| from Makarora |
| Start at the Young river (ford the Makarora or jet boat up
there). Good well formed tracks but some fitness required (7 h between
huts). |
|
Young River
Pleasant mixed forest up to the forks, a few slips and up
until bush line to Young hut’s super site at the rim of the hanging
valley and its steep rock faces. |
Creek
|
|
Young Hut
A short walk on the valley floor then up a steep but well defined track
through thick scrub to the pass. |
Mt Awfull
|
|
Upper Young Valley
|
|
Nearly there...
Superb view of (rather stupidly named) Mt. Awful and Mt. Alba,
Gillespie and Young valley. Excellent flora on both side of the pass, rock
wrens on top. A sidle in tussock to Gillespie river flat and bush line,
then along the river and high above the gorge to Siberia valley and new
deluxe hut. |
Downhill...
|
| From here a long day trip to moraine lake Crucible, full of
icebergs, is a must, steep for at start and up the moraine. Then there is
a choice of ways back to Makarora. The easiest is to fly out from Siberia
Flats International Airstrip, or continue to Wilkin Forks, jetboat out or
walk.
Taxi!
|
On the way home
|
| For those with little time it
takes two long days going up and down the pass and back by plane.
Camping at Young forks (sand flies), on the pass (if snow or tarn water
available), at Gillespie river (super views, no sand-flies) and at bush
line in Crucible hanging valley (super views, no sand-flies) make an
enjoyable 4/5 day trip. Continuation to Wilkin Top Forks and even to
Matukituki Valley via Rabbit Pass makes a long exciting trek in some of
the best of the park. |
| Mont
Aspiring National Park |
