Mikonui Biv

(Mikonui Biv looking across to Remarkable Peak: Photo Andrew Buglass 2005)

Maintenance Status

Mikonui Spur Biv and the track to it are designated as fully maintain. The Biv was completely rennovated in 2004, but the track hasn't been cut for some years and is getting very overgrown.

Location

Mikonui catchment: Grid Ref: E1431895/ N5233867. Map BV18. 1130m altitude. Mikonui Biv is located in the tussock zone on Mikonui Spur between the Dickson and Mikonui catchments. It can be accessed in a day from the Mikonui roadend and Mt. Bowen is a relatively easy climb from here. There are superb views of Remarkable Peak, the coastal plains and the Tasman Sea. Mikonui Biv continues to attract a steady, low-level stream of visitors despite the poor track conditions.

Access

The track top Mikonui Spur starts around a 1/2 hour up the Mikonui River from Mikonui Flat Hut. The entrance is on the TR of the Dickson River 20m up from an old deer pen at the Mikonui confluence, and is marked with cairns and permolat. The track sticks close to the River's edge initially. Some bits have been scoured out, requiring detours through the scrub. A large slip at the mouth of the Dickson Gorge has taken out a section of track where it begins to climb. There is a rough trail on the TR of the slip marked with the odd bit of cruise tape. This reconnects with the track further up.

The trail flattens and crosses a terrace to the lower faces of Mikonui Spur. It commences climbing and is vague and hard to follow initially. The trail becomes easier to follow as the Spur becomes better defined. At around 850m the Spur flattens, veers NE, then SE with an extended montane/ sub-alpine section. The track is very overgrown in places here, although there is some cruise tape that suppliments the gaps in the permolat. The ridge ascends steeply through the alpine scrub zone, then flattens in an area of tussock and scattered alpine scrub. The route drops into a tussock gully and follows up this for a short stretch before exiting and climbing up through a band of alpine scrub to the Biv. Allow 5-6 hours from Mikonui Flat Hut to the Biv.

There is a track marked on the very old maps from the junction of the Mikonui River and Explorer Creek up to the Biv. This probably no longer exists in a usable form.

Type

Mikonui Biv is a standard, two-person NZFS late-1950's design. There are no bunks, mattresses or toilet. A tarn supplies fresh water.

Condition

DOC replaced the piles and roof and painted and sealed the exterior of the Biv in 2004.

Routes

Mt. Bowen is a relatively easy climb from the Biv. The route passes through scattered alpine scrub initially, then open tussock and scree. There are great views from the summit and there is access from here to Miserable and Misty Ridges, and Noisy Creek basin via Sentinel Peak. There was an old NZFS track from Rapid Creek in the Hokitika up onto Miserable Ridge, but I don't know if this is still useable. Another old track up from Explorer Hut onto a side spur of Miserable Ridge had some work done on it by volunteers in 2009. There is now a good route taped and cut to within about 100 vertical (800 lineal) meters of the tussock. The last bit will still be overgrown, but probably useable.

From the summit of Bowen you can drop down to Misty Ridge to Mt. Browne. There is an old tops track from here down to Rapid Creek, which is still OK albeit overgrown in patches. A bit of informal trimming and marking was done on it in 2008.

There is a route off Bowen to Noisy Creek basin and and a track from here down to the Cropp junction (Noisy Biv was removed in November 2005). The track has been redesignated as fully maintain, although currently uncut, and still OK to use. It is a little overgrown and indistinct in the mid section and a slip has removed a couple of hundred metres of it here. The track is difficult to relocate below the slip, and near the bottom there is a fair bit of windthrow from the winter storms of 2008.

The old NZFS track from the Noisy Creek tops down into the Cropp Basin is very overgrown and nigh impossible to follow in its mid section. DOC won't be recutting this route. There is however, access from Mt. Bowen into the Cropp basin via Sentinel Peak, Dickson Pass and Douglas Gully. The ridge down from Sentinel Peak to Dickson Pass is steep and ices up when covered in snow.

Tops traverses to Healey Spur Hut and Tuke Hut are possible via Dickson Pass and Galena Ridge. A sidle under Remarkable Peak's North face on the Cropp basin side is required for this.

Repairs

No recent reports of any being required.

Provisions on site

The ubiquitous DOC hearth shovel and brush. One hammer.