Toaroha Saddle Biv
(Toaroha Saddle Biv: Photo Andrew Buglass 2007)
Maintenance Status
Toaroha Saddle Biv and its access tracks are designated as
fully maintain.
Location
Mungo and Toaroha catchments.
Grid Ref: E1450442/ N52354864 (200m West of where it is marked on the Topo Map). Map BV19.
Altitude 1200m. Toaroha Biv is located above and West of Toaroha Saddle, between
the Toaroha and Mungo valleys.
It is part of a 4 to 5-day circuit of moderate difficulty linking the Toaroha,
Mungo and Whitcombe valleys.
DOC recut the tracks on the circuit in and the Biv is cosy and in good
condition. There are superb views of the main divide from the Saddle
and a number of interesting tops trips can
be done from here.
Access
It is possible to get to Toaroha
Biv in a long day from the Toaroha roadend if you are fit and fast,
although most would find the journey to Top Toaroha Hut a suffient day's exertion.
Allow 8-10 hours to Top Toaroha Hut, and another 1.5 - 2 hours from here to the Biv.
A track leads from Top Toaroha Hut through the alpine scrub
and across an open peaty area to Bannatyne Creek. The route crosses to the TR
of the Creek and turns off up a steep little side-creek. There are a couple of small
waterfalls to navigate before the route exits the TL of the head of the creek
onto a tussock bench. Snow poles lead from here around and down
into the upper basin of Bannatyne Creek. The Creek is then followed to where
the valley narrows at around E1450689/ N5235024. Snow poles lead from here
up a steep tussock gut on the TL. The Biv is the crest of the Range
at the top of this gut.
Toaroha Biv is accessed from the Mungo side via a tops track
that branches off the main valley track just after Beta Creek, half an hour
upriver from Poet Hut. The trail ascends
a steep ridge on the TL of Beta Creek. Snow poles lead from the scrub edge
up the tussock faces to the Biv (Allow 2.5 to 3 hours
from Poet Hut to the Biv, or 3-4 days
from the Hokitika roadend via Frews Saddle and the upper Hokitika).
Type
The existing Biv was built in the early 1980's to replace an older model
built in the 1960's.
It has enough room to walk at a stoop and there are small
upper and lower bunks with mattresses at the far end. The Biv is lined
with tar paper. It is resting on wooden blocks rather than piles, and is
held in place by guy wires. There are a couple of small tarns just down from the
ridge on the Mungo side providing water.
Condition
Toaroha Biv was repainted in
2003. Water is getting in under the door and and rust streaks are starting to show
through the paint in places, mainly on the roof.
The tie downs are slack and need tightening.
Routes
The Diedrich and Toaroha Ranges are easily accessible
from the Biv and there are some great tops trips possible.
A long, relatively gentle ridge leads up
to Mt. Ross with routes from there to Mullins Basin Hut. There
is a thick band of alpine scrub between the upper TR basin and the main Basin
where the Hut is.
There is an easy route through starting
at the tussock/ scrub boundary around E1447205/ 5237440N at the bottom
end of the upper basin. This is marked with a permolat cross and some
cruise tape. It follows a small creek
down into the main basin, emerging about 10 minutes
upstream from the Hut. Some cruise-taping has been done
on this route.
Mullins Creek drops from the upper basin into the main
one through a spectacular, slotted gorge. Don't attempt to go down this way.
Frisco Hut in the
Hokitika can be accessed relatively easily from Toaroaha Biv. Ascend
the ridge towards Mt. Ross,
sidling West off it at a dip just after
spot height 1524m. Follow the 1500m contour line more or less
to a flattish area at E1447605/ N5234895 above Darby Creek. Drop from here
down a wide rocky gut into the upper Darby basin. Cross and climb to the
summit of spot height
1510m on the TR of the basin.
Drop from here down the main SW
spur to a tussock
bench with tarns at around E1446195/ N5234400.
In fine weather the toilet and part
of the roof of Frisco Hut are visible from edge of the bench.
From the bottom edge of the bench a steep gut drops down a scrub face to
to the old trackline leading to Frisco Hut. This route is lightly trimmed and
cruise-taped and opens out lower down. The old track to Frisco
exits on the TR. Take care that you don't overshoot it and end up down
in the Hokitika.
There is a relatively quick, albeit challenging route
to Mungo Hut
from Toaroha Biv via the tops and Topo Creek. The
Topo has a steep loose scree and rock in its head and two waterfalls in the lower reaches,
so this route is not for the inexperienced.
Drop from the Biv to Toaroha Saddle and continue along the crest of the Range towards
Mt,. Bannatyne. From a flat bench at E1451662/ N5235060, drop down the steep scree into
the head of Topo Creek.
The creek proper is also steep with loose rock.
The waterfalls are near the bottom and the top one
can be skirted via a narrow scrubby ledge on its TR. A gnarly little scrub-bash
on the TL takes you down around the
lower fall, which is just above Park Stream.
Cross the Park and follow it down to the Mungo River. The track
to Mungo Hut is 100m up the Mungo on the TR. It is a short steep 15 minute climb
from the riverbed up to the Hut.
Allow around two and a half hours for the journey from the Biv to Mungo Hut.
A traverse of the Toaroha Range is
possible from Top Toaroha Biv, via Mts. Bannatyne and Chamberlin and
provides access to Top Kokatahi
Hut,
Crystal Biv,
Yeates
Ridge and Adventure Biv (See the relevant Hutpages
for route notes).
Repairs needed
Adding a door flashing would stop water getting in underneath. A repaint will need
to be carried out in the medium term, and the
tie downs tightened. The latter is particularly important as the Biv is only resting
on wooden blocks.
Provisions on site
Two old NZFS food bins, a kero cooker under the bunk (the top of the feeder
bottle leaks apparently), 1 billy, 2 buckets (1 aluminium, 1 plastic),
an aluminium wash basin, a few nails and bits of permolat, two panes of louvre glass, a broom,
an old NZFS first aid kit, some odds and sodds of wood, 1 tin of paint, 1 tin and 1 large plastic
container of turpentine, and 2 litres of engine oil.