Gillespie Pass Circuit (Jan/Feb)

Hi Sami I'm from Switzerland and travelling in NZ from January to March 2019. I'm looking for a hiking partner too. Gillespie Pass Circuit sounds also great. I'm 36, male and and experienced mountaineer. I'm going to be in Nelson for 2 weeks from 13. January on. Please contact me if you're interested Pascal

Hi Pascal, Sounds great! Would be great to hike together. I'm a 35-yo male from France, now living in Canada. I hike regularly in the northeast (White Mountains, Adirondacks) and have done a few treks in Mercantour/Alpes Maritimes. There must be a bug on the forum since I can't click on your name to send you a private message. Feel free to email me directly to sami.dalouche@gmail.com so that we can continue the conversation and I can share the entire trip info. I have made additional research and am about to book the trip (actually, only siberia hut needs to be booked). Here is what it looks like: 02/09: Fly to Queenstown / sleep there 02/10: Bus from Queenstown (Athol street) to Makarora 02/10: Gillespie Pass Day 1: Makarora to Young Hut 02/11: Gillespie Pass Day 2: Young Hut to Siberia Hut (TODO: book) 02/12: Gillespie Pass Day 3: Siberia Hut to Kevin Forks Hut 02/12: Wilkin Valley: Kevin Forks Hut to Top Forks Hut 02/13: Wilkin Valley: Day hike to Lake Diana, Lake Lucidus, Lake Castalia 02/14: Wilkin Valley: Day hike to Waterfall flat / Rabbit pass 02/15: Wilkin Valley: Day hike to Wonderland Valley 02/16: Wilkin Valley: Top Forks Hut to Kevin Forks Hut 02/17: Gillespie Pass Day 4: Kevin Forks Hut to Makarora SH-6 02/17: Bus: Makarora to Wanaka. Sleep there 02/18: Bus Wanaka to Queenstown AIrport. Fly back to Auckland.

Hi Sami If I may make a suggestion. You should be able to easily walk from Siberia to Top Forks hut in a day. Suggest you consider spending an an extra night at Siberia Hut and do a day trip to Crucible Lake instead of overnighting at Kerin Forks Hut. (edit: Just looked up my Garmin activity from Siberia to Top forks hut. It was 22.5km) Top Forks hut is in a lovely spot :) Cheers, Moh.

It's only about three hours from Siberia hut to Kerin Forks hut. If the water is up in the Wilkin, you may need to wait for a jet boat to get you across at Kerin Forks. There are a couple of crossings on the route to Top Forks which is typically about 5 hrs+ walking. I wouldn't miss the Lake Crucible side trip if i could help it.

Thanks a lot for the suggestion! Since I already plan to go from Siberia hut to Top Forks Hut in a day, I'll probably cut one of the nights at Top Forks Hut.

Just a warning: top forks main hut has some major work planned on it for feb-march 2019 sometime. Builders will be staying in the smaller old hut which I think is just 6 bunk. So plan on having a tent. Dates for work not firm yet but alert will be on doc website for the hut once they're decided.

@madpom: Do you have more information regarding the closure of Top Forks Hut? The DOC website doesn't display anything regarding that. Safe to assume that next week will be fine? Thanks, Sami

I called the DOC, and the work planned should not start for at least 2 weeks.