Mikonui Catchment - Dickie Ridge/Upper Tuke River Route

Track category

Tramping track
Route

Time:

Time: 2-3 days. Times shown are a general guide only.

Description

Road End to Mikonui Flat Hut

Time: 1 - 1.5 hours
From the road end, travel upstream on the river flats to the start of the well defined benched track. This track sidles around the edge of one of the higher terraces and drops gently onto river flats. Follow marker poles with orange triangles past the old homestead along to the Mikonui River upstream of the Mikonui/Tuke confluence. This part of the river has good places to ford at normal flow levels as the flow is often broken down into two or three channels. Cross the river to the flats on the true left bank and follow the poles and orange triangles to the hut.

Mikonui Flats Hut has 6 bunks and a wood stove. Near the hut the Tuke River has some excellent but cold swimming holes.

Mikonui Flats to Dickie Spur Hut

Time: 5 - 6 hours
From the hut door follow the markers through the grassy flats and scattered scrub directly up the valley skirting the bush edge for about 200 metres where the Dickie Ridge track will be located leading off to the right.

The track climbs onto a low terrace before climbing steadily onto a high point, avoiding a short gorge in the lower Tuke River. The track immediately descends steeply back down to the Tuke River to cross the swing bridge at the top end of the gorge. A short distance along from the swing bridge the track drops onto the riverbed.

Travel up the riverbed on the true left toward Truran Creek until you pick up the large orange triangle marking the beginning of the track which climbs steeply to a terrace before sidling around to Truran Pass.

At the Pass follow the orange markers that lead up the initially broad spur heading in a south east direction from Truran Pass. Bypass the turn-off to Polluck Creek. The climbing becomes steady and steep and eventually the spur narrows into Dickie Ridge. At about 1200 metres a marker pole indicates the turn off to Dickie Spur Hut. In misty conditions picking up the markers leading to the hut can be difficult. The hut has no heating.

Dickie Spur Hut to Top Tuke Hut

Time: 4 - 5 hours
From the hut follow the route back up to Dickie Ridge. Climb past spot height 1326 metres to spot height 1296 metres and drop steeply into the small creek below (on the Tuke River side of the ridge). Be careful if the tussock is wet or if there is snow. Travel down the creek until you pick up the large orange triangle that marks the beginning of the track from the true right of the creek to the Tuke River. (If travelling up the creek to spot height 1296 metres from the Tuke River you will need to take care to follow the correct stream branch, generally taking the left branch each time - a number of small rock cairns show the way).

The track sidles quickly around to drop into the Tuke River immediately above the upper Tuke Gorge. From here the route mostly follows the riverbed on the true left - negotiating very large boulders on the way. (Although orange markers presently lead you across the river to a section of track on the true right it is not essential to cross and most people prefer to remain on the true left until closer to the hut). A short section of necessary track on the true left, sidles around a short gorge about 20 minutes below the Top Tuke Hut.

A track to the hut begins at the mouth of a small stream entering the Tuke River just upstream of the hut. This short steep track is marked with a large orange triangle but you need to keep an eye out for it. Cross the Tuke River at the most suitable place to reach this track. A swing bridge shown on some older topomaps no longer exists.

Top Tuke Hut upstream

From the hut follow the track back down to the Tuke River. Orange markers, some open riverbed travel and short sections of track lead to a major spur giving access to Mt Beaumont and beyond. A few marker poles on this spur are placed more to help define the way down than up. From this point travel is via unmarked route. Mount Beaumont can be used as a launching point for access to the Whitcombe via Steadman Brow and the track down to Cropp Knob and Price Flat, to Healey Spur via Galena Ridge or to Ivory Lake and the Waitaha.

Getting there

Access into the upper Mikonui Valley is via the Totara Valley Road. Turn east off SH6 into Totara Valley road just north of Ross. This road winds its way to and over the low Totara Saddle and ends at the Mikonui River flats.

Some of the route passes through private property on the flats. Permission to cross this private property should be obtained from Dea Minehan +64 3 755 4090.

Activities

Swimming

Enjoy a chilly dip in the Tuke River, beside the Mikonui Flat Hut.

Plan and prepare

Topomap: NZTopo50 - BV18 Kokatahi & BW18 Whitcombe Pass.

Experience: Suitable for fit, well equipped and experienced back-country trampers only.

Best season: Summer and autumn; snow/ice on alpine sections during winter.

Hazards: Flooded rivers and side streams; ice and snow during winter.

Before you go into the outdoors, tell someone your plans and leave a date to raise the alarm if you haven't returned. To do this, use the New Zealand Outdoors Intentions process on the AdventureSmart website. It is endorsed by New Zealand's search and rescue agencies and provides three simple options to tell someone you trust the details about your trip.

Call at the Department of Conservation office for the latest track conditions and to purchase your hut tickets prior to starting the trip.

Information in this guide is an indicator of conditions only. Storm damage to routes and regrowth of vegetation will slow progress and allowances must be made for possible delays through bad weather, or track damage.

Huts generally contain no cooking equipment trampers are advised to travel "self contained". A tent or fly should also be carried.

Winter travel beyond Dickie Spur Hut while best avoided, requires the use of ice axes and crampons.

Note: True left and true right refer to the side of the valley or river when looking downstream.

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