Butler Range

The Butler Range was probably named by Charles Douglas in the late 1890s after John Butler of
Whataroa. In the 1940s, it was also referred to as the Peaks of the Mist Range, and is still sometimes
referred to as the North Butler Range to distinguish it from peaks above the South Branch. Many
peaks on the Butler Range weren’t climbed until the late 1940s, reflecting their isolation and difficulty
of access rather than the peaks themselves. Rock ribs leading to Mt Whataroa from the north have
received some recent climbing activity. The upper Hughes Stream and the spur on its true right offer
options for a crossing from the Butler to the Perth, but the scrub zone is not good.
From the upper Butler Valley above Ice Lake, the Whataroa Glacier is usually accessed up the gully
running east from the lower Shackleton Glacier. This snow or gravel gully drains the very southern
end of the Whataroa Glacier.
South Butler Range
Although unofficial, the ridge from King Peak to Mt Huss has been frequently referred to as the South
Butler Range for more than 70 years. It is not shown so on current maps. Over successive climbs this
southern range has now all been traversed, from Pt 2020 metres through to the Main Divide at Mt
Huss.