From Blowfly hut, the track crosses the Moeraki River on a swingbridge just downriver, and climbs slightly to join the main Moaraki Valley track. This sidles downriver on broad terraces, crossing numerous sidestreams. Part of the route is on the old roadbed, but it is so eroded and / or boggy that it is now little more than a boggy, marked tramping track.

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From the roadend, the marked tramping track heads upriver on broad, boggy terraces. After a couple of kilometers a signposted track junction marks the turnoff to Blowfly Hut. The hut is a couple of hundred meters upriver on the opposite bank, the river crossed by a swingbridge.

From Blowfly Hut, return to the north bank of the river, wither by the swingbridge 200m downstream, or by wading the blue pools below the hut.

Once on the main track on the north bank of the Moeraki, follow the track upriver. The track is well marked and cut (2011) meandering through marshy flats in bush or flax, or teetering along the crumbling riverbank.

The river is slow and deep, and should you wish to cross you'd either have to swim or pick one of the few shallows.

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From Horseshoe Flats hut, the track downriver starts as a roughly poled route over tussock and flax flats and down the riverbank. Later it becomes a marked tramping track through the bush - easily followed but boggu in places. A signposted junction 200m downriver of Blowfly Hut leads to the hut via the swingbridge, or you can drop and ford the river at the hut if you prefer.

Above Horseshoe Flat Hut the Meoraki valley continues broad and boggy for a kilometer or so before finally the lower valleysides steepen to gentle slopes and the tussock and flat is replaced by drier beech forest.

The track follows the northern bank for 2km from the hut, before crossing to the south. The crossing is knee deep in normal flows, but can easily become impassable after rain. Once on the south, the track becomes rougher underfoot, but still marked and cut (2011). After a further 2km of gentle climb, the track cuts across the steep, rocky southern fork of the Moeraki (a trickle in dry conditons, but again impassible after heavy rain) and emerges onto a sloping grassy clearing at Middle Head Hut just beyond.

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From Middle Head Hut, the climb up the south fork of the Moeraki is steep but straightforward. The route is up the steep rocky creekbed, and the creek is low / dry in normal conditions. On reaching the basin at the head of the valley (1.5km above the hut) the creek starts to split and the bush is replaced by thick scrub. Choosing the correct watercourse is vital. Follow the centre watercourse shown on the topomap directly towards the saddle until about 400m west of the saddle, when a good watercourse swings left (ENE) onto the northern valleyside reaching good open tussock faces. These can be sidled to the ridgeline 200m NE of the saddle. Snow chutes may persist late into summer. (2-4 hrs to saddle)

Drop to the saddle itself and pick good descents down a brief, steep tussock face into the head of the Zeillan Valley. The next 2km is a major avalanche zone in winter - with falls from both valley sides. The descent starts easy on stony avalanche debris, but after 2km tussock and scrub appear and progress slows. Scrub gets progressively thicker, until rounding the bend in the valley and swinging south, small tussock flats are encountered, below which the river disappears into a tight, bush-clad gorge. (2-4 hrs to flats from saddle)

Spectacular views lie on both sides, with the sheer, glacier-capped faces on Mts Zeilland and Monro.

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From the flats in the Zeilian, pick up the base of the obvious spur climbing the eastern valleyside just above the start of the gorge. This provides good, open travel 500 vertical meters to the bushedge, and a further 150 vertical meters to the ridge.

On reaching the ridge, swing uphill and follow the ridgeline over gentle, broad shattered stone until 200m south of pt1407. Amazing views are the reward - down the Clarke / Landsboro and east to the snowcappoed main divide. (2.5-5 hrs from valley to pt1407)

An obvious spur drops SE from here to the head of a flat in the Clarke. Going is good throughout, first in fine stone, then tussock, then open beech, though the ridge is narrow in places. The northern face is sheer and crumbling - don't go there!

The former hut site is on the western side of the tongue of bush on the valley below, and good campspots exist on tussock flats there, or in smaller, grassier clearings some 200m upriver. Sandflies abound.

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From the former hut site in the Clarke, head upriver on the true left, climbing 100m above the river in beech forest to find terraces above the gorge. Cross the sidestream entering from the east, and follow it / the low ridge between it and the main river upstream until due south of Davies Flat. Cut east across large terraces and pick up the spur between this sidecreek and the next sidecreek upriver. This is ill-defined at first but becomes obvious as you climb. Good map/.compass work required to hit it.

A steep 500m climb through mostly good beech forest follows to reach the bushedge. From there it's another 200m of climb to pt1388 on good low tussock tops. Amazing views of the solution range as it rises from beech forest to glaciated tops, and of the main range opposite. Also clear views of the McKinnon creek and Broderick Pass opposite.

From pt1388 a narrow spur angle first SSE, later SE, dropping to the Landsborough. This was reasonable, if steep, travel throughout, first on tussock, later in open beech.

The Landsborough may be crossed at the foot of the ridge (the former swingbridge / walkwire site) under normal flows, but can become impassable after even moderate rain Travel up / down the river is generally on the southern bank so a crossing here is required.

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Upriver of the former walkwire at Golden Point the Landsborough remains tight for 1km, with travel on steep rocky banks and a couple of boulder-scrambles required. Travel on the southern bank is recommended.

After 1km the valley opens to first shingle flats and later broad tussock terraces. Several sidecreeks require crossing - none are a problem in normal conditions but several could flood.

Fraser Hut (Creswicke Flat Hut) sits out of sight at the back of a terrace at the downriver end of Creswicke Flat. Follow the bushedge after crossing Mackenzie Creek to find it.

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Follow the southern bank of the Landsborough downriver on broad tussock flats, crossing numerous small sidestreams. None are a problem in normal conditions but several could flood.

After 3.5km the valley narrows and travel is on steeply sloping rocky river banks (unless the river is very high n which case you'd be bushbashing the tangled faces above). 1km into the gorge, an obvious spur drops from the NW opposite, and old anchor-points mark all that remains of the former walkwire at Golden Point.

This describes the wet weather route on the south bank. In dry conditions crossing the river will make for an easier tirp.

Head up the airstrip from Fraser Hut, heading upriver. The Landsborough soon undercuts the true left bank, and the DOC triangles plunge cheerfully into the torrent to appear on the far side. I travelled this after 2 days of heavy rain, and crossing was impossible. So we sidle low on the south face: steep slopes, creeper, windfall and bluffs all adding to the fun. The 2km to the beginning of Toetoe flats takes over an hour and is slow, steep, and probably wet going.

Dropping to narrow terraces opposite Toetoe flat, the biv across the river at Toetoe Flat looks in good condition, though the water prohibits any recce’s to investigate further. It's a biodiversity biv and stories differ on whether it is open or locked.

Beyond here things get easier. The southern face of the Landsborough becomes more gentle, and sidling easier. We climb to river terraces on the way to Ford Flat, dropping back to the river later for Kea. Sidling close to the water pick up another marked DOC track above Kea Flat. Just before McKerrow Creek the track swings uphill and away from the Landsborough - bound for Elcho Pass.

Leaving the track drop into McKerrow just above the confluence. On the opposite bank is a good terrace of sparse beech with great, dry flat campspots. Near the river, well above the water and well drained and sheltered.

Though you cross several small creeks that can flood after extreme rain, McKerrow is probably the only one to pose a risk in normal-heavy conditions. This was knee deep and easy 6hrs after the end of 2 days of continuous rain - it seemed to have dropped rapidly.

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Above McKerrow travel is sidling the south face and on low terraces above the river. Reasonable going in good bush. Again, low river levels would allow easier travel on flats on the north bank, but a sidle fo the south is reasonable if necessary.

More clear flats are met at the top end of Hinds Flat, where Zora Canyon joins from the north - booming with water when we pass after 2 day of rain, sheer-faced to the east but apparently a viable route to Mueller Pass.

Side creeks could pose problems, but all had dropped to ankle-deep in the 8 hours since the end of 2 days of rain.

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From here up it’s boulder hopping and river flats all the way. Every side creek provides grassy terraces and ideal camping spots abound. A good valley in which to have a tent.

Opposite, the Fettes and Spur glaciers hang overhead - glistening if you're lucky enough to have sun as you continue our boulder-hopping up the Landsborough. The valley tightens again, and progress is impeded by house-sized boulders blocking the bank: the choices presented of swimming round their base or climbing the shingle slopes above. Shelter hollow presents difficulties after rain - the hardest crossing above Fraser Hut. The stream still in flood 36 hours after rain ends, a roaring white torrent dropping through an endless series of waterfalls and rapids to the Landsborough. Finally, 1km upstream, above the forks in the side-creek, reasonable flat crossings of both branches are encountered. Tough going.

Another km upriver we reach The Sentinal. This obvious standing rock marks the end of the tangled, stunted beech forest and the start of the sub-alpine scrub. It also marks the first point in the Landsborough at which the river could be forded on this trip. The Townsend Glacier drops right to the moraine valley floor on the flats opposite, a rewarding sight after hours of rocky canyon. Bush gives out to scrub around here, an we learnt the hard way to avoid it. Much better scrambling and boulder-hopping the creek than trying to push through / swim over intertwining west coast scrub.

A further 2km of rock-hopping and the scrub gives way to tussock at the Rubicon. At last we’re free to enjoy the walk unconstrained. Climbing the old lateral moraine above the creek you can find Rubicon Biv - a rock biv walled in with a drystone wall. I never found it, so can't help you locate it. Andrew Barker has a photo of it on tramper.co.nz

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Serious exposure to falls from above in winter.

Moraine above the Rubicon confluence leads onto flat tussock river terraces, and to easy travel up the remains of the Landsborough to the Karangarua saddle. The Landsborough must be crossed and is 3-4 meters wide and knee deep. It was OK here after several days of rain, and despite being uncrossable anywhere below the Rubicon at the time.

Sheer rock faces and hanging glaciers tower over the true right of the river: lowering upriver towards the saddle, but still just as sheer. The saddle itself is unbelievable at first: in itself justifying a trip. On a map it is impossible: sheer bluffs 300m high from the river to the pass. Standing opposite 1km away with the correct light - the sun shining low down the valley, a route is visible. Starting at the head of a scree fan 1km downriver from the saddle, a narrow scree shelf runs up at an angle of 20-30 degrees, all the way from the base of the cliffs to the saddle. It looks precarious: narrow, rocky and with 300m bluffs below at its top end. Invisible without the sunlight to illuminate it, this is the route. Climbing the scree fan to the start of the platform, things become more obvious and more reassuring. The shelf is 10-20m wide throughout, though scree-covered and sloping away towards bluffs below. The kind of place to take good care. The kind of place to have an ice-axe or pole to self-arrest on the scree if required. But the kind of route that would be tackled without a second thought, if it weren’t for the knowledge of the drop below.

There are two shelves leading to the saddle - the lower, more obvious one is blocked by sheer bluffs at a waterfall halfway up. The upper one is the one to take. The associated photo should be studied for a good idea of the route.

This south-facing face will receive little sunlight and is likely to hold snow/ice late into the year Even when ice-free an ice-axe or other means of self-arresting is strongly recommended as this is travel across scree with fatal bluffs below.

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The Karangarua Valley track is well-marked.

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Follow the track on the TL of the Karangarua

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