The head of the Wanganui River divides into the Evans River, which leads to Full Moon Saddle and the Bracken Snowfield, and Vane Stream.
Evans River and Glacier
From Smyth Hut, a roughly marked track leads up the true left of the Wanganui to the Evans Vane junction, sometimes on the riverbed, sometimes in scrubby forest nearby. Vane has a dodgy crossing between big boulders a short way up from the river, and a safer crossing about 20mins further up on a gravel bottom. To continue up the Evans, follow the true left, sidling in open scrub along the banks as necessary. Travel is generally straight forward, leading to extensive gravel flats and campsites in the upper valley. Moraine boulders lead more steeply up the Evans Glacier.
Vane Stream
In low flow Vane Stream can be crossed fairly easily near the junction with the Evans River, but there is a safer crossing with a gravel bottom between boulders, about 30mins upstream. Travel is reasonably okay on the true left of the Evans River, with little scrub-bashing.
Bracken Snowfield
The Bracken offers good glacier travel from the Ramsay Glacier to Full Moon Saddle and, in spring and summer, good access down to the Evans and Wanganui Rivers. Alternative routes on and off the snowfield include the Katzenbach Ridge, giving access to McKenzie Col, Seddon Stream and the Waitaha; and the Barron Glacier and nearby Sale Glacier leading towards Whitcombe Pass.
Routes
Reference | Title | Grade | Length | Pro | Quality | Operations |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Katzenbach Ridge | ||||||
BG | Barron Glacier | |||||
SG | Sale Glacier |
in association with the Canterbury Mountaineering Club