CURRENT ALERTS
Didymo in Mingha/Bealey Rivers
Didymo (Didymosphenia geminata), a very invasive fresh water algae has been confirmed in the Bealey and Mingha Rivers (and by default the Waimakariri). DO NOT SPREAD IT TO OTHER CATCHMENTS! Check, clean, then dry any equipment that comes into contact with the water, between every waterway, every time! Treat items that can't be dried with diluted dish wash detergent (10% for 10 minutes). Do not spread this algae into the Deception River, clean your boots, socks, and trousers before crossing Goat Pass! SOBO TA walkers do not spread this algae to the Harper River (Lagoon Saddle track).
Thieves breaking into vehicles
Thieves have been breaking into cars and motor-homes at various car-parks and some camp-sites along SH.73 on a regular basis (day & night). They have been stealing passports, credit cards, money, electronic devices and recreation equipment. Take your absolute valuables with you on the walks, and don't leave other valuable items in plain sight in your vehicle. Report any suspicious activity to Police '111', and note down registration plates of vehicles!
Didymo in Mingha/Bealey Rivers
Didymo (Didymosphenia geminata), a very invasive fresh water algae has been confirmed in the Bealey and Mingha Rivers (and by default the Waimakariri). DO NOT SPREAD IT TO OTHER CATCHMENTS! Check, clean, then dry any equipment that comes into contact with the water, between every waterway, every time! Treat items that can't be dried with diluted dish wash detergent (10% for 10 minutes). Do not spread this algae into the Deception River, clean your boots, socks, and trousers before crossing Goat Pass! SOBO TA walkers do not spread this algae to the Harper River (Lagoon Saddle track).
Thieves breaking into vehicles
Thieves have been breaking into cars and motor-homes at various car-parks and some camp-sites along SH.73 on a regular basis (day & night). They have been stealing passports, credit cards, money, electronic devices and recreation equipment. Take your absolute valuables with you on the walks, and don't leave other valuable items in plain sight in your vehicle. Report any suspicious activity to Police '111', and note down registration plates of vehicles!
Arthur's Pass National Park - Goat Pass Route
Time: 2 days
Difficulty: Marked track, some unmarked route sections, many river crossings
Huts: Mingha Bivoauc (2 bunks), Goat Pass Hut (20 bunks, no fireplace), Upper Deception Hut (6 bunks)
Features: Beech forest, rainforest, alpine pass, Side trip to alpine lake (see below)
Route Guides: Deception - Mingha route (west - east) (1.7MB) (PDF 1.65MB)
Mingha - Deception route (east - west) (1.7MB)
Location: This route starts from the Morrison footbridge across the Otira River 20 km north of Arthur's Pass village, and returns to Greyneys Shelter 5km south of Arthur's Pass village.
Difficulty: Marked track, some unmarked route sections, many river crossings
Huts: Mingha Bivoauc (2 bunks), Goat Pass Hut (20 bunks, no fireplace), Upper Deception Hut (6 bunks)
Features: Beech forest, rainforest, alpine pass, Side trip to alpine lake (see below)
Route Guides: Deception - Mingha route (west - east) (1.7MB) (PDF 1.65MB)
Mingha - Deception route (east - west) (1.7MB)
Location: This route starts from the Morrison footbridge across the Otira River 20 km north of Arthur's Pass village, and returns to Greyneys Shelter 5km south of Arthur's Pass village.
Note: The route description here is purposely described starting on the western side of the Alps (Deception River), and ending on the eastern side. This route has many river crossings, and the most treacherous of these is in the Deception Valley. Starting at the lower Deception River meets the most dangerous crossings first, and you should be able to make an informed decision about the viability of the route here, rather than coming down the Deception River to discover the lower river is not crossable! Certainly the Mingha River can still pose river crossing challenges in poor weather, but you have two huts to shelter in between the worse crossings and wait until the river level lowers.For those wanting to travel east to west see the route guides above. The terms "true-left & right" are used in this description, they refer to side of valley always looking downstream or down hill.
Morrisons footbridge – Deception River – Goat Pass Hut (8-9 hours one way)
From SH73 Morrisons footbridge crosses the Otira River. Follow the marked route through river flats on the true-right of the Deception River until the river narrows about 1.5km upstream of the bridge. From here cross to the true-left and continue upstream. The route up the Deception valley crosses the river numerous times (20 - 30) with travel mostly being in the riverbed, although there are some marked tracked sections.
After travelling upstream for about 11km, a prominent creek (Dorreen Creek) joins the Deception River on the true-left. A marked track begins here on the true-right of Dorreen Creek. A further kilometre on from Dorreen Creek the track re-emerges beside the river. Cross here and be sure to spot the orange marker on the other side indicating the location of the Upper Deception Hut.
From the Upper Deception Hut the route involves scrambling and boulder-hopping up the riverbed and through adjacent bush (sometimes on distinct sections of track that may be marked) for around 1 hour, before a final crossing of the Deception River (on the true-left). At this point you leave the Deception River to scramble up a steep side stream for about 500m to reach Goat Pass Hut. The hut has a radio linked to Arthur's Pass Visitor Centre. Calls can be made during office hours, 7 days a week, for weather forecasts and information. Goat Pass has no fireplace and can be extremely cold.
Goat Pass Hut – Mingha River – Greyneys Shelter (5 hours one way)
From the hut the track passes through subalpine scrub whilst crossing over Goat Pass (1070m), mostly on boardwalk, before descending to the headwaters of the Mingha River. Cross the river (this crossing is very bouldery & swift) and follow the marked track on the true-right to reach Mingha Bivouac.
For the next 3km the track undulates through bush before it steepens for a short section to reach Dudley Knob. The track passes through bush for another 1km, sidling high above the Mingha Gorge before emerging onto the expansive flats of the lower Mingha River. The river is crossed to the true-left shortly before a major side-stream joins.
Continue heading downstream for about 2km, crossing back to the true-right. A well trodden and pole-marked track is found along the river flats. This leads to your final river crossing of the Bealey River. Always cross above the confluence of the Mingha and Bealey Rivers to reduce the water flow.Follow a pole-marked 4WD track beside the railway leading you to a pedestrian tunnel under the railway. This brings you to SH73 with the Greyneys Shelter car park across the highway.
Those running the Coast to Coast need to continue along the Bealey riverbed for a further 2–3km to come out at Klondyke Corner.
Side Trip: Goat Pass Hut to Lake Mavis (4-5 hours return)
Note: This trip should only be undertaken in perfectly fine weather, with no snow on the slopes above Goat Pass. This route passes through very active avalanche terrain in winter/spring.
From Goat Pass hut make your way up onto Goat Pass proper, follow the track for about 100m until a scree slope is seen on the true-left (east side); a small cairn of rocks is beside the track at this point. Go to the scree slope and climb it on its true-left side (south), there are "pigeon holes" in the slope here that assist in the steepening climb. Where the scree slope narrows considerably, and becomes more bouldery above, sidle out and upwards through the scrub covered hillside on the true-left (south side). As you sidle around the hillside becomes less steep and more open, cairns of rocks then lead you upwards into broad scree/tussock slopes, continue following the cairned route across a couple of gullies, and along open spurs, eventually Lake Mavis will come into sight in its deep alpine cirque (1590m ASL). Return exactly the same way! Do not be tempted to follow the outlet stream of Lake Mavis, it leads into a series of heavily waterfalled gullies.
Morrisons footbridge – Deception River – Goat Pass Hut (8-9 hours one way)
From SH73 Morrisons footbridge crosses the Otira River. Follow the marked route through river flats on the true-right of the Deception River until the river narrows about 1.5km upstream of the bridge. From here cross to the true-left and continue upstream. The route up the Deception valley crosses the river numerous times (20 - 30) with travel mostly being in the riverbed, although there are some marked tracked sections.
After travelling upstream for about 11km, a prominent creek (Dorreen Creek) joins the Deception River on the true-left. A marked track begins here on the true-right of Dorreen Creek. A further kilometre on from Dorreen Creek the track re-emerges beside the river. Cross here and be sure to spot the orange marker on the other side indicating the location of the Upper Deception Hut.
From the Upper Deception Hut the route involves scrambling and boulder-hopping up the riverbed and through adjacent bush (sometimes on distinct sections of track that may be marked) for around 1 hour, before a final crossing of the Deception River (on the true-left). At this point you leave the Deception River to scramble up a steep side stream for about 500m to reach Goat Pass Hut. The hut has a radio linked to Arthur's Pass Visitor Centre. Calls can be made during office hours, 7 days a week, for weather forecasts and information. Goat Pass has no fireplace and can be extremely cold.
Goat Pass Hut – Mingha River – Greyneys Shelter (5 hours one way)
From the hut the track passes through subalpine scrub whilst crossing over Goat Pass (1070m), mostly on boardwalk, before descending to the headwaters of the Mingha River. Cross the river (this crossing is very bouldery & swift) and follow the marked track on the true-right to reach Mingha Bivouac.
For the next 3km the track undulates through bush before it steepens for a short section to reach Dudley Knob. The track passes through bush for another 1km, sidling high above the Mingha Gorge before emerging onto the expansive flats of the lower Mingha River. The river is crossed to the true-left shortly before a major side-stream joins.
Continue heading downstream for about 2km, crossing back to the true-right. A well trodden and pole-marked track is found along the river flats. This leads to your final river crossing of the Bealey River. Always cross above the confluence of the Mingha and Bealey Rivers to reduce the water flow.Follow a pole-marked 4WD track beside the railway leading you to a pedestrian tunnel under the railway. This brings you to SH73 with the Greyneys Shelter car park across the highway.
Those running the Coast to Coast need to continue along the Bealey riverbed for a further 2–3km to come out at Klondyke Corner.
Side Trip: Goat Pass Hut to Lake Mavis (4-5 hours return)
Note: This trip should only be undertaken in perfectly fine weather, with no snow on the slopes above Goat Pass. This route passes through very active avalanche terrain in winter/spring.
From Goat Pass hut make your way up onto Goat Pass proper, follow the track for about 100m until a scree slope is seen on the true-left (east side); a small cairn of rocks is beside the track at this point. Go to the scree slope and climb it on its true-left side (south), there are "pigeon holes" in the slope here that assist in the steepening climb. Where the scree slope narrows considerably, and becomes more bouldery above, sidle out and upwards through the scrub covered hillside on the true-left (south side). As you sidle around the hillside becomes less steep and more open, cairns of rocks then lead you upwards into broad scree/tussock slopes, continue following the cairned route across a couple of gullies, and along open spurs, eventually Lake Mavis will come into sight in its deep alpine cirque (1590m ASL). Return exactly the same way! Do not be tempted to follow the outlet stream of Lake Mavis, it leads into a series of heavily waterfalled gullies.