Southern Alps Traverse, The Douglas Range

The Douglas range runs from the Aorere valley near Bainham on Golden Bay to the Cobb Reservoir. I was lucky to have Richard Leppard from St Arnaud join me for this section. Richard was a dairy farmer at Kennington before moving to St Arnaud about 13 years ago to run motels and a lodge. He is amazingly fit and great company. We had previously planned to do this but Richard was unwell so we postponed the trip. In October, I had traversed Mt Owen and then, the Wangapeka, Karamea and Leslie Rivers over the Mt Arthur Tableland to the Cobb. The weather then packed up so we returned to Invercargill. On 18^th November, Belinda and I returned to the Cobb and Richard joined me on 19^th. Next day, Belinda drove us around to the start of the track in the Aorere Valley.

It was a long, dry slog up the track and unfortunately we missed the turnoff and carried on up the old logging road to Lookout Knob. Here we picked up an old track to Rocky River and it was awhile before we twigged that we were off route. Retracing our steps to the small clearing on Lookout Knob we bashed through the kanuka to the large trees to the south of us without finding any trace of a track. Then we realised we must have missed a turnoff lower down, so back down the road to the very obvious track heading in a SW direction.

This steadily climbed past Black Cow to Beatham’s Clearing on a ridge. Further on, it climbed the Brown Cow ridge to Cow Saddle at the bushline where there was a glorious view back to Golden Bay. The track then climbed up and right around the side of Brown Cow Peak to a spur where there was a view of Boulder Lake directly to the south of us. This was picture perfect, an isolated lake surrounded by dramatic mountains. It was brilliantly fine under a blue sky as we descended down through beech forest to the lake and walked around it to the empty and modern Boulder Lake hut at 1020m. There we had a pleasant evening and for dinner I had pasta and Blue Vein cheese as a treat after a hard day. 

The next day dawned fine as we set off through chest high tussock towards Green Saddle at the south end of the valley. Luckily it had been a windy night and the tussock was dry. It’s a beautiful area but crossing the tussock plain was a pain. “There is no easy route but it might be better on the hillside” Richard explained. Once clear of the valley floor, the going was much easier on a track up to Green Saddle at 1300m, then a sidle over to another saddle on the left to the start of a rough track under peak 1450m. Further on was a long ridge traverse to peak 1411m. The day was cool with a SW wind. Richard was out in front striding along in his element. We then did another sidle on the east side of the ridge till below the slot of the Needles Eye where a track led upwards into the gap. From here there was a great view into the hanging valley containing Adelaide Tarn and it’s 4-bunk hut. It was an easy descent down to the tarn and around to the hut. Once there, I had a clean-up and washed some clothes. It had taken us just over 4 hours.

We woke early and were away by 6.30 AM. It was another beautiful day as we climbed up the slopes behind the hut to the saddle at 1300m. Here there was a grand view of the jagged Dragons Teeth, the most rugged section of the Douglas range. We studied where we thought the high level route might be and it looked complex and difficult. Without a rope, I thought it might be too difficult for us. The day was hot and dry with little wind. We finally decided to do the Anatoki River and sidle around the Drunken Sailors Peak. This was the route Richard had done previously. It was a straightforward descent down the river on an indistinct track to the 744m level, marked on the map, near a campsite. Here we crossed the river to the TR and walked down to the next tributary coming in on the right. On the TR of this tributary we found a series of cairns that took us easily to the bushline. From here a track went around the Drunken Sailors peak, and descended into a valley on the west side of the ridge to the delightful 4-bunk Lonely Lake Hut. This hut is a work of art, freshly painted yellow with a blue roof, and plywood lined inside with comfortable bunks. The Golden Bay Alpine and Tramping Club had built it. In the hut book I noticed that Henriette Beikirch had done both the high route on the Dragon and also the skyline Traverse, solo. What an amazing woman!

On 23^rd we set off at 5.30 AM just on first light. A track led through bush uphill to the ridge heading south. The day was cool and windy as we tramped along to a rocky peak above the bushline.  Past peak 1610 we sidled on the west side of the next peak to Kakapo Peak. Here we ascended part of the north ridge and then sidled on the west side again to the ridge beyond. More ridge line, some in bush took us to Waingaro Peak where there was a steep descent to the SE side, to a slot in the south ridge that took us down the valley to Fenella Hut. This was in a sheltered clearing and was empty. After lunch we plodded down the valley to Trilobite Hut where Richard had left his car. Just down the valley a little was Belinda’s bus/camper where Richard dropped me off before he headed back to St Arnaud. Later that day B showed up after paddling Lake Peel in her packraft. She had been blown over by the wind 2 days previous and lacerated her leg.

The Douglas Range is without doubt one of the most pleasant ridge walks I’ve done anywhere. It does not get a lot of through travel.  The huts are a delight and in spectacular places. I’m most grateful to Richard to telling me about it and coming along for the stroll.