State Highway 73 – Carrington Hut, O'Malley's Track (4–6 hours)

Note: When the Waimakariri River is difficult to cross: This route now requires a crossing of the Waimakariri River above the Anti Crow River area, and therefore is not possible when the rivers are high! The terms "true-left & right" are used in this description, they refer to side of valley always looking downstream or down hill.

Leave State Highway 73 on the true-right of the Waimakariri River, immediately south of the road bridge over the river. A well-marked track (known as O’Malley Track) passes above bluffs to Turkey Flat by Jordan Stream. From here follow pole markers across the flats, staying high to avoid the thorny native matagouri shrubs lower down. Once past the flats, follow the bush edge to Anti Crow Hut (6 bunks). A 400-metre section of track leading to the hut from the end of the flats can be used when the river has pushed into the bluff here. Jordan and Anti Crow streams can be dangerous crossings after very heavy rain.

Continue along the track behind Anti Crow Hut through beech forest. The track crosses a small stream near the foundations of the original Anti Crow Hut. As you reach Anti Crow River, look for a safe place to cross.

The hard rocky knolls you cross are called roche moutonnée (French for sheep's back). Thousands of years ago, when glaciers covered this area, the moving ice of the glacier sculpted these outcrops of hard rock. The track drops down to the Waimakariri riverbed. The Waimakariri has changed course here cutting off access to both ends of the next track section. Find a safe crossing of the river. Do not attempt to cross the river if it is high. Continue following the true-left of the river upstream for about 900 metres, looking for another safe crossing to re-join the track in the river flats prior to Greenlaw Creek, past the bluffs. Follow the track, crossing Greenlaw Creek and Harper Creeks, both are dangerous crossings when they are high. If you are unsure about any of the crossings in this area, it is safest to wait for river levels to drop. Camp or return to the nearest hut if it is safe to do so.

The track beyond Harper Creek is well marked.

As you get closer to Carrington Hut, keep an eye out for the serrated top of Carrington Peak. Just before White River joins the Waimakariri, a short section of marked track leads to Carrington Hut, marked by a large cairn and orange marker.

State Highway 73 – Carrington Hut, via riverbed (4–6 hours)

Note: This route can only be attempted when the Waimakariri River is low.

From the western side of Klondyke Corner a 2 km gravel road leads to the riverbed. The quickest way to Carrington Hut is to head straight up the Waimakariri valley from this point, cutting corners and crossing the river where necessary. Aim for the lower edges of Turkey Flat. From there, either continue up the riverbed, or pick up the track behind Anti Crow Hut or at Anti Crow River.

If you prefer to continue up the riverbed, head towards the high embankment of the Anti Crow River fan, climbing through a rubble filled gully to its top, head north into more open ground, then west, crossing the Anti Crow River before dropping down another steep embankment to the Waimakariri River. Cross the Waimakariri to its true left, aiming upstream towards the two jutting headlands (1.4km). Cross the Waimakariri back to its true-right, and continue towards Greenlaw Creek, picking up the poled track in the river flats beyond. Follow the marked track to Carrington Hut.

Carrington Hut To Waimakariri Falls Hut (4-6 hours one way)

Note: In winter/spring this route passes through extremely dangerous avalanche terrain. The Waimakariri Falls hut is also threatened by three avalanche paths!

From Carrington hut follow the signposted and pole-marked track to the White River (200m). Search for the safest crossing of the White River to its true-left bank (usually not very far above it's confluence with the Waimakariri River). Once across, a pole-marked route follows the true-right bank of the Waimakariri River upstream before entering the forest onto a muddy track. After 500m you pass under the scree of a active winter avalanche chute. The route continues in the forest, eventually breaking out onto the riverbank. The route continues to follow the river, sometimes beside the river, sometimes climbing up screes to sidle along rough (and holed) bush tracks - keep looking out for orange markers and rock cairns. There are a couple of washed out sections of track at steep side creeks that require absolute care; and a section for about 100m where you must travel right beside the river - impossible in high water conditions.

Eventually the route breaks tree-line into alpine scrub and tussock about 700m before you reach the Campbell Creek confluence. The route can be quite vague here, but basically follows beside, or on the river edge. After Campbell Creek the route follows the river flats for about 1km before it begins to pass under the massive bluffs under Carrington Peak. It is recommended to cross the Waimakariri River here to its true-left to avoid potential rockfall from the bluffs. Continue following the river upstream for about 700m to a large bouldery scree slope, and cross back to the true-right.

The route travels very close to the river for a further 400m, before a short steep climb (marked by a marker pole) ascends onto a rough rocky track zig-zagging up the hill; this passes above the spectacular Waimakariri Falls. After 1km of travel the track comes back to the river at a swing-bridge, normally the river is easily forded just below the bridge. A sparsely poled route leads up through rock gullies onto the extensive rock slabs above, the Waimakariri Falls hut is situated in a alpine meadow next to the upper river.

Waimakariri Falls hut is owned by the Canterbury Mountaineering Club. Visit cmc.net.nz to see instructions on how to pay your hut fees!

Waimakariri Falls Hut to SH73 via Waimakariri Col (8-12 hours one way)

Note: This route passes through very active avalanche terrain in winter/spring. Ice-axe and crampons may be required at any time of year. This route should only be attempted when it is knopwn the rivers are low, particularly the Rolleston River.

From the hut follow the upper Waimakariri River upstream on the true-left through the boulder strewn alpine meadows. Aim for the the obvious ravine about 1km upstream. Just before reaching the ravine cross to the true-right and start ascending the rock slabs that lead above the ravine. After several hundred metres you will descend on rubbly scree back towards the river.

Waimakariri Col is the obvious notch between the 1845m & 1955m high points at the head of the valley. HOWEVER, you DO NOT use this saddle to cross into the Rolleston River catchment. Instead head up through easier slopes towards Mt Armstrong and its glacier, aiming for the broad saddle (1780m) to the left of the 1845m point. This saddle can have ice at any time of year. Travel across the saddle and into the head of the steep gully descending from it into the head of the Rolleston River. This down climb can hold ice up until mid summer, and may require ice tools, otherwise take absolute care on the loose rock.

Once safely on the screes, continue down the rocky spur ahead of you to the junction of two creeks (do not follow the creek out to the true-right from the crossing point). From the junction continue downstream. Multiple small waterfalls will be encountered, and you will need to decide how to bypass them safely. Just before the alpine scrub starts on your true-left look for a way upwards on this same side, using a rocky terrace that traverses about 50m above the river, travel is generally easier on this side. A bluff and a rocky scree slope will be met at the end of this traverse, descend back to the Rolleston River. A short distance downstream on the true-right you may see a orange triangle up on the embankment - this indicates the start of the track you MUST follow. Normally a spring rises out of the ground here as well. To continue down river will meet a series of large waterfalls where fatalities have ocurred in the past.

The track is vague, it is not well marked, it sidles the steep hillside above the waterfalls through tangled scrub and rata. After about 1.5km of generally slow travel the track intersects a steep scree gully leading back down to the Rolleston River, not far below an impressive canyon on the river (you may find a large orange triangle attached to tree roots at your feet). Carefully descend the scree, then start boulder hopping down river on the true-right. About 1km downstream start looking for a suitable crossing to the true-left before you get to the Holts Creek confluence, and a blocking cliff on the true-right. Cross Holts Creek and continue along the shingle flats towards the railway bridge. Here you will find a gravel road following the railway line back to SH73 (1.5km).