TRACKS IN REES AND DART VALLEYS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26780, 25 May 1948, Page 6

TRACKS IN REES AND DART VALLEYS

' Special to tlic Daily Times QUEENSTOWN, May 24. The tracks and huts in the Dart and Rees Valleys are now undergoing repairs. A comprehensive report covering the whole of the Tourist Department’s tracks and huts was made a year ago and the work of repair, was commenced before last tramping season. Already the track from Paradise to Dredge hut has received attention. This is a distance of 16 miles, and an inspection was made recently of the track from Dredge to Snowy hut. a further distance of 16 miles. The repair work necessary here will be completed prior to the next tramping season. The track generally was found

to be in good order. Very few large trees were down, but the water courses require clearing and the corduroy paving needs renewing. The Dredge hut has been rebuilt, and is now capable of accommodating 24 in bunks and an additional 12 in sleeping bags on the veranda. All cooking equipment has been provided in this hut. The Snowy hut is the property of the tramping clubs and is in excellent order. These tracks are largely used during the summer months by trampers from all over New Zealand, as well as organised parties from overseas. The popular route is up the Rees Valley, crossing a low saddle at the head of this valley, called Snowy Saddle, to

Snowy hut, which is at the junction of Snowy creek and the Dart river. The route then carries on down the Dart Valley to Dredge hut, and finally to Paradise. Another route is up the Matukituki from Wanaka, over Cascade saddle and down to Snowy hut. For the more seasoned climber, a trip may be taken from the Whitburn in the Dart Valley, over the Whitburn Glacier to Joe’s River, a tributary of the Arawhata River, and on to the Olivine, thence to the lower Hollyford, or, alternatively, turning north at Joe's River, down the Arawaha River to Jackson’s Bay, back up the Haast river to Makarora at the head of Lake Wanaka. Some three to four hundred trampers used these tracks last January and February.