DOC Track. Easy travel

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

DOC Track. Easy travel

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

DOC Track. Easy travel

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

DOC track. Fairly overgrown, but easy to follow the most of the time.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

DOC track. Fairly overgrown, but easy to follow the most of the time.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

The first track marker is a large Orange triangle on the edge of bush on the TL of the river. It is in a prominent position but set back (and up) from the river).
From this point follow the markers down river to the Hut. Mostly the markers are easy to follow but the track is fairly indistinct.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

The first track marker is a large Orange triangle on the edge of bush on the TL of the river. It is in a prominent position but set back (and up) from the river).
From this point follow the markers down river to the Hut. Mostly the markers are easy to follow but the track is fairly indistinct.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

Descend Thompson Pass, following cairns and cutting to the true left to avoid steep ravines to reach the valley floor. Follow the valley on the true-left until you find track markers (orange triangles) climbing into the area of bush just upstream of the gully leading to David’s Saddle (D’Urville hut is 2km downstream at this point )

Some descriptions describe a need to angle south from the pass. However the obvious scree slope straight down works great

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

Descend Thompson Pass, following cairns and cutting to the true left to avoid steep ravines to reach the valley floor. Follow the valley on the true-left until you find track markers (orange triangles) climbing into the area of bush just upstream of the gully leading to David’s Saddle (D’Urville hut is 2km downstream at this point )

Some descriptions describe a need to angle south from the pass. However the obvious scree slope straight down works great

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

Crossing the river to the TR, we tried to cut the corner but travel was easier closer to the stream.

Crossing back to the TL involved a scramble down and up out of the stream. Then a stiff climb to the gut (and fault line) that runs up to Lake Thompson. We traveled in the gut but travel would also be good on the ridgetop. From Lake Thompson, it's a short climb to Thompson Pass, first on a grassy tongue, then on rock.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

(notes from duplicate route by @millera)

Lake Thompson is a majestic setting and a lovely place to camp in good weather. I would describe it as slightly smaller than Lake Angelus, in a similar majestic mountain setting, but without the hut and people.

The descent from Lake Thompson begins down the obvious earthquake scarp to the west of the lake (Figure 18a) – avoid exiting from the main stream draining the lake, as this leads to bluffs and waterfalls. The descent became a narrow valley, which then became steep with vertical drops after turning east (Figure 18b). I made for the ridge to the true left (Figure 19a) which gave easy walking all the way down, re-joining the river close to the Waiau Pass turnoff. This is the beginning of the marked route, part of the Waiau Pass route and the Te Araroa Trail (Figure 19b).

Crossing the river to the TR, we tried to cut the corner but travel was easier closer to the stream.

Crossing back to the TL involved a scramble down and up out of the stream. Then a stiff climb to the gut (and fault line) that runs up to Lake Thompson. We traveled in the gut but travel would also be good on the ridgetop. From Lake Thompson, it's a short climb to Thompson Pass, first on a grassy tongue, then on rock.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

(notes from duplicate route by @millera)

Lake Thompson is a majestic setting and a lovely place to camp in good weather. I would describe it as slightly smaller than Lake Angelus, in a similar majestic mountain setting, but without the hut and people.

The descent from Lake Thompson begins down the obvious earthquake scarp to the west of the lake (Figure 18a) – avoid exiting from the main stream draining the lake, as this leads to bluffs and waterfalls. The descent became a narrow valley, which then became steep with vertical drops after turning east (Figure 18b). I made for the ridge to the true left (Figure 19a) which gave easy walking all the way down, re-joining the river close to the Waiau Pass turnoff. This is the beginning of the marked route, part of the Waiau Pass route and the Te Araroa Trail (Figure 19b).

On the map, this route looks steep and risky - in wet or icy weather it would be. However, poled all the way, in good weather this is a simple descent on good, grippy rock.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

@millera wrote: Being a poled route, Waiau Pass is reasonably straight forward, with some impressive rocky climbs, requiring stowing of walking poles and clambering up rocks with hands and feet. It flattens significantly near the top, with an easy route in scree (Figure 20a), and views back to Lake Thompson (Figure 20b).

On the map, this route looks steep and risky - in wet or icy weather it would be. However, poled all the way, in good weather this is a simple descent on good, grippy rock.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

@millera wrote: Being a poled route, Waiau Pass is reasonably straight forward, with some impressive rocky climbs, requiring stowing of walking poles and clambering up rocks with hands and feet. It flattens significantly near the top, with an easy route in scree (Figure 20a), and views back to Lake Thompson (Figure 20b).

From Blue Lake, the route is poled all the way to Waiau Pass (and on to the valley floor).
Initially gently rising and open, once to the trees the track steepens. A rising track leads to the true left of Lake Constance brings you to a steep scree climb then a traverse to the mid-point of the lake.
Although there have been recorded deaths above the lake, the track is straight forward. However, take care if you choose to approach the top of the bluffs as the fall to the lake is sheer.
The poled route leads to a steep descent in a gut and to the lake shore – then along to the lake head and across the valley floor (good campsites 100m before the start of the climb) and up up up to Waiau Pass.
It’s steep but the initial section on larger rocks is stable. The track moves onto a grass tongue until an obvious footpad angles up, across the scree, towards a grassy shelf. A useful tarn at the base of the final ascent to the pass means less water needs to be hauled up from the valley.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Descending Waiau Pass on the North side into the Lake Constance basin is a straightforward descent in scree, following a poled route. The route crosses the stream at the head of the valley, followed Lake Constance on the left (West) (Figure 21a), climbs above bluffs at the lake head, over a large boulder field, after which views of the beautiful Blue Lake / Rotomariewhenua are gained (Figure 21b).

From Blue Lake, the route is poled all the way to Waiau Pass (and on to the valley floor).
Initially gently rising and open, once to the trees the track steepens. A rising track leads to the true left of Lake Constance brings you to a steep scree climb then a traverse to the mid-point of the lake.
Although there have been recorded deaths above the lake, the track is straight forward. However, take care if you choose to approach the top of the bluffs as the fall to the lake is sheer.
The poled route leads to a steep descent in a gut and to the lake shore – then along to the lake head and across the valley floor (good campsites 100m before the start of the climb) and up up up to Waiau Pass.
It’s steep but the initial section on larger rocks is stable. The track moves onto a grass tongue until an obvious footpad angles up, across the scree, towards a grassy shelf. A useful tarn at the base of the final ascent to the pass means less water needs to be hauled up from the valley.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Descending Waiau Pass on the North side into the Lake Constance basin is a straightforward descent in scree, following a poled route. The route crosses the stream at the head of the valley, followed Lake Constance on the left (West) (Figure 21a), climbs above bluffs at the lake head, over a large boulder field, after which views of the beautiful Blue Lake / Rotomariewhenua are gained (Figure 21b).

DOC track. Fairly overgrown, but easy to follow the most of the time.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

The first track marker is a large Orange triangle on the edge of bush on the TL of the river. It is in a prominent position but set back (and up) from the river).
From this point follow the markers down river to the Hut. Mostly the markers are easy to follow but the track is fairly indistinct.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description

From the base of the bush (upstream of the forks draining the saddle), follow the orange triangles steeply uphill until they descend into a small gully, not marked on the map. The markers now become sporadic, and it’s basically up to you to follow the gully up. This is the slight ‘v’ in the contours shown on the topomap to the east of the gridline which bisects the saddle. As such, you’ll have to abandon the gully at some point before you hit bluffs and scree, and cut 500m to your right to find David’s Saddle. I walked this section in thick fog, and can confirm that with careful map reading it is possible to find the saddle. In clear conditions it should be clearly visible above. The descent of the Matakitaki side of David’s Saddle is steep and loose: follow the base of the ‘V’ shaped ravine all the way to the valley floor, surfing a tide of loose scree all the way.
Note 2018: depending on snow conditions, it could be potentially easier to descend via rocky face on left side of the gut (go quite a long way left). There may be a bit of easy down climbing required, but mostly fairly straightforward, and avoids waterfalls lower down the creek, and rock falls on the right side.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Climb up through tussock along stream to base of rock. From here, climb onto rock on right hand side (true left of stream). Do not attempt to use the stream, as it soon has waterfalls and true right has a lot of loose rock (rocks were falling from above). Climbing up the rock face is easy - solid and lots of foot and hand holds with a distinct foot pad in places. Follow the rock and tussock all the way to the top of the ridge, where it is easy to drop down into the middle of the true saddle. Descent down the "scree" on the northern side is straightforward - it has large pieces and isn't very loose, so doesn't move much. Stay slightly to the right, to intersect with a line of small cairns dotted on top of the larger rocks. When these run out, there is a "V" of loose rock and tussock slightly to your left - use this to descend to the tussocky plateau. The plateau consists of larger tussock interspersed with speargrass. Keep descending on the left edge of the thicker vegetation/scrub until another large rock and cairn is reached. From there turn hard right (90o) towards the trees, where the first orange triangles are spotted. Stay away from stream on the left - it'll soon turn into a large waterfall! In the trees, a nice looking, marked track sidles across to a creek, from there it is a steep descent down. At one point the track is higher above the stream and the triangles seem to end - climb down into the creek bed and down for a few meters, where you should see triangles continuing on the true right. Back into the trees on the far side, the track becomes easy to follow down to the D'Uville Forks.

Descending from the pass, there is good scree for slide-stepping to the obvious tarn in quick time. Then move left of the tarn to the top of the gut descending SW to the Matakitaki Valley floor. Initially steep, it starts to look like bluffing out but it’s a simple boulder-hop to the bottom.
Once down, progress is easiest on the rocks in the river until almost the treeline. 1km from the bushedge the 'V' chute descending from Davids Saddle can be seen joining the valley from the north.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

At 1,170m the river opens to wider river flats and by 1,200m the forest recedes completely, and the valley widens to boulder fields and beautiful grassy slopes meeting the stream (Figure 9a). From here the route to David Saddle is clearly visible, as is the bend in the valley where it turns east. Travel is easiest from here on the true left, requiring picking a route over tussock and between boulders and hebes. Just prior to turning east the route crosses a large slip and boulder field (Figure 9b). Travel is over stones and boulders on the true left, crossing to the true right at about 1,260m. The valley steepens significantly from here, with the river disappearing under boulders at one stage, and the route requiring hopping over large boulders. The route climbs steeply from here on the true right, over large boulders from a rockfall (Figure 10), with the stream eventually reappearing near the turnoff to D’Urville Pass, but some distance away, having headed towards the D’Urville Pass route. After the valley turns east the route up to D’Urville Pass is visible and becomes clearer. The very steep bluffs on its east side, and its narrow route, make it look almost impossible. However, on reaching the turn-off from the main East Matakitaki river a path up between the bluffs was clearly visible (Figure 11).

Reaching D’Urville Pass from the East Matakitaki turnoff is in two parts, separated by a rocky basin with a small tarn. The first part (Figure 11) involves a scramble up a chute between bluffs over boulders, stones, then scree on an increasingly steep slope. start on the left of the chute, but as it becomes steeper travel amongst larger rocky outcrops on the right is easier (Figure 11b). At the top of this chute is a large basin surrounded by bluffs, scree and full of enormous rocks (Figure 12a). However, travel is reasonably easy to the true left (south-east) of this, with D’Urville Pass clearly visible. The scree to D’Urville Pass steepens as the pass is reached requiring careful footing to avoid slipping back. Walking up to D'Urville Pass in the midday sun makes it a particularly tiring, with the rocks radiating heat. At this time and in this heat the scree and rocks seemed almost covered in grasshoppers with many alpine butterflies flying around the scree, and I believe I even spotted some alpine gecko.

From the Pass we climbed to the east (there is an obvious grassy ramp back from the middle of the pass) and picked our way through the rocks (occasionally spotting cairns) to descend to a bit of a ledge, initially at the 1800m contour and then at 1700m. Rather than traverse below the final bluffs, we climbed a steep shallow gut – a very easy approach to D’Urville Pass.

You need good visibility for this route.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

(merging notes from route by Millera)

From D’Urville Pass begins the long sidle around the head of the D’Urville valley to Thompson Pass. This sidle is best done at 1,700m elevation for most of it. However, careful route choice is required near Thompson Pass, as it is simply not possible to reach the scree/chute leading to Thompson Pass at this elevation, due to a long and wide crevice in the rock from about 1,800m elevation to 1,600m elevation, and possibly even further down to the valley – this is not shown on the 1:50,000 topo maps, nor are the large number of bluffs around here, nor the roughness of the ridge. It is particularly frustrating to encounter this crevice, as I did, as the scree/chute to Thompson Pass is tantalisingly close, at just over 100m away. This sub-section describes the descent from D’Urville Pass, the sidle at 1,700m, and my route to Thompson Pass.
The first part of the route is reasonably straight forward, descending scree to a fairly flat section with a small tarn. While it seems better to head south from D’Urville Pass, since that went toward the destination, this should be avoided, as it leads above bluffs. Instead stay north on the scree and continue to descend the scree, to the left of the rocks and bluffs as you descend. This is straight forward, with some careful clambering over a section of small vertical bluffs when almost at 1,700m elevation.
Most of the sidle is best done at 1,700m elevation, as described in other trip reports. Once on the flat section, at 1,700m, travel is straightforward, although over boulders at times. It then reaches steep boulder and scree slopes, which required careful footing and slow travel. Other trip reports describe beginning an ascent from about NNW of peak 1,964 to 1,770m. I continued further at 1,700m, then began an ascent to 1,800m – the sidle across the scree and boulders from higher looked more difficult, and the ascent to 1,800m after this was straightforward. I found a ledge, at this point, and began travelling towards Thompson Pass. However, I then encountered a very steep and rocky section, which I was not prepared to attempt to climb. Moreover, the ridge was significantly rougher than indicated by other trip reports and by the topo map, and while they talked about heading for the ridge, this did not seem wise. Therefore, I descended again to nearly 1,700m elevation where I found a grassy ledge that was an easy walk towards Thompson Pass. There were some small trickles of water in places, which could be useful near the end of the long traverse. In hindsight I wonder if it would have been better to only ascend to 1,740m and take what appears to be a ledge to these grassy ledges.
After walking along the grassy ledge I encountered the deep vertical crevice in rock, with Thompson Pass frustratingly close over the other side of it. Walking uphill beside this was reasonably easy on tussock, alpine plants and rocks. It eventually ended allowing travel northwest towards Thompson Pass. Soon after I encountered the bluff covered ridge line, and a narrow chute leading to the north-west side of the ridge above Thompson Pass. While the chute was narrow and steep, it was possible to scramble up it, including through a patch of snow, and no worse than some parts of the Waiau side of the Waiau Pass. After ascending this chute the ridge opens out to narrow grass ledges between steep rocky outcrops (Figure 16a). It was easy enough to pick a route between these, zigzagging down to Thompson Pass (Figure 17a).
As I stood on the pass, I saw to the north a group of five kea fly from the Waiau Valley side over the ridge and into the D’Urville Valley, calling out as they flew.
The walk to Lake Thompson down the Waiau side of Thompson Pass is a straightforward descent of 100m then contouring around a grassy rise from the ridgeline to the lake itself, taking just 20 minutes.

Crossing the river to the TR, we tried to cut the corner but travel was easier closer to the stream.

Crossing back to the TL involved a scramble down and up out of the stream. Then a stiff climb to the gut (and fault line) that runs up to Lake Thompson. We traveled in the gut but travel would also be good on the ridgetop. From Lake Thompson, it's a short climb to Thompson Pass, first on a grassy tongue, then on rock.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

(notes from duplicate route by @millera)

Lake Thompson is a majestic setting and a lovely place to camp in good weather. I would describe it as slightly smaller than Lake Angelus, in a similar majestic mountain setting, but without the hut and people.

The descent from Lake Thompson begins down the obvious earthquake scarp to the west of the lake (Figure 18a) – avoid exiting from the main stream draining the lake, as this leads to bluffs and waterfalls. The descent became a narrow valley, which then became steep with vertical drops after turning east (Figure 18b). I made for the ridge to the true left (Figure 19a) which gave easy walking all the way down, re-joining the river close to the Waiau Pass turnoff. This is the beginning of the marked route, part of the Waiau Pass route and the Te Araroa Trail (Figure 19b).

On the map, this route looks steep and risky - in wet or icy weather it would be. However, poled all the way, in good weather this is a simple descent on good, grippy rock.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

@millera wrote: Being a poled route, Waiau Pass is reasonably straight forward, with some impressive rocky climbs, requiring stowing of walking poles and clambering up rocks with hands and feet. It flattens significantly near the top, with an easy route in scree (Figure 20a), and views back to Lake Thompson (Figure 20b).

From Blue Lake, the route is poled all the way to Waiau Pass (and on to the valley floor).
Initially gently rising and open, once to the trees the track steepens. A rising track leads to the true left of Lake Constance brings you to a steep scree climb then a traverse to the mid-point of the lake.
Although there have been recorded deaths above the lake, the track is straight forward. However, take care if you choose to approach the top of the bluffs as the fall to the lake is sheer.
The poled route leads to a steep descent in a gut and to the lake shore – then along to the lake head and across the valley floor (good campsites 100m before the start of the climb) and up up up to Waiau Pass.
It’s steep but the initial section on larger rocks is stable. The track moves onto a grass tongue until an obvious footpad angles up, across the scree, towards a grassy shelf. A useful tarn at the base of the final ascent to the pass means less water needs to be hauled up from the valley.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Descending Waiau Pass on the North side into the Lake Constance basin is a straightforward descent in scree, following a poled route. The route crosses the stream at the head of the valley, followed Lake Constance on the left (West) (Figure 21a), climbs above bluffs at the lake head, over a large boulder field, after which views of the beautiful Blue Lake / Rotomariewhenua are gained (Figure 21b).