Adventure Biv
(Adventure Biv looking over Yeates Ridge to the Diedrich Range: Photo Andrew Buglass 2004)
Maintenance Status
Adventure Biv and the Adventure Ridge track have been designated as fully maintain.
Location
Map BV19. Toaroha catchment: GPS Ref:
E1450400/ N5240700. Altitude
1020m. Adventure Biv is located on a tussock
bench in the alpine scrub zone on Adventure Ridge. The Ridge separates the Median and Zit
Creek catchments on the TR of the Toaroha valley and has great views
out over the Toaroha valley to the Diedrich Range. Adventure is on the
Zit Saddle-Kokatahi-Lathrop Saddle-Styx circuit and is also used by those traversing the Toaroha Range
from Pinnacle Biv in the
Kokatahi. The Biv also attracts a few day trippers from Cedar Flat Hut down in the Toaroha.
Access
Adventure Biv is easily accessible
in a day from the Toaroha roadend for
an averagely fit person. The Adventure Ridge turn-off is on the Top Toaroha track, 50 metres
upriver from Median Creek, and about 20 minutes from Cedar Flat.
The track climbs onto a terrace initially, follows it for a bit,
then commences a steep ascent up the Ridge to the Biv. The track
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.
A snow-poled route goes up a gut on the TL in the head of the creek just below a small waterfall.
It leads onto a bench on
the Toaroha Range North of Zit Saddle, around E1451530/ N5240250. The poles
lead from here straight down the steep tussock faces towards the upper TL branch of Zit Creek.
The route connects with a narrow rib and at the bottom of this a short section of
track takes you through a band of alpine scrub down into the Creek. Cross the Creek and climb
up onto its TR bank. From
here poles and markers lead across the face through scattered scrub and open tussock patches to Adventure Ridge.
There is a short section of cut track down the ridge through the
alpine scrub to the Biv. Allow 3 hours from Top Kokatahi Hut to Adventure Biv in good conditions.
Type
Adventure Biv is a standerd two-person NZFS
design built in the 1960's. Water supply
is from a small roof-fed tank and there is a small, mossed-in tarn just up
from the front door of the Biv. Adventure has one wooden sleeping platform at the
window end. There are no mattresses and no toilet.
Condition
Adventure is in good condition following DOC maintenance
carried out in March 2004. It had its exterior
repainted and resealed, the watertank installed, floorboards
replaced at the front and rear ends, joists and bearers replaced, some studs
replaced, and new tie-downs fitted.
Routes
Mt. Reeves is a fairly straightforward climb from the
Biv and the Toaroha Range is traversable both directions from the summit.
To reach Pinnacle Biv climb directly up
to flattish bench at the 1500m mark below the summit of Reeves. Climb/ sidle
from here in a NE
direction onto the crest of the Range North of Mt. Reeves. The ridge drops steeply down to
a saddle South of
spot height 1618m, then flattens off. There are a couple of steep little knobs
as you drop from 1618m towards the low point before Genoa Peak. From here
drop in a northerly direction down a series of tussock benches into the small basin at the head of Alice Creek.
From here you can climb up around the East face of Crinkletop to the Biv.
Allow 5-6 hours to get from Adventure to Pinnacle Biv.
It is relatively easy in good conditions to traverse the Toaroha Range
South from Zit Saddle to Crystal Biv,
Yeates Ridge, Mungo Hut,
or Top Toaroha (see route notes on the
relevant hut pages). There are no tarns along the crest of the Range from Zit Saddle South.
Repairs needed
Nil currently.
Provisions
on site
A hand brush and shovel, a broom, one billy. There is a 2m length 6x1" plank under the Biv.