Five Passes walk in New Zealand South Island

[srforum112]

Has anyone walked the five passes walk in the South Island of New Zealand?
A friend is thinking of completing this walk with a friend of hers, but we haven't heard of the walk and can't find much information on the walk as there is a bit of off track walking.
If you've completed the walk I'd really like to hear about your experiences and generally about the walk. I have seen some photos of the valleys and mountains that the walk traverses and it does look spectacular.
Sonja

[eggs]

Only done a few short walks in NZ so far.
And I am not sure what web sites you have visited, but I have often drooled over Danilo Heggs trip reports.

This one covers 4 of the 5 passes [misses Sugerloaf - the first one], and it is extended to the Olivine Ice Pateau [which is not part of the 5 passes route]
Mostly photos - but the map at the start gives a good idea of the route that is taken.
[Click on the map and choose a large magnification.]
Very much - off track walking.
http://www.southernalpsphotography.com/Tramping/Aspiring-Region/Olivine-Ice-Plateau/8915749_k9qxj5#!i=591757222&k=dVakb

Cheers
Brian

[eggs]

Also found these short write ups:
http://tramper.co.nz/?2525
http://www.thehikinglife.com/2010/09/five-passes-route-south-island-2010/

[wayno]

best chance of good weather is january, through march, even december and early jan can bring big southerly storms and some snow...

[andrewbish]

And this one:
http://www.tramper.co.nz/?8033

[Rob A]

March has a reputation for consistently changeable weather.

[wayno]

March has a reputation for consistently changeable weather.

i dont think its as changeable in march as it is in winter and spring.

[srforum112]

Thanks guys. The links are great and provides lots of info and photos.
Looks like a spectacular walk, better keep up my fittness regime...those passes are quite a climb!
Sonja

[bernieq]

5 Passes is high on my list (a very long list) of NZ SI tramps - I've planned it out - just need to put the timing in place.

Is a gpx or kml file of the route any use to you? If so, flick me a PM and I'll email it to you.

[Don R]

Hello. I did 2 of the Five Passes and another pass plus a lake earlier this year. Our group went up the Rockburn to Park Pass, via Sugar Loaf, and then deviated from the standard walk by going to Lake Nerrine and North Col. An excellent trip.

However we had "good" weather. That is, first day (half day from when we started) rained heavily, cold, overcast. Second day rained heavily, cold, sleeted, horizontal freezing rain. Day 3 beautiful day, superb conditions. Fourth day, cool start, overcast, windy, then very cold. Fifth day nice morning, overcast, wind worsening, cold. Sixth day, godawful rain, squall, 100KM/hr + wind on exposed ridges, cold, an absolute *&%$#! of a day when combined with flooded exit route, vile scunge, awful conditions. Right hand side of North Routeburn is scunge city. 6+ hours non-stop to do about 3 kilometres.

Observations:

1. Cold and wet conditions the norm.
2. Take a good tent !
3. Don't believe the Kiwi nonsense of rock bivvies, on this route there was a good one below Park Pass and reputedly some elsewhere but in poor weather you can walk past them.Mates of mine have. Again take a good tent, e.g. Macpac Olympus / Minaret (as we did).
4. On the plus side, no problem with water availability !
5. Descending North Col without an ice axe was problematical, if it had been colder we might still be there ....
6. Be prepared to sit out bad weather, warm bag imperative. Consider a pack liner and pack cover.
7.The trail is good, for experienced parties, but by no means a highway.
8. Water treatment wasn't needed on the sections we walked.
9. If you get a clear view it is amazing !
10. It takes longer than expected to traverse the route. Distances are deceptive. River crossings, boggy plains and very steep descents standard fare.
11. Small amounts of rain can generate massive increases in the height of minor streams or tributaries.
12. No real escape routes for most of the route.

I am going back, perhaps in December. All going well, it is a great trip.

Enjoy, but be prepared.

Don

[Mountain Rocket]

What time of year did you do it Don? I am yet to research it but I was considering doing it in late Jan/Early Feb next year.

[wayno]

funny summer last summer, i was around there for three trips, between jan and march,, never got hot for long, lots of weather fronts going through. 4 degrees one morning and blowing hard...late jan feb is normally he best weather...

[Rob A]

Its up to five separate microclimates ... or six. Ok you would have to be unlucky but ...

[garywallas]

Hi Don,

Thanks for your feedback on this.

My brother and I plan to do this trip in April and also plan to use a Hubba Hubba tent from MSR. As you mentionned twice that a good tent is required I wanted to know your thoughts on that one.

Thanks for your help,

Nic.

[bernieq]

Hi Nic,

I’m just back from a 5 Passes tramp (via Lake Nerine and North Col). I also own an MSR HH (as well as a WE 1st Arrow).

I wouldn’t take my HH into South Island alpine terrain – it’s a 3-season tent. IMO, it just won’t cut it in high wind combined with heavy rain (a real probability any time – take a look at the forecast for the next week)

With regard to Don’s 12 observations :
1. Agree – although we had 8 days of brilliant sunshine :)
2. Absolutely – the tent needs to be 4-season
3. Even the enormous Beansburn rockbiv is no substitute for a tent (think cold, wind, sandflies).
4. One of the many great things about tramping in NZ is the access to water (and a very cold swim)
5. If you can’t get recent information about North Col snow/ice, either take an iceaxe (at least) or don’t go. Without appropriate gear, there is no way to descend from the Col if it’s clogged with ice
6. Don’t just consider packliner and cover – they are a must
7. There are plenty of places to lose the track – you’ll find it again but you’ll have lost a lot of time and energy. Do your research, read the trip reports.
8. Treating water is your choice – we didn’t
9. Stunning – a side trip up to Park Pass Glacier is well worth the effort
10. True – do the research and note times others have taken
11, 12 both true

from near Lake Nerine, looking NE to Park Pass Glacier - Feb 2013

a leisurely afternoon at Lake Nerine

[wayno]

i havent met any back country trampers in nz that have got sick from the water... i've never treated any water having started tramping in the seventies... DOC advise treating the water as much to cover themselves if someone gets sick from drinking untreated water.
the only exceptions i'd make about not treating water would be where a place is over run by people like abel tasman park on the coast and in active volcanic areas the water can be undrinkable, especially if it's opaque, in fact it can be downright poisonous with heavy metals especially if its a strong colour.
also in mid summer if you're reduced to drinking from small muddy stagnant puddles.... treat it...
this summer is a record summer for dry weather. our normal weather is along the lines of tasmanian weather, bad weather can hit you year round.
rock bivs are wind tunnels by default, and when it rains you are often likely to get dripped on....

[Schmeed]

So I was wondering how hard it was to reach lake nerine form park pass?

As I was thinking about doing the rock burn track up to Parks Pass, then heading back down the rock burn/ sugarloaf onto the routeburn. I have no experience of hiking off trails, but i know how to navigate etc and understand the planning and preparation required. I just want to know what the type of route u took etc and terrain.

[bernieq]

So I was wondering how hard it was to reach lake nerine form park pass?

Hi Schmeed,

It’s difficult to answer such a question without a good understanding of your level of experience. As a general observation, if you don’t have experience of off-track travel, I’d suggest Lake Nerine is not the place to get it (certainly not solo).

For my group, the sidle from Park Pass to Lake Nerine was straight-forward – the sidle from there to North Col required more care. However, conditions were perfect.

As it happened, I twisted my knee on the Lake Nerine sidle and tumbled forward and down. Fortunately, I was able to grab hold of snow grass tufts as I fell. In wet conditions, things may not have been as benign.

[Schmeed]

OK yeah, becasue i was gonna spend some time doing the res dart track and trip to Dart Glacier. Then join that up with the lake Slyurvian track, and follow then follow the rockburn up to parks pass. I was just seeing what it would be like, as i wanted to join up on the routeburn but didnt wanna take the same route back.

[forest]

Out of interest how are you getting from the Dart track across to the Sylvan / Rockburn Track ??
Are you intending to swim the Dart river or get a transfer. I'd get the transfer...... Not a section of water I would have swam across this time last year when I was there.

[wayno]

someone drowned there a year or so ago, wasnt the first one...

[Schmeed]

i have small blow up boats enough for 1 person and a pack, but if it is in flood or really bad weather i won't even bother trying, not worth the risk.

[wayno]

dart river map
http://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap?v=2& ... 31913&z=13

email doc in queenstown, I think its fordable at low water, the beans burn valley just up river can be accessed by crossing the dart river, worst comes to the worst a watertight pack will get you out of trouble if you fall in....

[sef]

If I were you, I'd walk out down the TR of the Dart and hitch around (easy) to Chinaman's bluff. 5 passes is more or less tracked, but the route out over North Col is not.

Terrain is a sidle on steep snowgrass, scree and rock shelves then a potentially nasty chute leading to more scree and open river travel.

And crossing the Dart is a serious proposition. it's fast and greasy, you can usually get across it in braids but it's way beyond the level of usual tramping river crossings in NZ (eg Matukituki, Wilkin).

[wayno]

comes down to how much recent rain there has been as well. very little rain through summer, rivers low. but thats likely to change... certainly any doubts and if you're not experienced don't cross. if you don't know how to pack float. again, don't do it...

[wayno]

not sure if you mean hitch hiking around, theres not a lot of traffic on that road especially outside of summer. you're likely to be walking, but you can book a shuttle to pick you up from the road end and take you back to glenorchy. you can book another shuttle to the routeburn..

http://buckleytransport.co.nz/ is my preference. otherwise info and track.

[sef]

I don't think you could connect shuttles from Routeburn - CB without an overnight in Glenorchy unless the timetable has changed over the last few years. Getting a lift out of the Routeburn is as easy as it gets, up the other side of the river maybe less so as few take their cars past the fords.

[wayno]

i thought he was coming down the dart, getting out of the dart road end is the problem

[sef]

Oh, sorry.

[edwinsoh]

Hi guys,

Planned for 5 passes this feb but didn't work out. How is this tramp in April? Anyone has done it around at that time? Appreciate any info.

Thanks.