Thread: Main Divide crossing

Sorry to disappoint, it’s not an epic story.

But I’m thinking I need an epic adventure, and the idea of hunting my way across the main divide seems like it may be a good idea.
I don’t want to do a Duley type mission that requires ice climbing up ice cliffs, but maybe that’s unrealistic?

So any advice or idea about routes, time of year etc, would be appreciated

Cheers M

Up the Poulter through all the country the South Island Rifle Walkers hunt, over the tops in to the Taramakau and townsend Hut, down in to the Taramakau and pick a leading ridge up onto the Mt Dixon area, then down the Trent to Waikiti Downs. Lots of good stag and chamois country, no glaciers or ice. And the Mt Dixon ridgeline between the Taramakau and the Trent is the old high country route that the big stags use to travel and then further down in to the Rakaia.

Or up the Wilbeforce, in to Griffiths Steam, pick a saddle, Griffiths, Clarkes, or Hokitika and over in to the Mungo. Then either head south to Frews and in to the Hokitika, or north and over in to the Kokatahi and out.

Or up the Mathias, to Frews Saddle or kea Pass and in to the Hokitika.

Brodrick pass from North Huxley? A easy pass

I enjoyed the Rakaia/Whitcombe/Hokitika a few years back.

Originally Posted by LBD

I enjoyed the Rakaia/Whitcombe/Hokitika a few years back.

Yip that’s one I’d like to do

Start Otira, up the Taramakau, cross through Harper’s Pass and down the Hurunui river ?


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Originally Posted by outdoorlad

Yip that’s one I’d like to do

Allow a couple of extra days on your plan to wait for swollen rivers to drop.... but yes a really neat trip.

Originally Posted by Husky1600#2

Up the Poulter through all the country the South Island Rifle Walkers hunt, over the tops in to the Taramakau and townsend Hut, down in to the Taramakau and pick a leading ridge up onto the Mt Dixon area, then down the Trent to Waikiti Downs. Lots of good stag and chamois country, no glaciers or ice. And the Mt Dixon ridgeline between the Taramakau and the Trent is the old high country route that the big stags use to travel and then further down in to the Rakaia.

Or up the Wilbeforce, in to Griffiths Steam, pick a saddle, Griffiths, Clarkes, or Hokitika and over in to the Mungo. Then either head south to Frews and in to the Hokitika, or north and over in to the Kokatahi and out.

Or up the Mathias, to Frews Saddle or kea Pass and in to the Hokitika.

@Husky1600#2 your 1st suggestion of dropping into the Waikite via the upper Poulter sounds extremely dangerous for a solo walk about.Extreme care required as that route puts you perriously close to the Cooperites mob @ Gloriavale.Avoid at all costs as they may want to save your soul.Stick to the monkey scrub of the Frews Saddle as a safer bet

Originally Posted by Hopkins

Brodrick pass from North Huxley? A easy pass

I was going to suggest that one. I've ventured into the North Huxley when winter was fading and looked up at the pass thinking it would be great to go up and over in the absence of snow and ice.

Great thread, I need to get fitter . . . .

I saw this a few days ago and it might be of interest https://danielmurray.nz/a-brief-guid...-passes-route/

Originally Posted by Shamus_

I saw this a few days ago and it might be of interest https://danielmurray.nz/a-brief-guid...-passes-route/

That fella does some amazing photography work in the back country, couple of really epic trips on the yoochoob.

Just remembered a great tool for working out if a pass is doable and finding notes on peoples trips - https://www.routeguides.co.nz/

I'm a bit of a gunner for big expedition trips (gunner do one some day) and every now and then when I see a valley or a pass on a map and wonder if it's walkable I check on route guides.

Originally Posted by Dicko

Start Otira, up the Taramakau, cross through Harper’s Pass and down the Hurunui river ?


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That's the easiest crossing point

In reality it would have been a vastly easier route for the road that the Arthurs Pass
But further north of the existing town of Christchurch

Originally Posted by Dicko

Start Otira, up the Taramakau, cross through Harper’s Pass and down the Hurunui river ?


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Might be a bit of a highway now being part of the Te Araroa trail, I went through there in March a few years ago and it was fairly busy

I’d also planning a main divide mission. Assuming it’s a one way route what is the normal way to get back to your car? Walk back, hitch back, chopper back, swap with someone doing the reverse route?