Pinnacle Biv
(Pinnacle Biv looking up the Kokatahi to the Main Divide: Photo Andrew Buglass 2004)
Maintenance status
Pinnacle Biv and the track up to it
are designated as fully maintain. DOC plan at some point to replace Pinnacle and
Boo Boo Hut with a single structure
midway between the
two current hut sites.
Location
Kokatahi catchment. Map BV19. GPS Ref: E1451374/
N5244477. Altitude 1253m. Pinnacle Biv (a.k.a.
Crinkle Top Biv) is located just below the summit of
Crinkle Top at the northern
end of the Toaroha Range. It can be accessed by a fit party in 7-8 hours from the Kokatahi road end.
Genoa Peak is a 30-40 minute climb from the Biv and the Toaraoha Range
to the South is fairly straightforward travel. Pinnacle is regularly used as stopover on a
tops
circuit around to
Adventure Biv and the Toaroha
Valley.
Access
The track up to Pinnacle Biv turns off the main Kokatahi valley track five minutes before
Boo Boo Hut. Boo Boo Hut is incorrectly marked on the map
and is actually 750m further up the main valley track valley than indicated, at GPS Ref: E1452973/
N5245567. The Pinnacle Biv
track goes up a different spur from that indicated on the map. A sign
in a small clearing marks the turn off. The lower Kokatahi tracks
are quite overgrown
currently and won't be officially recut until the 2011/ 12 summer season. Periodic trimming
and cruise-taping by volunteers has mitigated this somewhat, but the bush is winning currently.
The track climbs through the montane faces onto a broad spur in the alpine scrub zone.
The gradient eases briefly and a short distance futher the route veers South and
sidles over to the next ridge. Snow poles poles lead up from here through a mix of scrub and open
tussock to the Biv.
It is easy to walk past the Biv when dropping down to it from the Toaroha Range tops, due to its
location, below the main ridge of Crinkle Top, and its blue and cream
colour scheme, which doesn't stand out particlarly well in snowy conditions.
When heading down from Pinnacle
to Boo Boo Hut, take care at around 1085m where
there is a patch of bare rock and a snow pole. The route veers sharply left here
into a scrubby gully and across to the next ridge, and it is easy to miss
the turn and continue down the original ridge. At least one party has
ended up down in the Kokatahi this way.
Type
Pinnacle Biv is a 1950's NZFS two-person design, slightly narrower than its counterparts
(about 1.8m across and 3m in length).
There are no mattresses, bunks, or toilet. A tarn just below the Biv provides water.
Condition
Pinnacle was re-painted and resealed by DOC contractors in Autumn 2004.
The door was rotten and instead of
being replaced
was coated with a thick layer of paint to hold it together. The floor
is a bit spongy due to there being only one bearer in the mid section. The bearer
under the door is rotting and a large rock was propped under this and the centre bearer in 2004
for extra support.
Routes
To access the Toaroha Range and
Adventure Biv
head up on to Crinkle Top and along the
flat section of ridge heading towards Genoa Peak. Drop southwards off a small knob
just before the ridge steepens (around E1451068/
N5244300) into the basin below, then up a series of
tussock benches to the low point between Genoa Peak and spot height 1618m.
There are some beautiful tarns and good campsites on the main ridge
back towards Genoa Peak.
Head along the crest of the Range from the low point
over a
couple of steep little knobs just before spot height 1618m. There is a large flat area here
followed by a steepish, rocky
section leading up towards Mt. Reeves.
At around 1650m the ridge flattens and
it is possible to sidle on the Toaroha side over to a tussock bench around E1451308/ N5241013.
There is a steep drop-off from the bench, but a route can be found with a bit of care
down through a system of ridges and gullys in a
SW direction onto the tussock faces
immediately above Adventure Ridge. Good visibility or prior knowledge of the Biv's location is
essential on this section, as Adventure Ridge is not well defined until
just above the Biv and it would be very easy to up down in Median
Creek - not a good spot. A short section of maintained track leads down
the Ridge through
the alpine scrub band
above the Biv.
Allow 5+ hours from Pinnacle to Adventure.
It
is relatively straightforward to get to Top Kokatahi
Hut from the Pinnacle Biv via The Toaroha Range and the poled Zit Saddle route (See
Adventure Biv
route notes).
It is also possible, but of a more challenging order, to get to Crawford
Junction Hut
from Pinnacle Biv down Blue Duck Creek. There
are two sets of waterfalls to negotiate on this route. The first near
the top of the Creek in the tussock zone is reasonably easy to get around
on both sides. A small gorge with waterfall further
down in the alpine/ sub-alpine scrub zone requires a fairly high,
difficult, scrub bash on the TL to get around.
You get back into the Creek down a steep slip
that drops down to the bottom end of the gorge.
From here down it is relatively easy travel and there is a reasonable
ford of the Kokatahi just upstream from the Blue Duck confluence.
Allow 4-6 hours for this route.
Repairs needed
A new door is needed (130 x 51 cm). The front bearer (190cm 4x4) needs replacing and
the Biv would also benefit
from having the single middle bearer replaced by two.
Provisions on site
A hand brush, a billy, and a machete (useless cheap model). Under the Biv there's
an old pick head and two iron anchors.