The Wangapeka Track is a benched track on a gentle gradient, well maintained, cut and marked. From the Wangapeka swingbridge at the forks with the Kiwi it is an easy walk 2km upriver to Kings Creek Hut. The historic Cecil Kings hut is a further 200m upstream along the track.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

The Wangapeka Track is a benched track on a gentle gradient, well maintained, cut and marked. To the Wangapeka swingbridge at the forks with the Kiwi it is an easy walk 2km downriver from Kings Creek Hut. The turnoff to Kiwi Saddle hut is signposted at the bridge.

A good benched pack-track runs down the kiwi from Kiwi Saddle Hut to the forks with the Wangapeka. The track initially sidles the eastern face in and out of side-valleys before dropping to the valley floor. The Kiwi is bridged at the forks with the Wangapeka. The track then heads 50m up the Wangapeka to join the Wangapeka Track at a swingbridge over the main river.

1.5-3 hrs

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

A poled track drops from the Arthur Range to the bushedge starting 1km north of Mt Patriarch. From the bushedge down the track is marked and cut, dropping steeply at times to the saddle with pt1135, which it sidles to the north to reach the hut at Kiwi Saddle.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

Ice axe / crampons will be required if snow/ice is present on the northern face of the ridge around pt1507.

From pt1566 the ridgeline swings due west and a good ground trail follows the escarpment towards Mt Patriarch. Occasional narrow sections require care but the main ridgeline can be followed over pt1507. Dropping WSW from pt1507 look out for where the ground trail drops to sidle the northern face of the ridge, avoiding impassable rocky/bluffy sections on the descent to the saddle with Mt Patriarch.

The junction with the DOC track to Kiwi Saddle is marked/poled at the first low knob 80m above the saddle as you climb towards Mt Patriarch.

0.5-1 hrs

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

Ice axe recommended, crampon will be necessary if snow/ice is present.

From John Reid Hut, follow the poled route back up to the ridgeline north of the hut. From here the route is unpoled but has a good ground trail.

Head west along the ridgeline to pt1463. Look out for where the ground trail drops north off the ridge to sidle to the saddle with pt1460, avoiding an exposed rocky section of the ridgeline. From the saddle the main ridgeline can be followed over pt1460 to pt1566, where a cairn marks the junction with Gibbs Track, joining from the SE.

0.5-1hr

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

An easy descent WSW from Mt Gomorrah leads to the bushline and the saddle with Mt Baldy. Bush on the ridge is scrubby, but open travel exists just down the NW face. Once onto broad open tops SE of Mt Baldy these can be followed through rolling tussock to the next saddle where open bush and good game trails provide easy travel to the peak NE of John Reid Hut. Once on the ridgeline, follow it west for 300m to where a signpost marks the start of a poled descent leading directly to John Reid Hut, 200m below to the south at the bushedge.

2-4 hrs

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

A good ridgeline route runs from the head of the Crow down the eastern ridgeline to Mt Gomnorrah. Two tricky points exist around Mt Star and Mt Sodom both of which require steep descents that may be tretcherous in icy or wet conditions. Following the ridgeline rather than sidling these sections would be a rock-climbing / mountaineering proposition.

From pt1497 follow the eastern ridgeline (Arthur Range) south over a low highpoint and up to pt1622. Travel is easy on short-cropped snowgrass on gentle gradients on a broad ridgeline. A small tarn in a hollow west of pt1622 provides water / camping opportunities.

Easy travel continues south to pt1633. South of pt1633 the ridgeline becomes narrow, rocky and steep. Short impassable sections can be sidled high on the eastern face, or it would be possible to drop onto terraces above the eastern bushline just south of pt1633 and reascend to Mt Star, avoiding the entire narrow section.

Descent south from Mt Star is not possible (not as a tramp at least). A steep gully descends west about 150m north of Mt Star - look out for clear goat tracks headed that way. This drops steeply onto the western face of Mt Star just south of the prominent rib visible on map contours. The descent was iced up in July (2020) and required an ice-axe to descend in winter conditions. Once below obvious bnluffs at about 1360m, sidle faces of tall tussock to Hough Saddle.

Short snowgrass is replaced by rolling tussock south of Hough Saddle and progress is slower. The ascent ot pt1458 is straight forward, as is the descent to bush at Skeet Saddle. Reasonable game trails cut through the two bushy saddles and ascend the scrubby ridgeline towards Mt Sodom.

Sodom cannot be crossed directly. You mnust either make a long descent to the eastern creek from around pt1377 (safer) or make the steep, high sidle / scramble detailed below. To sidle to the Sodom/pt1541 saddle, follow good game trails up the ridgeline towards to Mt Sodom summit. At around 1450m a shoulder an gentler faces are reached on the eastern side of the peak and game trails deviate onto them. Sidle east of the Mt Sodom peak at 1450m-1400m, descending gently as bluffs / steepest faces push you down - aiming for the height of the saddle and keeping above a lower tier of bluffs. An impassable spur is reached 100m short of the saddle. Either drop the very steep snowgrass chute through the lower layer of bluffs (iced up in winter) or proceed carefully to where the upper and lower bluffs meet, blocking your way. A straight forward 5m downclimb on good rock si possible here to drop to gentle snowgrass slopes below which can then be followed 100m to the saddle with pt1541.

Crossing of pt1541 is simple, though still on rolling tussock, followed by a gentle ascent to Mt Gomorrah. A fault-line just west of the ridgeline holds small tarns that may dry out in dry conditions. The basin between Mt Gomorrah and it's unnamed SW peak also holds 2 small tarns and good sheltered camping with views over Nelson.

The Gomorrah Track joins the ridgeline from the east at the trig'd highpoint of Mt Gomorrah.

6-10 hrs

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

A good spur climbs to pt1497 from the point where the Flanagans Hut track crosses the Baton Creek (just downstream of the Taylor Crk forks).

Climb the spur SSW from the river crossing point to the bushedge. At the bushedge, cross the basin and pick up the open spur just to your east that doglegs south then SW to pt1497. The more direct route is scrubby.

1-2hrs

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

A good route follows the spur / upper western face south from pt1541 to the saddle with Loveridge Peak. The climb to Loveridge is a simple tussock ridgeline which cn be followed over the summit and to the start of the dropoff to Bton Crk at the southern end.

The spur dropping SSW is the more obvious of the two and can easily be followed down to the forks of Ironsand Crk and Baton Crk. The crossing 0m below the forks was low (ankle-knee deep) in normal flows but it is a steep scramble out on the southern side. The sidle track is 20-30 vertical meters up the southern valleyside. You will hit the track at the small, obvious 1-person rock shelter that sits directly on the track.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

A good route follows the spur / upper western face south from pt1541 to the saddle with Loveridge Peak. The climb to Loveridge is a simple tussock ridgeline which cn be followed over the summit and to the start of the dropoff to Bton Crk at the southern end.

The spur dropping SSW is the more obvious of the two and can easily be followed down to the forks of Ironsand Crk and Baton Crk. The crossing 0m below the forks was low (ankle-knee deep) in normal flows but it is a steep scramble out on the southern side. The sidle track is 20-30 vertical meters up the southern valleyside. You will hit the track at the small, obvious 1-person rock shelter that sits directly on the track.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

A good route follows the spur / upper western face south from pt1541 to the saddle with Loveridge Peak. The climb to Loveridge is a simple tussock ridgeline which cn be followed over the summit and to the start of the dropoff to Bton Crk at the southern end.

The spur dropping SSW is the more obvious of the two and can easily be followed down to the forks of Ironsand Crk and Baton Crk. The crossing 0m below the forks was low (ankle-knee deep) in normal flows but it is a steep scramble out on the southern side. The sidle track is 20-30 vertical meters up the southern valleyside. You will hit the track at the small, obvious 1-person rock shelter that sits directly on the track.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

A route marked with blue dots / triangles sidles the east face of The Twins at around the bushedge before climbing to the ridgeline south of the peaks.

From Ellis Hut the route follows the obvious spur over pt1196 and sidles terraces visible on the map just below the bushedge before climbing to the saddle at spot height 1248. This section is well marked with blue triangles and cairns, which weave in between spectacular sinkholes and through tesalated pavements. I hit the track part-way along and cannot say where it branches off the Ellis Hut Track.

From pt1248 follow the base of the steep faces of The Twins, above the bushedge on stable scree, climbing gradually to stay close to the base of the steep faces. Occasional cairns give reassurance but are not frequent enough to follow. Follow the spur WNW bwside the creek shown on the maps to regain the main Arthur Range ridgeline, ensuring you stay above steep bluffs at around 1500m.

Once on the ridgeline the NW face can be descended to get past the bluff layer and down to the narrow saddle with pt1476. The ridgeline west from here is narrow but easily navigable to pt`1541 where the broad spur leading to Loveridge Peak joins from the south.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

Will be required if descent to Ellis Basin has snow or ice

A signpost 500m east of Mt Arthur - before the final ascent - marks the turnoff to Ellis Hut. A well poled route crosses the tops south before swinging SE to a saddle and then dropping south down a dark scree gully (icy in winter) into Ellis Basin. Ellis Hut is on the track at the bushedge.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

Poled through to just below the summit, as the ridge narrows, the terrain becomes more rocky and sidles the north-facing slope. However, the track is well defined and easily followed. The last climb to the rather flat top is steep but not dangerous. At the top, there is a low rock wall providing minimal shelter - good views if the weather is kind.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the summit, descend following the pole-line, sidling into the saddle. The well-defined track continues descending along the ridge to the marked track junction.

This is a poled , and obvious, track briefly in bush then very exposed - mostly low tussock and easy travel. The track junction at the end of this segment is clearly marked.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

A benched, gravelled track through to Mt Arthur Hut, it took less than an hour with a 5-day pack.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description