Rees - CascadeExperienced
Submitted by Nelson Pearson
Back country - remote
Point to Point (one way)
Mountainous
Native bushRiversideOpen farmlandsOpen tussock/grasslandsOpen ridges/tops
Experienced
Not Suitable (Slow)
12:00 (Moderate)
8:00 (Fast)
-11.6%
+9.1%
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Can be run in either direction.
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Description
This is a fair weather only run. Do NOT attempt during or immediately following any rain. People die on this route after slipping on wet snow grass!
From Muddy Creek carpark, run up the Rees Track. For the first 12.5km, the trail travels up river flats. Follow one of the 4x4 routes through the grass. Boggy sections can be avoided by following the gravel river bank. The track is more clearly formed as it enters beech forest & saddles the narrowing valley wall.
Follow the Rees Track past Slip Flat & Shelter Rock Hut to Rees Saddle at the end of the valley. From Rees Saddle, travel north on the Dart Track for 3km, to Dart Hut.
From Dart Hut, continue north on the Cascade Saddle route towards the top of the Dart River & the Dart Glacier. This section of trail is faint at times, but well marked with cairns & poles. As the trail approaches the Dart Glacier, it sidles up the valley wall towards Cascade saddle via a series of switchbacks before gaining the ridge line at Cascade Saddle. The trail does not descend at Cascade Saddle, but continues south for 2-3km before dropping steeply into the West Matukituki near Aspiring Hut.
From Aspiring Hut, it is 9km of easy travel along 4x4 trails to Raspberry Flat.
Trail Community
Features of interest
Views of the Dart Glacier & Mt Aspiring.
Make Up of Run
Untracked / Route only: 10%
Technical Single Track: 20%
Moderate Single Track: 25%
Easy Single Track: 20%
Farm Road / 4WD Track: 25%
Route Data
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Access
The route starts at the Muddy Creek carpark, located at the end of the Rees Valley Road
DOC parking lots are located at both ends of this route: Start - Muddy Creek carpark Finish - Raspberry Flat carpark. Glenorchy Journeys provides a morning shuttle to the start from Queenstown or Glenorchy. There are a number of shuttle/taxi operators that advertise shuttles between the finish & Wanaka
20 km
45 minutes
No
No
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Staying Safe
Moderate.
Non-existent.
Lightweight fleece top, Long-sleeved thermal top, Seam-sealed waterproof jacket, Gloves, Beanie/thermal headwear, Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Survival bag, Cellphone, Compass, Map, Headtorch and spare batteries, Gaiters.
Plenty of water available in huts & creeks.
This route crosses high, steep passes with avalanche risk. It is best done in late summer. This should only be done in settled weather.
Steep terrain around Cascade Saddle
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