Pinnacle Biv
(The new (ex Crawford) Pinnacle Biv: Photo Andrew Barker 2012: Double click to get larger image)
Maintenance status
Pinnacle Biv and the track up to it
are designated as fully maintain. In 2011 DOC replaced the original Pinnacle Biv built in the late 1950's, with
another biv from the same era, Crawford Biv, which was
moved out of the Top Crawford basin, when Top Crawford Hut was relocated there. The
long-term plan is to replace Pinnacle Biv and
Boo Boo Hut lower down in the Kokatahi with a single structure
located somewhere between their current sites.
Location
Kokatahi catchment. Map BV19. GPS Ref: E1451374/
N5244477. Altitude 1253m. The new Pinnacle Biv (a.k.a.
Crinkle Top Biv, ex Crawford Biv)is located just below the summit of
Crinkle Top at the northern
end of the Toaroha Range (50m NW of the original Biv site).
Pinnacle is regularly used on a tops
circuit around to
Adventure Biv in the Toaroha
Valley. Genoa Peak is a 30-40 minute climb from the Biv and tops travel
South along the Toaroha Range is fairly straightforward.
Access
The track up to Pinnacle Biv turns off the main Kokatahi valley track five minutes before
Boo Boo Hut. The turn-off is
incorrectly marked on the topo map and is
another 750m upvalley at GPS Ref: E1452973/
N5245567. The track goes up a different spur than that indicated on the map, and both this
and the main valley track
are quite overgrown
currently. Periodic trimming
and cruise-taping done on the Pinnacle and Boo Boo tracks in recent years by volunteers has not succeeded in halting their deterioration,
and both are now getting difficult to follow in a few places.
DOC was planning a recut in the 20121/ 13 summer season.
The Pinnacle track climbs up a broad spur through the montane and sub-alpine zones, crosses
South onto an adjoining spur which connects with
the main NE Spur of Crinkletop.
Snow poles poles lead from here up the ridge past point 1085m through scrub and open
tussock areas to the Biv. When the tracks are in good shape a fit party can reach Pinnacle Biv from the Kokatahi roadend in 7-9 hours.
Currently, due to the poor track conditions, you'd be looking at 10+.
When dropping from Pinnacle Biv down to Boo Boo Hut care needs to be taken around point 1085m where
he route veers left off the ridge from a patch of bare rock,
into a scrubby gully, and across to the next ridge. More than one party has missed
the turn and continued down the bush faces into the Kokatahi. It is particularly easy to do if conditions are misty.
Type
Pinnacle Biv is a basic NZFS two-person B49 design, built in the Top Crawford basin in 1957. It has flat iron walls and roof and
two narrow sleeping platforms without mattresses. There is no toilet. A tarn just below the Biv provides water.
Condition
Pinnacle Biv is in good condition currently. The door and window stick quite badly at the moment (DOC have been informed),
and the window frame and roof
need repainting.
Routes
To access the Toaroha Range and
Adventure Biv
head up onto Crinkle Top and along the
flat section of ridge towards Genoa Peak. There are two options from here. The first is to
drop South from a small knob
around E1451068/
N5244300 into the basin below and climb up a series of
tussock benches to the low point between Genoa Peak and point 1618m. The second is to
continue up and over Genoa Peak.
There are some beautiful tarns and good campsites on the main ridge
between Genoa Peak and the low point mentioned above.
Continue South along the crest of the Range,
up and over a
couple of steep little knobs to spot height 1618m. Cross a large flat area
and head up a steepish, rocky
section leading towards the summit of Mt. Reeves.
The ridge flattens around 1650m and
it is possible to sidle from here around a bench on the Toaroha side.
Drop
from the end of the bench in a SW direction down and across a system of ridges and gullys
onto a broad tussock face directly
above Adventure Ridge. The section is steep with bluffy areas and
good visibility is
essential. Adventure Ridge is not particularly well-defined until
just above the Biv, and it would be easy to miss it and end up down in Median
Creek. A short section of maintained track leads through
the alpine scrub on Adventure Ridge to the Biv.
Allow 5-6 hours from Pinnacle Biv to Adventure Biv.
Top Kokatahi
Hut can be accessed from Pinnacle Biv by continuing along past Mt. Reeves to intersect the poled route that crosses from
Adventure Biv over into
the Kokatahi North of Zit Saddle.
Follow the poles down a rock gut into
the head of the creek draining Zit Saddle, entering the creek just below a small waterfall. Drop down the creek
to a point about 100m metres above the Kokatahi River. The Hut is visble 50m upriver from here.
There is a reasonably challenging route from Pinnacle Biv to Crawford
Junction Hut over the tops and down Blue Duck Creek. There
are two sets of waterfalls in the Creek. The first is in the headwaters and reasonably easy to get around
on both sides. Further down is a gorge with waterfall that cuts
down through the alpine and sub-alpine zones. A fairly high,
and gnarly scrub bash on the TL is required to get around this.
Drop back down a steep slip
that connects with the Creek at the bottom end of the gorge.
The lower reaches of the Creek are easy travel and the Kokatahi can usually
be forded just upstream from the Blue Duck confluence.
Allow 4-6 hours for this route.
Repairs needed
Minor repairs to the door and window are required to stop them sticking. The roof and window need repainting also.
Provisions on site
One billy and two lilos.
