Tararua advice?

The Broken Axe Pinnacles are probably best tackled from north to south as there is one especially steep 15m scramble just before you get to McGregor.Not a place to be in high wind.Of course people do go down it but me personally would rather climb it.

We traversed Broken Axe pinaccles from South to North by dropping down to the right and bypassing them to the East. Apart from a little scrub it was easy enough. Another party following us went over top and it it looked pretty grippy where they were. I would go the way we did it anytime.

Only time I did Penn Creek we came down the river. The original track is now gone in a lot of places and pretty much unusable. The river includes a lot of swimming including some downstream floats of 50 or more meters. Not sure how you got up these sections. Not impossible but not easy either. We did it in woolly jerseys with a parka on top but it was still cold until the sun got in there around lunch time.That was a late January. By March a wet suit would be a must

Bannister ridge is easier from east to west - you are climbing up the couple of steep rock steps. Otaki gorge - waitewaiwai to penn ck - the river is smaller and subject to flow levels there are only a handful of compulsory swims.

Thanks everyone for the advice, much appreciated. pmcke, can you remember where you dropped down and came up to bypass the broken axe pinnacles? Did you bypass the whole area between McGregor and where the ridge from Baldy joins? How far down did you drop? It looks like it is easy to drop down straight after McGregor to a terrace at about 1300 m, but there is a section that looks too steep to continue sidling at this level. Then after 1425 it looks like it would be ok at around 1300 m again. Cheers Paul

I concur that there is a simple way to bypass Broken Axe pinnacles to the east. I have done it four times. Heading south, you drop down to the east from a gut just before the vertical stuff starts. Then sidle around and below a finger of rock that extends down into the tussock. Watch out for those spiky spanish plants. Continue the sidle, parallel to the ridge, until you get to a swampy bit that runs all the way back up to ridge. Climb on the side of it until you are on the ridge again. You arrive about 10 min south of the vertical stuff and Bob's your uncle! Why take on vertical, if there is an alternative? And why has DOC never promoted the alternative? As for Carkeek Hut, I found the easiest way was to take two days each way via McGregor Biv. I have tried the circuit via Arete, but the weather pushed me back. That section is pretty high. The ridge down from McGregor Biv is now unmaintained ('for wilderness experience' read 'DOC is broke') but is easy enough on a compass bearing. Go bump 118, then swing north at bump 1000. I took the more easterly spur where it divides down from there. The river is fine, except in flood, and at Park Forks, look for the start of the (unmarked but well-trodden) track to Carkeek just a few metres up the Park River from the actual confluence. You can also get down to Park Forks from Dorset Ridge, however I couldn't find the start of this (unmarked) track in white-out conditions. Carkeek Hut is on the bushline and the views of the interior from the ridge just above are incredible.

I would go with John's description re Broken Axe pinnacles. It was a while ago since I was there. It was a windy day, typical Tararuas, and the bipass looked far more obvious to me than going over top. I don't think you even need to loose much height. I do remember some scrub and also crossing the finger of rock. We crossed it and had to drop a metre or two into the gully on the other side, that was the crux. No problems I recall.

Thanks to pcmke and John... read this with much interest. Last I asked DOC at their Masterton office I was suggested that there was a bypass on the WESTERN side of the Broken Axe Pinnacles!! Fortunately (or not depending on how you look at it) really lousy weather meant that I got nowhere near them that trip. However your comments are really encouraging and I'm certain to give them a go within the next few weeks.

Just did another google search for "Broken Axe Pinnacles" and found a few photo's and comments at this site (see below) http://picasaweb.google.com/parawaiTC/BrokenAxePinnaclesCircuit14January2011#5562510443679015442 Looks like DOC have now marked where to sidle. Probably to prevent people trying to climb them and coming to harm...