Yeates Ridge
(Yeates Ridge Hut looking North along the Toaroha Range: Photo
Andrew Buglass 2006)
Maintenance Status
Yeates Ridge is designated as minimal maintenance. The
track to it from the Toaraha valley is non-maintain, but has been kept in reasonable
condition by volunteers, receiving its last trim in December 2010. Some work
was done ot the very bottom end by Andrew Barker in january 2012.
Location
Toaroha catchment. Map BV19.
Grid Ref: E1449075/ N5239244.
Altitude 970m. Yeates Hut is located in open
peaty area
on the lee side of a flat ridgetop the Zit Creek
and Toaroha catchments. It is a great little overnighter, easily accessed from
the Toaroha roadend in a day. There are good views to be had out over the Toaroha
and there is relatively easy tops access from here.
Access
The track to Yeates Ridge turns-off from the Top Toaroha track 30 minutes upriver from Cedar Flat Hut,
just after the Zit Creek ford (Zit Creek can be difficult or unfordable when high). The track
climbs steeply initially up the lower faces of Yeates Ridge. This section
that received a fair bit
of wind damage in 2008 and while the small debris has been cleared, some of the larger
windthrow requires detouring (this isn't too problematic).
Further up the section through the sub-alpine zone is overgrowning with flax, toi toi
and shrubs, which obscure the trail in places.
At around 960m the track emerges from sub-alpine forest onto a tussock bench with scattered tarns.
It follows the bench parallel to the main ridge for a bit, then climbs
up and over and down the lee side to the Hut.
Allow 2-2.5 hours to Yeates Hut from Cedar Flat Hut, or 5-7 hours from the Toaroha roadend.
Type
Yeates is a simple, standard NZFS four-bunk tops hut built in the 1960's.
It has no fireplace, woodburner, or loo, and is unlined. Water can be obtained from a
number of small tarns
in the vicinity, or a small creek just below the Hut. The water sources have been known to
dry up during occasional long fine periods.
Condition
Yeates Hut blew off of its piles in the early 1980's and lay for a while on its side
before being righted
and repaired in 1984. It
was painted and resealed in 2004 and is in good condition currently.
There is one small section of dry rot on the top plate on the western side.
Routes
Access to the Toaroha
Range and Crystal Biv is via a prominent western side spur
of the Toaroha
Range. Yeates Ridge connects with the spur around the 1300m contour. Another fork of the spur leads from here down to
Crystal.
Cross the tussock basin below Yeates Hut
onto a the ridge edge bounding Zit Creek.
head South along the narrow, gently sloping ridge. Intermittent snow poles and short sections of
permolatted track provide access through patches of alpine scrub to the main spur.
A trail with snow poles recut in 2010 leads up through a steep scrub-covered face to the open
tussock at the 1200m mark.
There is a flat area around the 1300m mark where the spur forks. Drop
down the SW branch toward Crystal Biv, which
is visible from near the top. The trip over from Yeates
shouldn't take more than
a couple of hours in good conditions.
Top Kokatahi Hut can be accessed by continuing up the main spur
from the Crystal turnoff onto the Toaroha Range. Head North along the Range
to around E1451479/ N5239437 and drop down the tussock faces into the Kokatahi River just upstream of the Hut.
This route will be snow covered in winter and spring. Allow
four hours for the crossing in good conditions.
To reach Mungo Hut continue South along the
Toaraoha Range to Mt. Chamberlin.
A vertical pitch on the Range to the South of Chamberlin can be
avoided by dropping down onto some rock benches on the Park Stream side and sidling
back onto the ridge further along. Alternately, drop into
the head basin of Chamberlin Creek and sidle across the rock screes back onto the ridge.
From the low point between Mts. Chamberlin and Banantyne it is possible to drop down a
steep scree into the head of Park Stream. It is easy travel down the Park to an
an old NZFS track (recut in 2009 by volunteers) that climbs steeply for 5-10 minutes
up to Mungo Hut. Allow 5-6 hours from Yeates for this route.
Adventure Biv can be accessed from Yeates Ridge and the Toaroha Range. Follow the
crest of the Range
to a point North of Zit Saddle around E1451520/ N5240255. The poled route
from Top Kokatahi crosses over here and drops down a steep tussock face
on the Toaroha side. Follow the poles down onto a narrow rib, then through
a band of scrub into the upper TR branch of Zit Creek. The route exits the TR of the Creek
and traverses a face
with tussock and narrow bands of alpine scrub to Adventure Ridge.
A short section of track leads down the Ridge to the Biv.
Don't try dropping down Zit Creek directly from Zit
Saddle unless you have a rope, a tent, and a spare day up your sleeve. Allow five hours for the
trip from Yeates around to Adventure.
Repairs
The rotten section on the top plate needs replacing. A toilet would be a good
idea here as the hut gets reasonable numbers visiting from Cedar Flat. The surrounding peat
bog has a high water
table an this poses a water supply contamination risk. A roof-fed water tank would
help mitigate this and also provide a back-up
during dry periods.
Provisions on Site
A shovel, a hearth shovel and broom, a full-sized broom, a camp
oven minus lid and a small billy. There are two spare louvre panes under the end bunk.
