Maitland - South Temple

Hi there, I walked that area back in May. Great tramp! It was a five day tramp and we camped on the way. This is the route we took: up the Hopkins into the Huxley then South branch over V Notch pass onto the Ahuriri. Then south and east up Watson Stream over to Maitland and then Lake Dumb-bell and back down Freehold Creek. Passes were pretty frozen back then, must be snowy now. Beautiful area, highly recommend it. Cheers!

Can only speak for the Maitland - Sth Temple - road part. But you have two options: 1) The very easy tussock pass 1km downriver from Sth Temple. Reportedly the easiest way into the Maitland. 2) But much more fun: the next main ridge on the North side of the valley, downriver from Maitland Hut gives easy access to a good pass over into the upper Watson. And the Watson into the Sth Temple is a great walk and a good pass. Moraine and scree on the Watson Side; wee tarns on the Sth Temple side of the summit, and then the slow succession from scree to tussock to beech as you travel down to the hut. The waterfall in the Sth Temple 2km above the hut can be passed on the true left - there's an old permolat track through there, or make-it-up-as-you-go. Sth Temple to the road is almost great walk standard. Benched, gravelled. Make a great run, now I think of it. Great tramp. Highly recommend it.

Hi Crossed from the Watson to South Temple Summer 2009 - we bypassed the waterfall / gorge on the TR - emerged on the spur south of the hut. Nice trip. Attempting to cross back into the Ahuriri from the head of the South Temple we were beaten back by galeforce NW (and associated rockfall...) but that's a story for another day...