Lake Morgan Tops

Gloriavale does prefer you to make contact. They often have a group go up and occupy the hut. Your visit may clash with a group of theirs. They are very accommodating and friendly. You'll just sign a register if you drop in. It is however easy enough to bypass their facility unnoticed and go to the DOC carpark. The road for the last kilometre or so in is poor condition. Several fords are crossed. The Brian O'Lyn route has regular tape etc. It is easy to follow but you need to keep your eye out. Overgrown in places and a few twists and turns. Can be boggy here and there. Most competent trampers would break out of the bush within 3 hrs or less. We left the ridge at the top to contour down past a tarn at appx 1130m and regained the ridge before the saddle between pt1251 and pt1196. We got to the hut at Lake Morgan to return again in the same day. Our time was appx 11rs but is is hard to recommend that to anybody as you would need to travel light and remain on the go for most of the time. I will post a couple more photos on this site.

Great info there aardvark,sounds like a big day you had there. I think I will stop in and see if there is anyone in the area that they know of. One more thing,whats the scrub like in the 2 saddles leading south toward the hut or is there a pretty good animal trail to follow?

You won't see the track in places because of the scrub closing in but you can't leave the ridge by far. I found a UHF radio that seemed like it got ripped off some hunters rig. I left it in the hut. There are some poles on the way. On our return it was apparent there were various alternative lines of travel along the ridge in places. We're considering a visit in the first couple of days in 2020 but we might make a circuit out of it and include Cone Ck.