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DOC Land
Altitude: 457m to 1618m. Gain: 2023m. Loss: 2023m . Gradient: 5 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Prolonged rivers (4/6)
Altitude: 457m to 562m. Gain: 105m. Loss: 32m . Gradient: 4 deg (Gentle)
Skills:
From the Aparima Huts the track climbs up the hill to the northwest, past an old trig point, and down to a signposted track junction with the Aparima River track.
Altitude: 488m to 529m. Gain: 62m. Loss: 30m . Gradient: 2 deg (Flat)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)
A decent, if slightly overgrown back country track heads along the true left of the Aparima River between the open tussock of the Waterloo Burn and the large swamp near the Aparima/Spence confluence. Other then some boggy terrain at the edge of the swamp there are no real difficulties.
If you are traveling between the Spence confluence and northwards up the TA, a little bit of time can be saved by cutting through the open forest over the low saddle southeast of Pt571.
Altitude: 521m to 623m. Gain: 140m. Loss: 40m . Gradient: 3 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)
Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey
A good quality well marked (if slightly overgrown) track fords the Aparima River then heads down valley above the true left side. The large swamp shown on the map is reached in about an hour where the marked track skirts around the swamps edge, out from the trees. Markers can be hard to see here, but just follow the foot prints through the mud. The track junction is located under the trees where there is a large DOC sign marking the turn off to Spence Hut.
Altitude: 620m to 937m. Gain: 322m. Loss: 6m . Gradient: 3 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Prolonged rivers (4/6)
Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey
Follow the river down stream where good travel is to be had as far as the scrub belt. The river gorges (shown on the map) so climb away up into the scrub on the true left side. Slow but decent travel can be had following animal trails through the scrub above the gorge. Regain the river downstream of the gorge where best travel is rock hopping in the stream. This continues when the bush line is reached, where best travel is often in the river. The river flats shown on the map below the 700m contour have some decent looking camping but are only about 45 minutes from Aparima Forks Hut. At the forks, cross to the true right side of the Aparima River South Branch, and climb out of the river up a small hill. The hut is located in a small clearing a short distance away.
Altitude: 620m to 937m. Gain: 6m. Loss: 322m . Gradient: 3 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Prolonged rivers (4/6)
Follow the river down stream where good travel is to be had as far as the scrub belt. The river gorges (shown on the map) so climb away up into the scrub on the true left side. Slow but decent travel can be had following animal trails through the scrub above the gorge. Regain the river downstream of the gorge where best travel is rock hopping in the stream. This continues when the bush line is reached, where best travel is often in the river. The river flats shown on the map below the 700m contour have some decent looking camping but are only about 45 minutes from Aparima Forks Hut. At the forks, cross to the true right side of the Aparima River South Branch, and climb out of the river up a small hill. The hut is located in a small clearing a short distance away.
Altitude: 521m to 623m. Gain: 40m. Loss: 140m . Gradient: 3 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)
A good quality well marked (if slightly overgrown) track fords the Aparima River then heads down valley above the true left side. The large swamp shown on the map is reached in about an hour where the marked track skirts around the swamps edge, out from the trees. Markers can be hard to see here, but just follow the foot prints through the mud. The track junction is located under the trees where there is a large DOC sign marking the turn off to Spence Hut.
Altitude: 522m to 772m. Gain: 311m. Loss: 71m . Gradient: 3 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)
From the Aparima/Spence track junction the track drops steeply down to the river and fords it just down from the confluence (ankle deep under normal conditions). After a scramble up the opposite bank, a good quality if slightly overgrown track heads away up the hillside and up the Spence Valley Some flats are passed through about 2 hours up from the Aparima with good camp sites. The Spence Burn is crossed to the true left soon after these and the track continues up until the large open clearing at the forks with the western tributary. Cross over to the true right. Spence Hut is visible on a grassy terrace above the western tributary.
Altitude: 767m to 1618m. Gain: 877m. Loss: 27m . Gradient: 14 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6)
From Spence Hut cross to the true left of the western tributary and follow this up the hill and into the bush. Climb steadily, keeping above the stream initially as it gorges beneath you, but follow the slope in a more westerly direction as it leaves the stream behind. Its a steep but rapid climb, a brief but dense scrub belt guards the bush line. Once through the bush, follow the open tussock ridge line up the hill side.
If you are heading to the Telford Burn or Wairaki Peaks then you probably want to sidle around the large basin near the stream, but keeping above the scrub belt. Otherwise, easy travel leads up past an alpine wetland and up to the stream shown draining the large tarn. A very steep bank is climbed up, and the tarn is reached shortly after. There is some nice looking camping here. If you are heading for the Revelation Peaks you want to climb north from the tarn to Pt 1503. There is a secondary peak southwest of 1503 which looks un-climbable from the main ridge line. Much easier to bypass it. Otherwise, climb south and then west to reach the main ridge line. Pt 1483 also looks awkward to get over, but can be bypassed on scree slopes around its western side. South of it, the ridge line is a straight forward climb all the way up onto the summit of Spence Peak. The 360 degree views from here stretch from Lake Manapouri in the north to Stewart Island in the south. There is good camping to be had by the cluster of little tarns back down by Pt 1483.
Altitude: 767m to 1618m. Gain: 27m. Loss: 877m . Gradient: 14 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6)
Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey
From Spence Hut cross to the true left of the western tributary and follow this up the hill and into the bush. Climb steadily, keeping above the stream initially as it gorges beneath you, but follow the slope in a more westerly direction as it leaves the stream behind. Its a steep but rapid climb, a brief but dense scrub belt guards the bush line. Once through the bush, follow the open tussock ridge line up the hill side.
If you are heading to the Telford Burn or Wairaki Peaks then you probably want to sidle around the large basin near the stream, but keeping above the scrub belt. Otherwise, easy travel leads up past an alpine wetland and up to the stream shown draining the large tarn. A very steep bank is climbed up, and the tarn is reached shortly after. There is some nice looking camping here. If you are heading for the Revelation Peaks you want to climb north from the tarn to Pt 1503. There is a secondary peak southwest of 1503 which looks un-climbable from the main ridge line. Much easier to bypass it. Otherwise, climb south and then west to reach the main ridge line. Pt 1483 also looks awkward to get over, but can be bypassed on scree slopes around its western side. South of it, the ridge line is a straight forward climb all the way up onto the summit of Spence Peak. The 360 degree views from here stretch from Lake Manapouri in the north to Stewart Island in the south. There is good camping to be had by the cluster of little tarns back down by Pt 1483.
Altitude: 522m to 772m. Gain: 71m. Loss: 311m . Gradient: 3 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)
Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey
From the Aparima/Spence track junction the track drops steeply down to the river and fords it just down from the confluence (ankle deep under normal conditions). After a scramble up the opposite bank, a good quality if slightly overgrown track heads away up the hillside and up the Spence Valley Some flats are passed through about 2 hours up from the Aparima with good camp sites. The Spence Burn is crossed to the true left soon after these and the track continues up until the large open clearing at the forks with the western tributary. Cross over to the true right. Spence Hut is visible on a grassy terrace above the western tributary.
Altitude: 488m to 529m. Gain: 30m. Loss: 62m . Gradient: 2 deg (Flat)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)
Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey
A decent, if slightly overgrown back country track heads along the true left of the Aparima River between the open tussock of the Waterloo Burn and the large swamp near the Aparima/Spence confluence. Other then some boggy terrain at the edge of the swamp there are no real difficulties.
If you are traveling between the Spence confluence and northwards up the TA, a little bit of time can be saved by cutting through the open forest over the low saddle southeast of Pt571.
Altitude: 457m to 562m. Gain: 32m. Loss: 105m . Gradient: 4 deg (Gentle)
Skills:
Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey
From the Aparima Huts the track climbs up the hill to the northwest, past an old trig point, and down to a signposted track junction with the Aparima River track.