Bushwalk Australia

Can you please advise which you think is the more rewarding route - Five passes or a hike covering the combined Gillespie and Rabbit passes?

I have read many reviews on both options, but never seen a comparison of the two.

Our third option is the Rees / Cascade track, but we see this as a fallback option....?

We will be departing in Late January.

Thanks in advance, Nick

i hope you're very fit, because you're picking trips that require a lot of fitness to do in the timeframe you're after... otherwise you wish you never thought about doing the trip in the first place...
the weather so far this summer has been pretty crap, even by NZ standards which is saying something, only a day or so of good weather before the next storm passes through and theres no letup in the forecast. it is still snowing reasonably regularly...
i've only bothered doing two, three day trips so fra this summer.....
fiordland is the wettest place in the world at sea level. year round, when i say you need to allow for bad weather, you really do need to allow for bad weather or wave goodbye as your flight home passes overhead...

It's meant to be a holiday. I have been trapped by the weather on the final day of a couple of NZ trips, using up my safety margin but no more. Looked like missing the plane home once - c'est la vie - just sucked it up and waited for the river to go down. Didn't miss the plane, but would have uncomplainingly accepted the cost of another ticket if I had.

Do as has been suggested and build in some more time, or readjust your ambitions.

Three people have been rescued from Mt Aspiring National Park in Otago this afternoon

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zea ... tional-par

A man tramping in the vicinity of Rabbit Pass, near Matukituki River, got into trouble on rough terrain.

Mount Aspiring

He came across another pair of trampers, who were also in trouble, shortly before 1.30pm.

The group decided to activate the man's personal locator beacon and wait for help.

Rescue Coordination Centre spokesperson Vince Cholewa said the group were concerned if they walked forwards or backwards, they would receive injuries.

The trio were airlifted out at about 3.30pm. The man was flown to Wanaka and the pair returned to the bottom of the national park.

Ok - thank you point made on Gillespie and Rabbit. Still pondering five passes. Nick

five passes is mainly rough and slow going underfoot, its not a track you can make up time on, if you get behind then you have to pull out before half way or accept you wont be out on time. its all very well going for the most scenic tracks but some of them are a real mission if you're not prepared for what to expect

as we speak there has been a death in aspiring national park

the cascade saddle is strictly a dry weather only track, half a dozen deaths there in the last dozen years, due to flooded side streams and wet or icy slopes.

wayno wrote:Three people have been rescued from Mt Aspiring National Park in Otago this afternoon

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zea ... tional-par

A man tramping in the vicinity of Rabbit Pass, near Matukituki River, got into trouble on rough terrain.

Mount Aspiring

He came across another pair of trampers, who were also in trouble, shortly before 1.30pm.

The group decided to activate the man's personal locator beacon and wait for help.

Rescue Coordination Centre spokesperson Vince Cholewa said the group were concerned if they walked forwards or backwards, they would receive injuries.

The trio were airlifted out at about 3.30pm. The man was flown to Wanaka and the pair returned to the bottom of the national park.

Wayno, do you have any idea at what the problem or issues may have been with the Rabbit Pass rescue. I am doing that walk in February and would be interested in hearing what went wrong. Weather does not seem to have been an issue today from what I could research. I am aware of the precariousness of the route going up to Rabbit Pass near the waterfall but would imagine that is something you should be aware of before you start the hike so for two seperate parties to decide that part way through seems strange and makes me wonder why they were stranded.

I'm guessing they got stuck on the waterfall face. It's a near vertical climb. They may not have identified the correct route up or down the face, since its not a direct line and got bluffed in. Or they got to the top of rabbit pass. Saw the descent and thought it was too dangerous. Weather may have caused problems as well. Bad weather can be very localised. Nearby towns could be fine. And the mountains could be in bad weather. Moisture from cloud alone makes tussock grass very slippery

The Waterfall Face does require care. On our trip, we went up the face in fine weather and had no trouble. But once at the very top of the pass (which you reach an hour or so after climbing the Waterfall Face), then the route down is not obvious. You need to look out for the route markers (standards) which take you well to the side of the pass and up slightly for a long way (perhaps a km?) before you can start to descend. And the first part of the descent is very steep and requires considerable care. Some of the standards can be very hard to spot against the rock. I thought that bit was the hardest part - harder than the Waterfall Face section. But if you are confident and sure footed then its a glorious day of walking.

My photos from when I did Rabbit Pass back in 2009 - http://www.david-noble.net/NZ/Jan09/Wilkins/Day8.html show some of the difficulties.

I imagine that the parties that were rescued perhaps climbed up and could not get down, either forwards or backwards.

Dave

At risk of you thinking that I am not listening to the prior advice.... Is the below workable?

1. (23rd Jan) Arrive at Routeburn Shelter between 2 to 3pm. Walk to Theatre Flat camp spot (10.4km, moderate/easy terrain)

2. (24th Jan) Theatre flat to Rock Burn Rock Bivvy, camp at Hidden Falls Camp spot (approx. 8 or 9km)

3. (25th Jan) Hidden Falls camp spot to Olivine Ledge / Fohn Lakes (approx. 8 to 10km)

4. (26th Jan) Olivine Ledge / Fohn Lakes to Split Rock Bivy (approx. 7km)

5. (27th Jan) Split Rock Bivy to Routeburn shelter, pick-up and back to Glenorchy for the night.

6. 330pm flight.

Day 1 and 5 are big days. Maybe we could get a boat down the Dart on day 5.
Risk is weather and we miss our flight connection.

David - your photos are amazing!

Thanks to all for commenting.

Nick

wayno wrote:I'm guessing they got stuck on the waterfall face. It's a near vertical climb. They may not have identified the correct route up or down the face, since its not a direct line and got bluffed in. Or they got to the top of rabbit pass. Saw the descent and thought it was too dangerous. Weather may have caused problems as well. Bad weather can be very localised. Nearby towns could be fine. And the mountains could be in bad weather. Moisture from cloud alone makes tussock grass very slippery

Thanks Wayno, if anymore info comes to light on this one I would love for you to let me know please...

DaveNoble wrote:The Waterfall Face does require care. On our trip, we went up the face in fine weather and had no trouble. But once at the very top of the pass (which you reach an hour or so after climbing the Waterfall Face), then the route down is not obvious. You need to look out for the route markers (standards) which take you well to the side of the pass and up slightly for a long way (perhaps a km?) before you can start to descend. And the first part of the descent is very steep and requires considerable care. Some of the standards can be very hard to spot against the rock. I thought that bit was the hardest part - harder than the Waterfall Face section. But if you are confident and sure footed then its a glorious day of walking.

My photos from when I did Rabbit Pass back in 2009 - http://www.david-noble.net/NZ/Jan09/Wilkins/Day8.html show some of the difficulties.

I imagine that the parties that were rescued perhaps climbed up and could not get down, either forwards or backwards.

Dave

Dave, I have viewed your photos several times while researching this walk. They're great by the way and thank you for your further notes in finding the correct route via the standards. I'm very much looking forward to walking in the area and having done steep and difficult exposed terrain on lots of Tassie walks I am hoping that will see me in good stead on this one.
Cheers.

Snowzone - thanks for your comments. Walking in steep country in Tasmania (e.g. Western or Eastern Arthurs) will certainly help you prepare for steep country in New Zealand, but be aware of differences -

Tassie Steep Country - seldom snow or ice, good rock, strong vegetation for holds.

NZ steep country - sometimes steep snow, rock like weetbix, vegetation - snow grass, not great for handholds, very slippery when wet from rain or dew.

And for those not used to NZ terminology, A "standard" is a metal pole bashed into the ground used as a route marker. I think they are called "Waratahs" in Australia?

I have done the Five Passes and would say your route requires everything to go right - including the weather. Navigational stuff ups are also a factor, at least for me. Doing things the second time round makes things 100% easier but you can't control the weather.

if the weather is bad enough on the five passes, you will need an extra day or more spare to be able to get around the trip, flooding or wind can stop you completely in that area.