Thread: Ahuriri to huxley out to the hopkins

Hi all,just wanting to know if any one out there has done this walk and if so how did you find it,time frame etc.thanx

I have only been into Huxley form the Hopkins and back out. Easy and very scenic walk. Can't remember times but in and out was an easy day walk. Beautiful area.

Been to the head of the Ahuriri just below v notch pass and also into the sth Huxley at the start of the month but never over the pass.
Wouldn't want to do it at this time if year without serious winter alpine skills

Did V Notch Pass probably 10-12 years ago the other way - up the Huxley, over V Notch then sidled around and dropped into the South Temple and back out to the Hopkins that way. Cool trip.

From memory it was a fairly long day from South Huxley Biv to where we camped in the upper South Temple (near where the stream from Gunsight Pass joins the South Temple). Very clagged-in low visibility over the tops made for some navigation skills needed to go up and down in the right right places.

Agreed that doing it in winter conditions will need alpine skills and knowledge of avalanche hazard etc.

Yeah agree with that,was thinking more like a mid march trip,im layed up at the mo and are pawing over maps to get through the day.

Bloody neat trip @Skipton butch - I'd never thought of that one but its right up there on my list now . . . . keep looking and tell us if you see any other trip ideas like it.

I'm just getting set up for "thru hunts" where one starts in one valley and finishes in another, hitching back to the truck with rifle taken down and stowed in the pack. Tried it out with a 900M climb last weekend (with @akaroa1 ) and although the old body took a few days to come right "the head" was ready to go again right away!!

A few options if you wanted to do a bit more of a round trip and not end up 60+km road travel from your car. These options I mention are going the opposite way you mention and end back in the Hopkins but you could do them either way. Some have no routes at all but with a bit of research off the net you can see what others have done.
Option one - Once you get to Shamrock Hut in the Ahuriri, cross the river and head up Watson stream (stunning little valley) and into the side creek that flows from the east and over into the Maitland. You need permission from the land holder at the bottom of the Maitland. There may be even an option to head further up Watson stream and over into the Sth Temple, not sure if this can be done but looks possible on a map with a bit of a scramble on the Temple side.
Option 2 and 3 - Head further down the Ahuriri to Brichwood, then up Snowy Gorge creek and again over into the Maitland or head up to Dumb-ball lake and down the Ohau skifield road.
Option 4, head further down the Ahuriri and up the Ahuriri East branch on the Te Arahoa trail and out a couple of km south of Ohau Ski field.
Hope that gives you some food for thought

Like the sound of those options,was going to arrange pickup at the hopkins,thanx forthe food for thought.

Man that whole area is cool, for some reason I'd never heard of the Brodrick Pass, now thats on the list too . . . thanks for the inspiration guys

I have been up Watson and down the Maitland. Also went over the Ohau ski field and out the Maitland. Not big missions but a good walk.

Yeah Brodrick is cool, I've been up the pass and most of the way up Mt MacKenzie beside it but never dropped over the other side into the Landsborough.

Have often thought it would be an epic loop up the Hopkins and Elcho, over Elcho pass, down the Landsborough and back over Brodrick and down the Huxley. Would be some hard yards and probably take about a week.

PS if coming down the Huxley from Brodrick Hut, as long as the river isn't up high then its quicker and easier to boulder-hop down the riverbed instead of following the track above the river.

I looked at doing Broderic/Elcho passes about 10 years ago but Elcho looked pretty nasty so ended up doing the 3 passes or the sometimes called the poor mans Routeburn. Over Sugarloaf, Park pass and North Col. Epic round trip. There is a also a longer 5 passes trip, Sugarloaf pass, Park pass, Cow saddle, Fiery col, Fohn saddle

Yip 5 passes is a great trip, definitely recommend that one.

If you're keen on V Notch Pass but only have a weekend free then have a crack at Gunsight Pass between the North and South Temple, makes a good loop. Do it from North Temple to South Temple, it would be much less fun going the other way.

Now you've got me looking at old photos and reminiscing again, gotta get back out into the backcountry more often!

walked to the forks of huxley from ram hill once.... with a 400km/h headwind.... too fuckin ages and rightly so my legs were cooked.. climbed around the mountains in weak attempt to reach tops, ended up seeing deers on the flats so hunted a yearling for meat and got some nice photos of a spiker! big valley, sick landscape

Originally Posted by possum_shooter

A few options if you wanted to do a bit more of a round trip and not end up 60+km road travel from your car. These options I mention are going the opposite way you mention and end back in the Hopkins but you could do them either way. Some have no routes at all but with a bit of research off the net you can see what others have done.
Option one - Once you get to Shamrock Hut in the Ahuriri, cross the river and head up Watson stream (stunning little valley) and into the side creek that flows from the east and over into the Maitland. You need permission from the land holder at the bottom of the Maitland. There may be even an option to head further up Watson stream and over into the Sth Temple, not sure if this can be done but looks possible on a map with a bit of a scramble on the Temple side.
Option 2 and 3 - Head further down the Ahuriri to Brichwood, then up Snowy Gorge creek and again over into the Maitland or head up to Dumb-ball lake and down the Ohau skifield road.
Option 4, head further down the Ahuriri and up the Ahuriri East branch on the Te Arahoa trail and out a couple of km south of Ohau Ski field.
Hope that gives you some food for thought

Ha'ha possum-shooter, reading this has quite literally got me going eh.
These areas you've mentioned and the routes from one to another etc, are the same I once used when doing my bit for the Government.
They were magic areas back then and I would imagine that the odd big boy,be it Thar or red would have to be holed up somewhere.
Damn good bit of imfo you put