Adventure Biv
(Adventure Biv looking over to Yeates Ridge and the Diedrich Range: Photo Andrew Buglass 2004)
Maintenance Status
Adventure Biv and the track up to it have been designated as fully maintain.
Location
Toaroha catchment. Map BV19. GPS Ref:
E1450400/ N5240700. Altitude
1020m. Adventure Biv is located on a tussock
bench in the alpine scrub zone above the TR of the Toaroha. Adventure Ridge separates
the Median and Zit
Creek catchments and has great views
over the Toaroha valley to the Diedrich Range. Adventure Biv is on the
Zit Saddle, Lathrop Saddle circuit and is also used by those traversing the Toaroha Range
from Pinnacle Biv in the
Kokatahi. The Biv attracts the odd day-tripper or overnighter from Cedar Flat Hut down in the Toaroha.
Access
Adventure Biv is accessible
in a day from the Toaroha roadend for
an averagely fit person. The turn-off to Adventure Ridge is 50 metres
up the Toaroha valley track from Median Creek, or about 20 minutes from Cedar Flat Hut.
The track climbs up onto the river terrace which follows it for a bit before
climbs steeply up Adventure Ridge to the Biv. It
is generally well maintained and was last recut in 2009.
Allow around two hours to reach the Biv from Cedar Flat, or 5-6 hours from the Toaraoha
roadend.
Access to Adventure Biv from from the Kokatahi valley is via the creek draining Zit Saddle,
50m downriver
from Top Kokatahi Hut.
Head up the creek 2/3's of the way to Zit Saddle to where a snow-poled route exits on the TL just below a small waterfall.
Follow the poles up
onto a bench on the crest of the Range around E1451520/ N5240255 and then
straight down the steep tussock faces on the Toaroha side into the upper TL catchment of Zit Creek.
The poles lead down a narrow rib to a short section of
track that drops through a band of alpine scrub into the creekbed. Exit the TR bank of the Creek and
follow a mix of poles and markers across a scattered scrub face with open tussock patches to Adventure Ridge.
This bit is not incredibly well marked and requires a bit of care to stay on in places.
A short section of cut track takes you down Adventure
Ridge through a band of
alpine scrub to the Biv. Allow 3 hours from Top Kokatahi Hut to Adventure Biv in good conditions. Ice axes
may be required on odd occasions in winter and spring on the steeper pitches from the crest of the Range down to
the alpine scrub belt.
Type
Adventure Biv is a standard two-person NZFS
design built in the 1960's. Water supply
is from a small roof-fed tank. There is also a small, mossed-over tarn just up
from the front door of the Biv. The Biv has a single wooden sleeping platform at the
window end. There are no mattresses or toilet.
Condition
Adventure Biv is in good condition. In 2004 DOC
repainted and resealed it, installed the watertank, replaced floorboards
at the front and rear ends, replaced some of the joists, bearers, and a few of the studs
and dwangs. New tie-downs were also fitted.
Routes
Mt. Reeves is a fairly straightforward climb directly up from the
Biv and the Toaroha Range is traversable in both directions from its summit.
To reach Pinnacle Biv climb directly up
onto a bench at the 1500m mark below the summit of Reeves. Climb/ sidle
from here in a NE
direction to the crest of the Range, North of the summit. The ridge drops steeply
from here down to
a saddle South of
spot height 1618m, then flattens off. There are a couple of steep little knobs that need
sidling between the flat area and the the low point in the Range South of Genoa Peak. Dop from the low point
in a northerly direction down a series of tussock benches into the small basin at the head of Alice Creek.
Climb from here up onto Crinkletop and to the Biv.
Allow 5-6 hours to get from Adventure Biv to Pinnacle Biv.
It is relatively easy in good conditions to traverse the Toaroha Range
South from Zit Saddle and a number of destinations are possible.
From the top of the Range a
prominent spur runs West and provides acces to Crystal Biv and Yeates Ridge.
The spur forks at a flat area around the 1300m mark and the route to Yeates Ridge Hut
is down the scrubby face on the NW fork of the spur. A trail has been cut through
this bit and there is intermittent cruise tape and two or three snow poles.
At the bottom of the face the poles lead westward through patchy scrub and open tussock
onto a low ridge bounding Zit Creek. There is a track through the scrubby bits on on the ridge.
Wooden stakes lead from the ridge across a shallow basin to the Hut. Yeates is clearly visible in fine conditions from
most points on this route.
To get to Crystal Biv the SW branch of the spur
is taken. The Biv is visible in fine weather from near the top of the spur.
It is easy, open travel down to the Biv with a bit of scattered scrub to negotiate
just above the big tarn. Allow 4-5 hours from Adventure Biv to Yeates, or Crystal.
Top Toaroha Hut
can be reached by traversing the Toaroha Range and dropping into
the Chamberlin Creek Basin. Sidle out at the basin's lip
just above the waterfall. Cross the
western faces of Mt. Bannatyne and drop down to Bannatyne Flat
via an obvious open side creek.
To reach Mungo Hut head South along the
Toaraoha Range to Mt. Chamberlin.
A steep pitch on the main ridge South of Chamberlin can be
avoided by dropping down onto some rock benches on the Park Stream side, and sidling
back onto the ridge. Alternately, drop into
the head basin of Chamberlin Creek and sidle across the rock screes back onto the ridge.
From the low point between Mts. Chamberlin and Banantyne it is possible to drop down a
steep scree into Park Stream. It is easy travel down the Park to the start of
a track recut in 2009 by volunteers which climbs steeply for 5-10 minutes
from the streambed up to Mungo Hut. Allow 6-7 hours from Adventure Biv to Mungo Hut.
Repairs needed
Nil currently.
Provisions
On Site
A hand brush and shovel, a broom, and a billy. There is a 2m length 6x1" plank under the Biv.
