Gerhardt Spur Biv

(Gerhardt Spur Biv: Photo Andrew Buglass 2010)

Maintenance Status

Gerhardt Biv and the track up to it are designated as fully maintain. The track was been recut and marked by Permolat volunteers in 2010 and is in good condition, and DOC have scheduled their next official maintenance for 2013/ 14.

Location

Hokitika catchment. Map BV19. Grid Ref: E1444715/ N5240380. Altitude 1250m. Gerhardt Biv is located on frontal ridges of the Diedrich Range, high above the Kowhiterangi Plain. Gerhardt Spur is a long ridge that runs from the farmland at edge of the Plain up to Jumbletop at 1610m, between the Diedrich and Muriel Creek catchments. There are fantastic views from the Biv out over the to the Tasman Sea. The summit of Jumbletop is an easy 30 minute climb from here in good conditions.

Access

The Gerhard Spur track is accessed from the Diedrich Creek bridge on the Hokitika Gorge road. Head up the TR of Diedrich Creek to the Muriel Creek confluence. Cross to the TL of Diedrich Creek here to avoid a shingle bluff and continue up to where the valley closes in and veers SE. The track starts right on the bend here, around E1439620/ N5240650. It climbs steeply initially, up a narrow side spur onto the main Spur at point 867m. The Spur levels, then drops slightly, continuing on a level through montane forest for nearly 2km. The flat pitch ends and the the Spur goes up a step through a band of pink pine onto a bench with open tussock patches and tarns at the 960m contour. Another steep section follows up through alpine scrub onto a third bench around 1120m. Debris can be found here from the original Gerhardt Biv. After this there is a final steep section of track up through the last of the alpine scrub onto a flat area of ridge where the the Biv is located (it is just off the crest on the Diedrich Creek side). Allow 5-6 hours from the Diedrich Creek Bridge to Gerhardt Spur Biv.

Gerhardt Biv can be accessed from Cedar Flat in the Toaroha valley via the Squall Peak tops track and a traverse of Jumbletop. The Squall peak track is not officially maintained, but has been kept open and in good order by Permolat volunteers. It was last maintained in January 2012. Its entrance is cairned and permolatted on the TL of Percy Creek, 20m above where it enters the Toaroha. The first section of track through the rata belt is reasonably open, but steep in places. In the alpine scrub zone there is a dip in the ridge and a wallow hole on the lee of the knob. After this the track cuts North across the face of the spur through a grove of leatherwood, before resuming an upward trajectory. It continues up through a band a scattered alpine scrub and through the tussock to a rock outcrop at 1200m. There is a large tarn with good campsites on the South side of the ridge at 1240m. From here it's straightforward climb up the ridge and over Jumbletop to the Biv. On odd occasions in winter or early spring an ice axe may be necessary on a steep pitch just below the summit on the Gerhardt side. Allow 4-5 hours travel from Cedar Flat to Gerhardt Biv.

Type

Gerhardt was one of the last generation of high-stud NZFS bivouacs. It was built in the mid 1970's to replace the original Gerhardt Biv that had blown off its piles on a site lower down the Spur. The new Biv was larger than than its predecessor and has enough room to stand at a slight hunch (for some). There are two smallish bunks with mattresses along the side and on the end wall. The Biv is lined, of sturdy construction, and warms quicky with a cooker going. A small tarn nearby supplies water. There is no toilet.

Condition

Gerhardt had its exterior painted and resealed over the summer of 2003/ 4 by DOC and is in good condition. Some rust areas on the roof were recently treated in preperation for repainting. The door and window frames have lost most of their paint and the tie downs are a bit slack. There were a few patches of moisture on some of the floorboards next to the walls in September 2010. This may be snow melt seeping in during the thaw. There is some buckling of the interior lining, possibly related to this.

Routes

There are three peaks South of the main summit of Jumbletop direction Mt. O'Connor. The first of these (E1445735/ N5240920) has an exposed, steep, narrow section of crumbing rock on its northern approach. It is traversable for the sure-footed, but preturbing for some, and can be avoided by dropping down a steep scree on the Diedrich Creek side of the peak and climbing back to the low point North of point 1612m via the TL fork of the scree. This detour takes around 20 up minutes. Jumbletop can be avoided completely if travelling to Mullins Basin Hut or Mt. O'Connor by dropping from Gerhard Spur at around the 1300m contour down to the fork in the headwaters of Diedrich Creek at E1445315/ N5240625. Head up the TL fork to dip between points 1612 and 1610m. The top of this fork is steep with crumbling rock and care needs to be taken.

Once on the Deidrich Range it is relatively straightforward to get to Hut. There is a rock cairn and iron stake in a saddle between spot heights 1780m and 1610m, which is the turn-off point. From here you head in a SE direction across and down a sloping face deeply dissected by a number of small streams and slots, into Mullins Basin.

The entry point to the basin is around E1446865/ N5237960 on a sloping bench between two small creeks. Both creeks have waterfalls and the alpine scrub zone is a lot thicker at other points of entry. This particular slope has only scattered scrub, is not difficult to get through and was cruise-taped in 2008. A Cedar Flat, Mullins Basin, Gerhardt Spur circuit (or vice versa) is a delightful 3-4 dayer. Allow 4+ hours to get from Gerhardt to Mullins

For those wanting a bit more of a challenge there are high-level tops routes from Gerhardt Biv to Toaroha Saddle Biv and Frisco Hut and Serpentine Huts in the Hokitika. A trip over Mt. O'Connor and down Serpentine Creek to Serpentine Hut was done by members of a search and rescue exercise in 2003.

Repairs

A repaint is scheduled at some point by DOC on the treated rust spots. Not sure about the door, frame and window frames, but they need painting. The tie-downs need a bit of a tighten-up.

Provisions on site

A Slasher, a sledgehammer, a hand-brush, a wide broom with no handle, 2 billies, an aluminium bucket, an aluminium wash basin, a bench-seat, two paintbrushes and a coarse file.