Routes
Huts / campsites
Roadends
Summits
Passes / crossings
Scenic features
Junctions
DOC Land
Altitude: 448m to 1743m. Gain: 3412m. Loss: 3519m . Gradient: 7 deg (Steep)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Occasional rivers (3/6) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot (2/7)
If weather and bodies are good detour up and over Mt Misery via Rocky river fan - outflow of the creek descending ESE from pt1609
Altitude: 448m to 473m. Gain: 45m. Loss: 47m . Gradient: 2 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)
The D'Urville Valley is reasonably easy travel. From the D'Urville hut the track passes through very long grass, which on a wet morning will get you very wet.
Altitude: 457m to 664m. Gain: 605m. Loss: 398m . Gradient: 3 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)
The D'Urville Valley is reasonably easy travel. From the D'Urville hut the track passes through very long grass, which on a wet morning will get you very wet. There is little elevation gain to the George Lyon Hut, making it a reasonably easy valley walk on a marked track. The track is boggy in places, and the D'Urville River and some side streams had changed course recently after heavy rain, necessitating some crossings we did not expect. On the whole travel was fast, alternating between track in beech and scrub, and in the open. Even over the Christmas-New Year period this valley was no where near as busy as the Sabine Valley, where at the West Sabine hut we even had difficulty finding a suitable campsite.
Altitude: 667m to 707m. Gain: 91m. Loss: 58m . Gradient: 4 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)
DOC Track. Easy travel
Altitude: 693m to 1743m. Gain: 1131m. Loss: 650m . Gradient: 17 deg (Steep)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6)
Good travel, there are two very steep sections of 200 m ascent / descent on either side of Moss Pass, in bush on the D'Urville side, and above the bush on the Sabine side. We found that the side stream on the D'Urville side just below the bush line is suitable for drinking water, which would have saved us carrying water from the D'Urville. Most people do this trip in the opposite direction. However, while it is a large ascent from the D'Urville to Moss Pass (about 1,100 m) the view of Blue Lake on descent to the Sabine is magnificent. It is also possible to see Lake Constance on descent.
Altitude: 667m to 1220m. Gain: 154m. Loss: 668m . Gradient: 6 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)
Good travel, there are two very steep sections of 200 m ascent / descent on either side of Moss Pass, in bush on the D'Urville side, and above the bush on the Sabine side. We found that the side stream on the D'Urville side just below the bush line is suitable for drinking water, which would have saved us carrying water from the D'Urville. Most people do this trip in the opposite direction. However, while it is a large ascent from the D'Urville to Moss Pass (about 1,100 m) the view of Blue Lake on descent to the Sabine is magnificent. It is also possible to see Lake Constance on descent.
Descending the Sabine from Blue Lake to West Sabine Hut is steep and quite rough in places, with the track crossing numerous avalanche chutes and side streams, requiring clambering into and out of them at times.
Altitude: 500m to 705m. Gain: 296m. Loss: 489m . Gradient: 3 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)
A lovely walk down the Sabine Valley and across the head of Lake Rotoroa. We found ourselves wading through waist deep water crossing the head of the lake as we neared the D'Urville river, and the track was hard to find in a couple of places. Otherwise good under foot and quite quick travel.
Altitude: 583m to 1597m. Gain: 1076m. Loss: 125m . Gradient: 15 deg (Steep)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7)
Parties report climbing both the spurs east of pt1609 and pt1640. I chose pt1609. Starting east up the boulder fan south of the spur, cut onto the spur as the side-valley tightens. Going is good – steep but open on faint deer trail - up to 1150m. Above 1150m the bush becomes stunted and tight with thick undergrowth. It is often necessary to drop north off the spur to find bush open enough to permit travel. The last 250 vertical meters to the bushedge are hard. From the bushedge cross to the small tarn 600m ESE of pt1609, and climb good stable rock-scree to the summit. A good ground trail follows the rounded (but narrow) ridgeline north to Mt Misery, crossing three low intermediate peaks. Mt Misery Hut is 200m east of the Mt Misery summit, nestled out of sight in a small basin beside a tarn. Warratahs lead north from the hut, so look out for those as you descend to avoid passing it.
Altitude: 459m to 1534m. Gain: 6m. Loss: 1079m . Gradient: 17 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot (2/7)
2hr+. A poled route heads south from Misery Hut, gaining the ridgeline and following it NNE. At an unmarked point the route drops NW off the ridgeline to bush below – be alert for the ground trail ending – the face below has marker poles but there are none at the turn. A good but steep cut track descends through beech, with long sidles in places. At the lakeshore, it meets the Sabine-D’Urville track at a signposted junction.
Altitude: 455m to 459m. Gain: 8m. Loss: 5m . Gradient: 1 deg (Flat)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)
30 mins+. From the Misery turnoff, follow the Sabine-D’Urville track west along the head of the lake in mature bush. One bridge is missing, but a bypass track is marked for 50m upstream to a good crossing. The track ends at the D’Urville. The river is not bridged, but good (thigh-deep) crossings were present 100m downriver when I visited after a night of steady rain. Note that this crossing will be impassable after heavy rain. From the far bank continue west through a band of beech then a hummocked clearing, to pick up the D’Urville track on the far side. D’Urville Hut is 500m north along the track, on the lake shore.