Mungo Hut

(Mungo Hut looking over to Mt. Bryce and Kai Iwi: Photo Andrew Buglass 2007)

Maintenance Status

Mungo Hut has been designated as minimal maintenance. The main valley route to it is mostly river travel with short tracked sections at key points. These will be "maintained as a marked route" by DOC, and were last cut in 2009.

Location

Hokitika catchment: Grid Ref: E1453218/ N5234720. Map BV19. 840m altitude. Mungo Hut is a 1960's NZFS time capsule, its remote ambience having changed little over time. The Hut is located in a tussock clearing on the ridge between the Mungo River and Park Stream, a 15 minute climb from the River. The clearing is ringed by montane forest; pahautea, pink pine, toa toa, rata, olearia, and nei nei, and the peaks of the Main Divide and Toaroha Range tower above. There are hot springs a short distance downriver from the Hut on the TL, above and below Brunswick Stream. The upper one needs to be dug out and there are a couple of shovels at the hut for this purpose. Mungo Hut is an occasional stopover on Main Divide crossings, receiving 4-5 visits per year currently. It is also a great place to spend a few days hanging out.

Access

Mungo can accessed from the West Coast side by either the Toaroha valley via Toaroha Saddle, or the Whitcombe valley via Frew Saddle, the upper Hokitika basin and the Mungo. From Canterbury there are alpine routes from the Wilberforce River via Hokitika Saddle and Mungo Pass.

Most of an old Forest Service track that used to provide access up the TR of the Mungo from Poet Hut has vanished. The first section however, from the Toaroha Saddle turnoff to Saddle Creek, has been kept maintained and was recut in early 2009. From Poet follow the main valley track upriver for half an hour to the Toaroha Saddle turn off just past Beta Creek. Continue up the main valley to Saddle Creek where the trail drops steeply down to the River. From here it is river travel all the way to Park Stream, marked by cairns and the odd orange triangle. A ford to the TL of the Mungo is required mid-way up the valley where the River cuts in against some bluffs. While not currently problematic at normal flows, the ford is changeable and can on occasions be difficult. It's fairly easy travel up the TL to Brunswick Creek. The Brunswick is fast flowing and care needs to be taken fording it.

From the Brunswick it is around 10 minutes to the swingbridge that crosses back to the TR of the Mungo, and another 10 to Park Stream. The track entrance to the Hut is 100m up the Mungo from the Park confluence and is marked with a large orange triangle. It is a short steep ridge climb of 10-15 minutes to the Hut (this bit was also recut in 2009). Allow 2.5 - 3.5 hours from Poet Hut to Mungo Hut.

If coming down the Mungo from Hokitika Saddle, there is a short section of track starting at around E1453255/ N5234540 leading from the riverbed up to the Hut (the start is incorrectly marked on the Topo map on the TR a small side creek further upriver). It climbs steeply up a dry creekbed, then flattens and meanders through scattered scrub, followed an open boggy area, to the Hut.

There is also a short steep access track from the lower-mid section of Park Stream up to the Hut. Both tracks were recut and marked by volunteers in 2009.

Type

Mungo is a standard, unmodified, four-bunk Forestry hut with open fire. It was built in the mid 1960's to replace the original Mungo Hut built in the 1950's. A small stream close by supplies water. A toilet was built in the early 80's. Firewood needs to be scrounged from dead standing trees or windthrow, although the occasional idiot has dropped a live pahautea (mountain cedar). The wood of this tree, many of which are several hundred years old, does not burn well - a real waste.

Condition

Mungo had its exterior repainted and resealed, some of the framimg and rotten floorboards replaced, and the chimney and fireplace repaired and re-concreted by DOC in 2004.

Routes

The two principle Main Divide crossings that can be accessed from Mungo Hut are Hokitika Saddle and Mungo Pass. To get to Hokitika Saddle, follow the track at the southern end of the Hut clearing down to the Mungo River. Two hours of boulderhopping should get you to the base of the Saddle and a long vertical slot . Tramping guides describe the Saddle as being difficult from the West Coast side, but this is only if it is tackled via the slot. An easier route exists by way of a large steep scree coming in on the TL of the Mungo at around E1455908/ N5235847. Head up the scree, climbing out of it about 2/3 of the way up on the TR (avoiding some steep rock ribs) towards spot height 1850m. It is an easy stroll from here North and down to the Saddle. Mt. Ambrose is an easy climb from here, and the Main Divide traversable to Clarkes Pass and beyond.

If continuing to Canterbury, drop into Griffiths Stream via the prominent spur running NE from spot height 1850m. Alternately you can drop down the creek that directly drains the Saddle. A long but straightforward plod down the Griffiths Stream takes you to the Wilberforce and to Urquharts Hut, an hour upstream from the Unknown confluence. (Allow a full day from Mungo to Urquharts).

Mungo Pass can be accessed from the upper Brunswick Stream via a small side creek on the TR at E1452935/ N5232200. Climb out on the TL of this further up and climb a large easy scree that leads to the Pass. The faces on the Gibson Stream side off Mungo Pass are very steep tussock and bare rock. Once you are in Gibson Stream you can only follow it a short distance down to a small gorge at E1456348/ N5231687. This can be negotiated by a steep climb/ sidle on the TL up behind spot height 1290m. Drop back into the Gibson on the TL of the next side creek, and continue down to the Unknown Stream. (6-8 hours from Mungo Hut).

Mt. Bryce is a fairly easy climb from the head of the Brunswick. There is a vertical rock buttress between Bryce and Kai Iwi that prevents further easy scrambling.

Sir Robert Hut can be accessed via a high-level route over Brunswick Ridge. Head up Brunswick Creek to where a side ridge of Brunswick Ridge meets the Creek at around E1452882/ N5232293. Climb from here onto the main Ridge and head along it until you reach a small saddle at E1451902/ N5231267. Below this is a large scree that feeds a side creek of Sir Robert Creek. It's very steep at the top and the route down onto the main scree needs to be chosen carefully. Once on the scree it's straightforward, although it's active at the top with regular rockfalls. Once you hit Sir Robert Creek it's a reasonably easy boulderhop up to the hut (allow 6-7 hours to get to Sir Robert from Mungo Hut).

There is a faster but reasonably difficult route to Toaroha Saddle Biv from Mungo Hut via Topo Creek and Toaroha Saddle. Topo Creek has two waterfalls in its lower section and a steep scree at its head. The lower fall is just above the Park Stream and can be negotiated by a gnarly scrub bash on the TL. The upper fall can be negotiated via a narrow scrubby ledge on the TR. Above the falls the Creek is steep with lots of shattered rock. The scree at the top leads onto a flat bench above and West of Toaroha Saddle (E1451662/ N5235060). From here it is an easy stroll down to the Saddle, followed by a short climb to the Biv. Allow 2.5 - 3 hours to get from Mungo Hut to the Biv.

There is a nice high-tops route out from Mungo Hut along the Toaroha Range that will get you to Crystal Biv, Yeates Ridge, Adventure Biv, and Top Kokatahi Hut. There is an old track that drops directly from the NW end of the tussock area where the Hut is sited, into Park Stream. Follow the Park up for an hour or so to a large shingle gut that comes in on the true right of the upper Park. This gut leads all the way up onto the Toaroha Range jusy North of the low point between Mts. Bannatyne and Chamberlin. You can either traverse Chamberlin or cut across the upper basin of Chamberlin Creek and back onto the crest of the Range between Chamberlin and point 1809m. Tops travel from here is reasonably straightforward to Yeates, Crystal or Adventure (see relevant route notes for each). Allow around five hours to get to Yeates or Crystal and six plus to Adventure.

Repairs needed

None currently.

Provisions on Site

4 Billies, camp oven, aluminium basin, hearth shovel and hand broom, broom, 2 shovels, axe, handsaw, black polythene, bags of 6", 3" and 2" joltheadnails, 3 rolls of Denzo Tape, 2 spare louvre panes, 1 makeshift ladder, and one long length of 6x2.