Anyone been up creek south of Routeburn roadend?

OK, found a little info in a previous post and a picture looking at the route here: http://www.jmilne.org/nz/images/NZ2862.jpg Scree at the top looks quite steep/hard work.

2 threads about this route in 1 week? Its going to be a popular place this summer :) I might be doing this in early Feb, depends on how my Merrie Range trip pans out.

Thanks, Yarmoss. Have been perusing the topo maps of this area for weekend/long weekend trips, posted before I saw the previous thread. Looking at the picture of J Milne, it might be easier to drop the vehicle at Scott Creek and hitch the last bit to the Routeburn road end, then finish coming down Scott Creek. (Or vice versa) I'm probably thinking about December rather than later.

That's the Routeburn shelter in the bottom right of the photo. While I've only glanced at the bush from the road, it appears fairly open. I don't think it would be difficult to park in the car park and then bush bash southeast to Kowhai Creek and head on up to the saddle above. From there connect with upper Scott Basin via ledges north of where the basin is labeled on the map. Kowhai Creek appears, based on that photo and Google Earth and the topo map to be similar to Emily Creek. Emily Creek is a steep but straight forward climb with a bit of scree at the top, I'm guessing Kowhai isn't much harder. I've done Scott, Kay, Fraser and Death creeks. My goal would be to cross into Double Barrel Falls and from there cross over into the Fraser. Fraser Col is an easy climb and is linked by Emily Pass to Lake Mackenzie or Emily Creek to either Routeburn Falls or Flats. Fantastic country and very easy to escape the crowds on the Routeburn.

@Yarmoss: So into the upper Double Barrel Falls creek from Scott Basin (between pts 1848 and 1960?) or by going around into Death Valley and up that snowfield between pts 1951 and 1933? What is the route from Double Barrel Falls creek into the Fraser, it all looks pretty steep in that direction? Yes, lots of fantastic country in there.

Sorry, into Double Barrel via the snowfield in Death Valley. It's pretty much gone by Feb, same with the usual snow under Fraser Col. From Double Barrel I think there's a route to the Fraser via the gut between 1706 and 1856. I've observed it clear from the Fraser side, just a matter of getting into Double Barrel for a looksy :)

Ian_H: "Yes, lots of fantastic country in there" Agreed! Unfortunately, I live in the North Island so getting down to the southern lakes is a bit harder and takes more planning and resources. Cannot just pop out to do a trip there on the spur of the moment when the weather clears, like you (Queenstown) and Yarmoss (Dunedin) can - lucky devils! :) I need to take at least two weeks to include travelling down, visiting rellies on the way, allowing for inevitable days of bad weather, etc. Anyway, I wish you all the best with your explorations of the Routeburn/Scott/Kay/Death/Fraser/Emily/Kowhai creeks, valleys and passes, or wherever you decide to go. Yarmoss: "I might be doing this in early Feb, depends on how my Merrie Range trip pans out." All the best with the Merrie range trip. Those areas, south of Manapouri are also where I would like to explore some time. I have been inspired by various photos of the Merrie and Pleasant ranges, Hauroko, and Dusky Sound, etc, especially those captured by Danilo Hegg in Southern Alps photography. What intrigues me particularly are the abundance of lakes and tarns of every size and shape on the undulating tussock tops. This is very obvious from the Topo maps: http://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap?v=2&ll=-45.691064,167.181638&z=13 And beautifully pictured in: http://www.southernalpsphotography.com/Tramping/Fiordland/Florence-Dusky/i-bHQRh5H/A and http://www.southernalpsphotography.com/Tramping/Fiordland/Florence-Dusky/i-XwPDgdq/A However, I guess this is the result of near constant wet weather? A truly magical place - apart from rain and sandflies! And boggy river valleys! :)

Emily pass and Fraser Valley is a nice trip. Did that while I was still at school on a Waitangi weekend and stayed in the cave near the top of Fraser valley. This cave is really a slab of rock that has fallen with some space under it which has been blocked up on 3 sides to make a livable space. Woke up next morning to 18 inches of snow

"Sorry, into Double Barrel via the snowfield in Death Valley. It's pretty much gone by Feb, same with the usual snow under Fraser Col. From Double Barrel I think there's a route to the Fraser via the gut between 1706 and 1856. I've observed it clear from the Fraser side, just a matter of getting into Double Barrel for a looksy :)" Yes, on the Fraser side it looks good on the map, but the Double Barrel side looks like quite a narrow gut with bluffs either side. http://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap?v=2&ll=-44.745501,168.231534&z=15&pin=1 "Fraser Col" Is that the col between Emily Creek and the Fraser / pt 1544? Looks like a reasonable route from the Routeburn into the Fraser. My wife works for Ultimate Hikes, so I'm just looking at logistics/trips that could fit around getting a ride on one of their coaches to the start of the Routeburn, Greenstone or Divide, what I can get in on a day and a half mission. Headlamp and walk till midnight on the tourist tracks/bivi then get going before first light (0500 in December) to get through and catch a lift home? From the Divide to the top of the Fraser in an afternoon, an early start then over into the Routeburn via Emily Creek could be on.