Branch Stream Route

Via Clarence Valley. Park your 4WD vehicle near fertiliser bins at 640m at an airstrip near Branch Cottage. Head west to a tributary of Branch Stream, follow an old farm track, then ascend a tussock slope with regenerating totara to gain a scree ridge on the true left of Branch Stream. At about 1450m, before the first rocky knobs on ridge, descend a large scree slope to the stream. Alternatively, sidle at about 1300m to the scree slope. Then climb a tussock ridge, heading north-west, and sidle into a good campsite at 1500m (map ref. O30/671108). Follow the gully and couloir at its head onto the south-west ridge, thence the normal Staircase Stream routes to the summit. (NB: don't descend the ridge between central and southern branches of Branch Stream - it ends in steep cliffs, or is guarded by dense scrub).