Description

This classic 2-3 day tramping route is a superb and relatively straightforward summertime run in a spectacular alpine setting. From the car park, run up valley and cross the river and run up the forested North Temple valley (<1 hour) which is walled in by an impressive and forbidding cirque. In the corner (on your left) is an obvious narrow gully that leads steeply up to 'Gunsight Pass' (1900m) and which is a pleasant sustained climb, easier than it looks, with great views from the top.

Descend steep but runnable scree on the south side, tending right, and further down boulder hop down the rocks that form a path between scrub in the upper valley - watch out for a marked track (markers, cairns) initially on the true right leads through scrub sections and then forest tracks and open riverbed. The South Temple hut is situated on a terrace on the true right of the valley near where the river makes a sweeping turn to the left. From the hut, it's a cruisy run out through the forest track by the river and back to the start.

Features of interest

The remote north valley has an impressive cirque at its head; spectacular views during the crossing to the gentler south branch (which has a hut).

Make Up of Run

Untracked / Route only: 25%

Technical Single Track: 45%

Moderate Single Track: 30%

Route Data