Gorgeous up there. A nice day circuit is from Fenella, across the base of Xenicus, up Mt Gibbs and back down via Round Lake and Lake Cobb (not the reservoir.) Another from Fenella is up Kakapo Peak
Interesting, do you have any detailed route or description of those two? or a GPS trace?
bohwaz - I'm fairly sure both trips are marked on the map in Fenella Hut. The Gibbs circuit is a good one to do on the day you are leaving, if you have all day. Take your packs and go via the tarn, which definitely has a signpost at the hut, and along a low ridge. The Mt Gibbs track turns right off that ridge when you have almost finished passing Mt Xenicus, near Pt 1186. Leave your packs here. Not very obvious turnoff if i remember rightly. You drop down a short way, off the ridge, and then start climbing up Xenicus (which is the latin name for the rock wren, btw. Never seen any there but they are not far away at Lake Henderson.) The track traverses back north across the face of Xenicus (cairns) and then down a cut track into a tussock valley through dense, low bush. Follow that valley up to the top, which is Mt Gibbs. You will see Round Lake down below so follow the ridge, looking down to Island Lake, and then cut down to Round Lake outlet, cross the stream and pick up the obvious track down to Cobb Lake and around it. At the top of the saddle above the Cobb Lake outlet, divert left up the track to Fenella to pick up your packs, retrace your steps then out via Cobb Hut.
Kakapo Peak is a very obvious, signposted track off to the right just before you get to Fenella. Nice day trip.
Awesome, perfect, thanks :)
Deepriver, rather than traverse across the bottom of Xenicus and follow the valley up to Gibbs, have you tried going straight up Xenicus?
For example, following the track beyond pt 1186, climbing north-west to about the 1260m contour (as you described). Then head west and up to Xenicus (rather than continue north-west into the valley and then turn west and follow it up to Gibbs).
It's something I'm thinking of exploring ... if it doesn't look too intimidating from below.
I have only come down off Xenicus, having traversed from My Gibb. Apparently there is a cairned track up, but we missed it on the way down, and had some bluff scrambling to do. Should be no problem going up I suspect as lines through the bluffs should be easier to pick from below. I've seen a route guide somewhere, perhaps in Fenella hut, which said it was relatively easy.
Back to that traverse from Mt Gibbs - one of the hairiest bits of 'tramping' I have ever done! I am not a climber but fortunately the woman with me was. Without her physical help, as my legs began to shake uncontrollably, I would not be here today. The crux is a slot in the ridge with fearsome drop offs and a short vertical wall just before the final top of Xenicus. Climbers would, no doubt, romp along there but not me at age 50ish.
Uh oh. I am a climber but have a good fear of height, I'm not sure I want to do that one now ^^
bohwaz - that Xenicus traverse is not the trip over Mt Gibbs I described earlier. That goes around the base of Xenicus not over it - where the 'hairy' bit is.
Ah! thanks, that's better then :)
