Browning Biv

(Browning Biv looking up to the Browning Range: Photo Andrew Buglass 2005)

Maintenance Status

Browning Biv and the track up to it from the Styx valley have been designated as fully maintain. The track through the scub above the Biv and poled route from there over into the head of the Crawford valley are also fully maintained

Location

Styx catchment. Map BV19. Grid Ref: E1459130/ N5248163. Altitude 1100m. Browning Biv is located in the alpine scrub zone on a ridge directly below Lathrop Saddle on the Browning Range. The Lathrop Saddle - Zit Saddle circuit is a resaonably popular fully maintained, moderate level tramp. There are views from the Biv out over the Styx valley to the Newton Range. The Biv was adopted, maintained and kept homely during a zero maintenance period (1986-2004) by Mark Crompton of Hokitika. Mark did a snow retention study on the Browning Range and made numerous visits to the Biv. He made a compilation of hutbook entries from the period and left a copy in the Biv.

Access

The track to Browning Biv was recut in March 2006 and is in reasonably good shape apart from some wind damage on the lower section from the winter storms of 2008. It commences at the bottom end of Grassy Flat on the TR bank of the Styx River, a routered sign marking its entrance. The trail crosses an open marshy area with scattered scrub intially, then climbs up an old creek fan covered hardwood forest on the TL of the access creek. The route enters the creek and follows it up to the 300m contour where a track exits on the TL bank. This leads up a steepish face through montane forest and scrub to the Biv which is located is on a small bench 10 minutes below the ridgetop in the subalpine zone. Allow 1.5-2 hours to Browning Biv from Grassy Flat Hut or 5-6 hours from the Styx roadend. The Styx River is running deep and fast next to the cliff face at the roadend, which for the time being, makes the Styx track only a fine weather option for most people.

A maintained track leads up the ridge above the Biv through the alpine scrub zone to the tussock. The ridge narrows and steepens before petering out on a steep tussock face below the Saddle. The route is poled above the scrubline.

An open knoll on the ridge just above the Biv would allow helicopter access.

Type

Browning is a standard NZFS two-person biv built in the 1960's. It has two sleeping platforms, one mattress, sleeping mats, and pillows. There is no toilet. There is a small roof-fed water tank that was installed by Mark Crompton.

Condition

The Biv was repiled, had some of the framing replaced, and was painted and re-sealed by DOC in March 2004. Some rotten studs in the end wall were missed in the maintenance, and water still appears to be getting in here somewhere. I propped one of the studs with a bit of wood found on site in October 2005. The floor plate supporting the studs has also rotted out, as has the ridgeboard at the far end of the Biv. Mark has provisioned the Biv with a small library, a lantern, binoculars, tools, and emergency food.

Routes

Getting to Top Crawford Hut from Browning Biv involves a crossing of Lathrop Saddle. It is a steep climb of around 600m from the Biv up to the Saddle, which is a lovely U-shaped corridor strewn with huge, shattered boulders and amethyst tarns. Don't drop directly from the lip of Saddle into the head of the Crawford. Instead follow the poled route that sidles in a SW direction across some reasonably steep faces. This bit is generally snow covered in winter and spring, and being on the shady side of the Range, it can be icy. It would pay to carry an ice axe at these times. At around E1458920/ N5245773 the poles drop in a SE direction down a broad spur towards the top of a band of Bluffs. Here the poles veer sharp right and drop down a tussock face into the side creek catchment below. The route veers left at the bottom of the face and heads parallel to the creek down to the Crawford Basin. The rebuilt and relocated Top Crawford Hut is 200m up the TL fork of the upper Crawford on the TL bank, and should be clearly visible from the Saddle down. The travel time from Browning Biv to Top Crawford Hut is 3-4 hours in good conditions.

Mt. Lathrop is an easy climb from Lathrop Saddle and the Browning Range is traversable to the West. It is possible to get from Browning Biv to Crawford Junction via the tops in a long day. Whitehorn Spur Biv was removed by DOC in November 2005 and an old tops track down the Spur to Crawford Junction is very overgrown, petering out entirely on the lower faces. The Permolat group has been discussing the merits of recutting this track to create a tops circuit from Mid Styx Hut. An old NZFS tops track from Mid Styx up onto the Range was recut in 2009. The top section through the alpine scrub is marked with orange electric fence gate flags. It is possible to do a tops traverse from Browning Biv to Mid Styx via Lathrop Saddle. A high sidle at approximately the 1700m mark will get you from the Saddle around and down into the tussock basin at the head of the big side creek that flows down to Mid Styx. Climb out of the creek onto the ridge bounding the basin on the TL, and drop down to where the track starts at the scrubline.

Repairs Needed

All the studs and the bottom plate at the end of the Biv need replacing. The rigdgeboard needs replacing or repairing. One of the bottom plates at the front end next to the door needs repairing or replacing. The leaks responsible for the rot at the window end need locating and sealing. A small metal flange would be useful above the door as there is a gap at the top of the door through which the rain blows when it is windy.

Provisions On Site

The statutory DOC hand brush and shovel. The rest is probably Mark's and comprises a litre of Samson red enamel, a litre of "gorse" acrylic paint, three paint brushes, 0.5 litres of Solgaro primer, three tubes of liquid nails, a litre of chain oil?, a small grubber, hedgeclippers, a bowsaw, two flat files, a hammer, a wire brush, rat poison, a tube of sealant, loppers, a knife, a scraper, bear tape, a stanley knife, a screw driver, a small hacksaw, pliers, numerous candles, a gas lamp, emergency food, sandpaper, heaps of 2cm flathead nails, a few longer jolthead nails, a small screw clamp, tacks, a chainsaw file, an aluminium wash basin, a slasher, binoculars, and a first aid kit.