Distance: 12.3 km (9.5 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 632m to 2136m. Gain: 962m. Loss: 1539m . Gradient: 12 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6)

Unmarked route, clear (7/9)
Unmarked route, follows obvious geography (river, spur, trail, etc)

Secondary, unmapped (4/5)
Route not on maps, an alternative recognised access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

Easy-moderate (difficulty: 2/5)
Tussock / river-gravel / open bush / cut track

Alpine weather (difficulty: 2/7)
Tramp on open tops, exposed to alpine weather

Streams (difficulty: 2/6)
Small streams, danger only in extreme weather

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

Alma Col is a high but straightforward, non-technical pass in the Two Thumb range. It can make a good alternative to the Plata Col/Balaclava Saddle route, although the approaches on either side of Alma are longer.

From the Trojan Stream/North East Gorge Stream confluence, head up Trojan Stream. Climb a spur on the TR that rises above the stream in order to avoid a short waterfall/gorge-y section at about the 1350m contour line. From there, you can continue on the spur or drop back to Trojan Stream.

Once you reach the vegetation line, it is a long but straightforward plod on scree to Alma Col (2139m), which in fine weather is visible as the obvious notch between two bluff-y sections of the ridge that runs between Alma (2510m) and Low Peak (2450m). In February, a few long, narrow snow remnants clung to the western side of the pass, especially in the steepest final 150 vertical meters, but these were small enough that the route was easily navigable without ice axes.

On the eastern side of the col, descend on steep scree, initially threading carefully among some small bluffs. The gradient soon becomes easier. A long snow remnant in the gently sloping basin of the upper valley saved my tramping partner and I probably one hour of tedious descent on scree with a fun 5-minute glissade.

At the vegetation line, the route becomes a matter of picking one's way first through easy snowgrass and tussock, then some tedious scrub, as Alma Stream begins to drop steeply through terraces connected by small bluffs and runs of scree and talus. We found travel generally easier on the TL.

In the lower reaches of Alma Stream, the river enters a small bush remnant at about the 800m contour. Here, on the TL, slightly above the stream and almost at the bush line, we found a small clearing that was set up for camping, with a fire ring and a folded camp chair leaning against a tree. From this clearing, faded pink tape marked a short track that had been cut through the bush. The track was a lovely surprise and made for quick travel, though the section of bush is brief and we were soon back to walking in the stream or sidling on scree and talus on its banks.

At the mouth of Alma Stream, it is possible to camp on conservation land on good but rocky river flats.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description