Routes
Huts / campsites
Roadends
Summits
Passes / crossings
Scenic features
Junctions
DOC Land
Altitude: 374m to 1547m. Gain: 4568m. Loss: 5298m . Gradient: 7 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Prolonged scrambles (4/7) - Prolonged rivers (4/6)
Altitude: 593m to 1547m. Gain: 1217m. Loss: 1504m . Gradient: 11 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)
Cross the lake outlet and circle the knoll to follow the outlet stream down a spur turning right with the stream and descend easily to the Olivine Ledge (1 hr).
On the broad shelf, head towards the knoll at 1200m (with tarn - camp possible) taking great care as many deep channels and holes could easily break a leg of the unwary. From here the terrain becomes more rocky and Fiery Col comes into view.
Cross the TL arm of Fiery Ck and pick up the footpad that climbs to the Col. Descend into the bowl below the col and stay on the TL of the obvious gut. The route down is cairned and stays close to the gut edge.
At the valley floor, cross a stream and stay close to the slope until through Cow Saddle (as the saddle is quite boggy). Once in Hidden Falls valley, travel is (mostly) fastest on the boulders/rocks in the dry river bed (the water is underground) until around the 780m contour.
Pull out of the creek bed on the TR, to avoid forest on the TL, and descend to the treeline at 720m and cross to a track on the TL. Follow the well defined track through a clearing (good campsite) and continue on the TL until a major side stream is crossed. Now look for where the track turns away from Hidden Falls Creek and immediately begins the very steep climb to Park Pass.
Good camping but not a lot of shelter - Rockburn Biv would be better in windy/wet weather.
Altitude: 979m to 1544m. Gain: 244m. Loss: 726m . Gradient: 21 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Prolonged scrambles (4/7)
Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey
Initially in a small gut, the climb to Fohn Pass is fairly simple - go up. As altitude is gained, the pass comes into view - just head for it. From the pass, climb to the right. Follow a square gut down until the lake come into view then traverse, losing altitude, to the lake. Distributed camping in sheltered tussock is readily available.
Altitude: 861m to 985m. Gain: 133m. Loss: 12m . Gradient: 4 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)
200m upstream of the rock biv, cross to the TL and head towards the obvious saddle, picking up a useful footpad. From the saddle, follow a rocky gut almost to the river and pick up a dry (in normal flow) anabranch and follow to just short of the climb point. Pull out of the shallow rocky bed and cross to the TR and the climb point.
Altitude: 396m to 864m. Gain: 804m. Loss: 336m . Gradient: 6 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)
Just back from the gravel is a marker to the start of the track up the Beans Burn. Under beech, the track rises to a fixed bridge spanning the burn, crossing to the TR. A steep climb to a saddle and a short descent reaches a grassy flat with good campsites. The track resumes at the northern end and climbs away from the burn to 800m and roughly follows this contour back to the stream. There are several major slips and side streams to cross.
Eventually, the track breaks out from the trees and the rock biv can be seen more that a km at the other side of the clearing.
Altitude: 393m to 399m. Gain: 11m. Loss: 14m . Gradient: 0 deg (Flat)
Skills: - Prolonged rivers (4/6)
Cross the Rock Burn below the hut and continue along he edge of the Dart River as far as possible (very dependant on flow level).
Scramble up onto the forested bank and pick up a footpad and head upstream, staying close to the river. Drop back to the river when possible and look for a marked entry to a track that cuts through the bush to the Beans Burn confluence with the Dart River. Cross the Beans Burn where shallowest.
Travel time is highly dependant on flow level in the Dart River.
Altitude: 414m to 899m. Gain: 387m. Loss: 729m . Gradient: 7 deg
Skills: - Streams (2/6)
Marked track - Moirs guide
Altitude: 374m to 528m. Gain: 266m. Loss: 230m . Gradient: 4 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)
A well defined track through the beech to the lake and along the eastern flank - boggy in dry weather, very wet after rain.
From the northern tip of the lake, the track climbs steadily paralleling the creek until attaining the saddle above the Rockburn / Dart confluence. A short descent leads to the hut ruin (now a campsite).
Altitude: 754m to 1002m. Gain: 70m. Loss: 316m . Gradient: 5 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)
Head south from the rock biv and cross the outlet stream from the Park Pass Glacier melt lake (a difficult crossing on slippery rocks in rapid current). Follow the Rock Burn down stream. A marked track drops down through the bush by the upper gorge and then its down more river flats to climb through the bush beside Point 908 on another marked track. Drop down to Theatre Flat and cross to the patch of bush half way down. On the north side of the bush is a giant boulder with a permanent fire pit on its eastern side and sheltered camp spots.
Altitude: 1002m to 1007m. Gain: 5m. Loss: 0m . Gradient: 8 deg
Skills:
I want to delete this route but apparently Trip 454 is using it????
Altitude: 477m to 1155m. Gain: 576m. Loss: 855m . Gradient: 8 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6)
Head down Theatre Flat and follow markers into the bush on the true left of the Rock Burn. A short distance later cross the swing bridge over the river and follow a good quality track all the way down river through bush and flats with good camping. The track climbs up the hill past Point 844 and a sign posted track junction reached which points the way to Sugarloaf Pass. Climb and cross the muddy pass and follow markers down into the bush on the Routeburn side. The track drops steeply all the way down to a signposted junction with the Routeburn Great Walk. Follow the Routeburn to the shelter at the car park.
Altitude: 477m to 1155m. Gain: 855m. Loss: 576m . Gradient: 8 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6)
Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey
Head down Theatre Flat and follow markers into the bush on the true left of the Rock Burn. A short distance later cross the swing bridge over the river and follow a good quality track all the way down river through bush and flats with good camping. The track climbs up the hill past Point 844 and a sign posted track junction reached which points the way to Sugarloaf Pass. Climb and cross the muddy pass and follow markers down into the bush on the Routeburn side. The track drops steeply all the way down to a signposted junction with the Routeburn Great Walk. Follow the Routeburn to the shelter at the car park.