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

Between the Mungo and Toaroha catchments. Map BV19. Grid Ref: E1450442/ N52354864 (this is 200m West of where it is marked on the Map). Altitude 1200m. Toaroha Biv is located above and West of Toaroha Saddle, between the Toaroha and Mungo valleys. It is on a 4 to 5-day circuit of moderate difficulty that traverses the Toaroha, Mungo and Whitcombe valleys. The Biv is cosy and in good condition and there are superb views of the Main Divide. DOC recut the tracks on the circuit in 2009 and a number of interesting tops trips can be done from the Biv.

Access

Toaroha Biv can be reached in a long day from the Toaroha roadend for fit person travelling fast, although most choose to stop for the first night at Top Toaroha Hut. It is 8-10 hours to Top Toaroha Hut from the roadend, and another 1.5 - 2 hours from here to the Biv.

The track from Top Toaroha Hut wends through a band of alpine scrub, then across an open peaty area to Bannatyne Creek. It crosses to the TR of the Creek, then turns up the TR of a steep little side-creek. There are a couple of small waterfalls to negotiate further up the creek before the route exits on the TL in its head. The trail climbs up onto a tussock bench from where snow poles lead around and down into the upper basin of Bannatyne Creek. Follow the Creek up to where the valley narrows at around E1450689/ N5235024 then veer right up a steep tussock gut on the TL. Snow poles lead up the gut onto the crest of the Range where the Biv is located.

Toaroha Biv is accessed from the Mungo valley up a tops track that branches off the main valley track just after Beta Creek, half an hour upriver from Poet Hut. The track ascends a steep ridge on the TL of Beta Creek and snow poles leading 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 cuurent Biv was built in the early 1980's to replace an existing one 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 that provide drinking 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 with some great tops trips possible. A long, relatively gentle ridge leads up to Mt. Ross and from there it is possible to access to Mullins Basin Hut. There is a thick band of alpine scrub between the upper TR basin of Mullins Creek and the main Basin where the Hut is. There is an easy route through this that starts at the scrub edge at the bottom end of the upper basin, around E1447205/ 5237440N. The entrance is marked with a permolat cross and sporadic cruise tape marks the route that follows a small creek down into the main basin, entering Mullinds Creek 10 minutes upstream from the Hut. Mullins Creek itself drops from the upper into the main basin through an im[assible slotted gorge. Don't attempt to go down this way.

Frisco Hut in the Hokitika can also be accessed via the tops from Toaroha Biv. Head up the ridge towards Mt. Ross and sidle 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 Darby Creek basin. Cross the Creek and climb to the summit of spot height 1510m on the TR of the basin. Drop from here down a prominent SW spur to a tussock bench with tarns at around E1446195/ N5234400. The toilet and part of the roof of Frisco Hut are visible from the lower end of this bench. There is a cruise-taped and lightly trimmed route from here down a steep gut to to the old trackline leading to Frisco Hut. Head downriver from here. Take care that you don't overshoot the track and end up down in the Hokitika.

There is a relatively quick but challenging route to Mungo Hut from Toaroha Biv via Toaroha Saddle and Topo Creek. The Topo has an active, steep scree in its head and two waterfalls in its lower reaches, so care is needed. Drop from the Biv to Toaroha Saddle and head up the ridge towards Mt. Bannatyne. From a flat bench at E1451662/ N5235060 drop into the scree at the head of Topo Creek. The Creek is steep all the way down with loose rock in places. The waterfalls are near the bottom. The top one can be skirted via a narrow scrubby ledge on its TR and the lower one by a scrub-bash on the TL. Once the Park Stream is reached, cross and follow it down to the Mungo River. The track to Mungo Hut starts 100m up the Mungo on the TR and it is a steep 15 minute climb up a ridge to it from the riverbed. Allow around two and a half hours for the journey from the Biv to Mungo Hut.

The Toaroha Range is traversable from the Biv with journeys possible to Top Kokatahi Hut, Crystal Biv, Yeates Ridge and Adventure Biv (See the relevant Hutpages for route notes).

Repairs needed

A door flashing would be a useful addition to stop water getting into the Biv and a repaint will be needed in the medium term. The tie downs need tightening, 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), a billy, two buckets (one aluminium and one 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, a tin of paint, a tin and a large plastic container of turpentine, and two litres of chainsaw? oil.