Whitcombe - Mungo - Toaroha

I went from Yeats hut thru to Poet via Mungo hut on 3.02.12 by the route I think you are contemplating. (9.5hrs including a slow descent from the Toarha Range, & a 1 hr stop at Mungo hut. All other stops and a bit of shagging around looking for the best ford of the Brunswick are also included in the time) The following day I walked out to the Toaroha roadend (8.75hrs) If heading for the Toaroha roadend from Yeats hut it is just an easy half day walk. That steep gut/ scree section to gain the Toaroha Range from Park Stream still held a lot of icy snow this time last year. It went most of the way down to Park Stream & made for a slow descent. The gut is shaded & most places were too icy to kick steps in to. I suspect it would be easier going up it. If it is like last year you should at the least have ice axes for some step cutting. I would have used crampons if I'd had them with me last year. *There may well be less snow around this year than last? I've heard a report of that route being snow free late one summer but generally it is not! Two other people I know struck it iced up one summer & had a slow down climb using crampons most of the way to Park Stream. There are some notes on the route on the Permolat site.

Hey glennj, thanks very much for that detailed reply. That is exactly the kind of information we were after. The route sounds doable. We will probably head up Park Stream early to check on conditions. If it looks a bit icy and dicey, we'll backtrack and head around the track to the Top Toaroha Hut and out. But given your description, if we are careful and have some ice axes, provided conditions are good it is an option. Unfortunately I don't think all the group will have access to crampons, so if it comes to that, we'll have to go for Plan B. Thanks again!