Routeburn-Caples-Greenstone.   

The Routeburn was a classic tramp before DOC commercialised it, but despite the clutter, it is still worth doing. Fit trampers will be able to walk from the Routeburn car park to a campsite on the Greenstone Saddle in one long day, and then exit via the Caples or Greenstone on a second day. There are good campsites in the north branch of the Routeburn (go 500m from the Routeburn track to avoid DOC's ban) and in the Caples and Greenstone. The side trip to Conical Hill from the Harris Saddle is well worthwhile. Crossing the McKellar Saddle and descending the Caples is more strenuous than the Greenstone, but also more beautiful. From the Caples it is possible to cross back to the Routeburn car park via Fraser Creek and Emily Creek, or to six kilometers below the Routeburn car park via Kay Creek and Scott Creek (see sf).

• Routeburn - Caples (two or three days).
• Routeburn - Greenstone (two or three days).
• Caples - Greenstone (two or three days).
• Routeburn - Caples - Fraser - Emily (three or four days).
• Routeburn - Caples - Kay - Scott (three or four days).

The Routeburn, Greenstone, and Caples valleys are all easy tramping, and are well described in Moir's Guide Book North.

Caples -- Greenstone

The photos are from a two-day tramp in early December, 2017

Caples	Caples	Caples	Caples	Pass

Christina	Greenstone	Greenstone	Greenstone

Caples -- Routeburn

Photos are from a 2 day tramp/bike in 2018.
The times in Moir's Guide are fairly generous. Here they are (with mine in brackets).
Road to mid-Caples Hut 2.5 (3); upper-Caples Hut 2.5 (2.5); McKellar Saddle 3.5 (3) Greenstone Pass 2.5 (1.5).
Camp on pass.
Howden Hut (0.5); Lake McKenzie 3-4 (3.0); Harris Saddle 4 (4); Road 5.5 (4.5); Bike 30 km to Greenstone car park (2 hours).

Upper Caples	Upper Caples	Lake Howden	Lake McKenzie

Routeburn

For more photos, see Conical Hill

Routeburn	Lake Harris	Lake Harris	Martins Bay	Tutoko

Moraine Creek	Tutoko	Tutoko	Lake Mackenzie	Lake Mackenzie

Caples

Caples	Caples	Caples	Caples
Caples	Christina	Christina	Winter

Greenstone

Waterfall	Cows	Greenstone	Winter	Winter

DOC's damage to the Route Burn Valley

DOC's destroyer of tracks, at work below the Route Burn flats, December 2014.

I have been walking the Route Burn for over fifty years, and every year DOC seems to have inflicted further damage on the valley: the beautiful old track has been bulldozed and blasted into oblivion; the Falls have been marred by the addition of a small village; the beautiful old swing bridge at the start has been replaced by one capable of carrying a small bus load; an ugly toilet has been added only 45 minutes from the road and 45 minutes from the Flats hut; etc. While DOC spends vast sums reconstructing the Route Burn valley to the tastes of the wealthy guided tourists, it allows the rest of the network of tracks and bridges at the head of Lake Wakatipu to fall into disrepair.

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Copyright © 2013, 2014 J.S. Milne.