Nelson Lakes NP DOC track times
I'm planning a tramp for summer, and wondering about the feasibility of getting from Mt Misery Hut to Angelus Hut in 1 day? DOC suggests 5 hours from Mt Misery Hut to Sabine Hut, then 6 hours up the Mt Cedric route to Angelus Hut.
I know it's difficult to advise other people, but as a rule on a decent tracks (eg Rees-Dart) my husband and I usually undercut DOC times by around 25% or more, but on more difficult tracks (Toaroha-Frew Circuit) we were pretty much right on the DOC times. I don't mind an 8-10 hour day, but if people here think the DOC times for NLNP are spot on, or even optimistic, then we'd consider an extra night at Sabine Hut (but prefer not to as we have grandparents babysitting!)
Thanks in advance
Andrea
It seems to me DOC times change based on the kind of people using the tracks. On much used tracks you'll beat DOC times as these times cater to people who don't walk much, so on less often used tracks the times will be much more accurate for you.
Mt. Cedric route is supersteep and slow going. Without knowing you, that 6 hours after 5 hours is probably optimistic.
Not withstanding the times, the climb up to Angelus from Sabine hut is massive - about 1400 m vertical elevation gain. It pushed me to my limits and I was pretty fit. You want to enjoy that trip as much as possible as it’s just so scenic so best to stay at Sabine hut if you can.
Took me 1hr15 from Misery Hut down to track junction on lakeshore. Signpost says 3hrs. don't know if that helps
1
Thanks for replies so far. I know it's a tricky thing to advise someone - I know my fitness but not the specific tracks, and other people giving advice know the tracks but not my fitness! To give a indication, we walked into Dart Hut from Muddy Creek car park in 1 day in 9 hours (to have a hut day and avoid the storm the following day), whereas DOC total times suggest 10-14 hours over 2 days. Not as much descent / ascent as what I'm considering though.
Madpom - yes, that helps but I think you're fitter and do a lot more tramping than me! Any comparisons in terms of what the Mt Misery track condition is like, eg similar to the track to Bluff Hut from the Hokitika? Or Carroll Hut?
rees dart times are toward the conservative side.
About as steep as Carroll from Otira ... but just a rough, marked, little-used tramping track rather than the benched pack-track I recall up to Carroll.
Looking at my writeup I suggest 2hrs+ for the descent - though my photo timestamps show the quicker time quoted above.
"2hr+. A poled route heads south from Misery Hut, gaining the ridgeline and following it NNE. At an unmarked point the route drops NW off the ridgeline to bush below – be alert for the ground trail ending – the face below has marker poles but there are none at the turn. A good but steep cut track descends through beech, with long sidles in places. At the lakeshore, it meets the Sabine-D’Urville track at a signposted junction."
Thanks madpom and waynowski. I’m feeling that the DOC suggested times for Mt Misery and Mt Cedric routes are probably fairly realistic for me and not too generous. Perhaps need to sweet-talk the grandparents into babysitting an extra night 😆
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| Forum | Tracks, routes, and huts |
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| Started by | RedDragon |
| On | 18 November 2019 |
| Replies | 7 |
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