Routeburn September 2017

Routeburn is definitely impossible at this moment due to heavy snow and high avalanche danger: From avalanche.net.nz : www.avalanche.net.nz/forecasts/detail.as... "Best to stay out of the hills for the next 4 days and let this storm cycle settle. Up to 90cm has fallen in the last 48 hours around the Milford Track area. and a further 1m plus is arriving through a series of fronts and deep low through till Sunday. The FL will lower to 500m by Sunday and see snow to low levels. Visibility will be limited, the new storm snow very reactive, and with the accumulation amounts: big valley floor avalanches can be expected. Through the storm the variability in wind strength and direction will create avalanche hazard on a wide range of aspects and elevations. Expect valley floor avalanches in the deep Fiordland valleys." It will probably remain dodgy for another couple of weeks, possibly longer depending on what storms come through. I can't see it being possible till the very end of the month, maybe sometime in October. Keep a good eye on the weather and avalanche forecasts (see link above) and have a Plan B (Just up to Routeburn Falls and back or in to Howden and back from the divide or from the divide to Howden and down the Greenstone all remain possible)

Thanks for that Ian. Any recommendations for a track during early spring?

As Kreig said, Hollyford to Martins Bay. As I said above, up the Routeburn to Routeburn Falls and back. From the Divide to Howden and back or continue down the Greenstone. Greenstone Caples might be OK later in the month? South Coast of Fiordland around to Port Craig and beyond if you have time. Milford Road is closed due to snow and avalanche danger, unlikely to open before Tuesday, so you can't even get to the Divide or the Hollyford at the moment