face to reach the rocky summit ridge.
Altitude: 397m to 2081m. Gain: 266m. Loss: 1923m . Gradient: 15 deg (Steep)
Skills: Snow / ice (5/7)
Canterbury/Westland guide has a good description of this route. The descent to the Bettison Lake is straight forward until a final rocky buttress. Careful route finding was needed with some down-climbing. After the first 20-30m, the descent was by zig-zagging on good rocky ledges.
Bettison Stream is followed on TR before making an ascending traverse above the scrub. There is a large cairn on the ridgeline at the edge of the boulder field. Traverse the boulder field, there were not many cairns in 2015 until the latter parts of the traverse; don't be tempted to descend. The marker poles for the start of the track only came into sight about 50m above them. The track is steep but well marked.
Altitude: 183m to 430m. Gain: 132m. Loss: 342m . Gradient: 3 deg
Skills:
Follow the track.
Altitude: 148m to 300m. Gain: 154m. Loss: 208m . Gradient: 5 deg
Skills:
Follow the track.
Altitude: 92m to 148m. Gain: 51m. Loss: 107m . Gradient: 1 deg
Skills:
Follow the track.